Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
Support the IDS in College Media Madness! Donate here March 24 - April 8.
Friday, March 29
The Indiana Daily Student

student life bloomington

Graduating seniors share favorite IU memories

SENIORS.jpg

Sample Gates, Showalter Fountain and other campus landmarks are filled with seniors taking their last photos before leaving Bloomington and their college years behind. We asked some seniors to share their favorite IU memories and advice for current students.

Responses have been shortened for clarity. 

Lauren Mardis

Major: Healthcare Management and Policy

Hometown: Pittsboro, Indiana

Indiana Daily Student: Most cliche IU habit? 

Mardis:  "I try and walk through Sample Gates every day. That’s super weird, I know, but I just love it. It’s the feeling. It’s the IU total package. When you walk through Sample Gates, it’s literally like Hogwarts for me. I still almost get goosebumps every time I walk through just because of its majesty, and the vibe, especially with all the flowers."  

IDS: How much IU apparel do you have?

Mardis: "Guesstimate? 80, 90, at least. I have every single crewneck from Tracks. I have most Kilroy shirts from the past two years, so I don’t even count that. You should see my room. I have a piece of the floor of Assembly Hall. I have needlepoint stitch IU things that my mom made me. I have wooden paintings of the state of Indiana with a heart on Bloomington. I am all out. Even my car, I have IU stickers all over my back and my front, an IU license plate, an IU hitch pole for pulling our boat, hub caps with IU on them. And my car is red. I know when I pull up to work in a few weeks, I’m going to have to really tone it down." 

IDS: How do you feel about leaving?

Mardis: "I could do four more years, easy. Me and my friends always joke, ‘What class could I possibly flunk so I could go one more year?’ Just one more semester. One victory lap. But alas, never failed a class, and now I have to graduate." 

Jorge Campana

Majors: Human Biology, Environmental and Sustainability Studies

Hometown: Plainfield, Indiana

IDS: Favorite IU memory?

Campana: "Celebratory dinners at Lucky’s Express, with a small group of friends. That was always a highlight. We do that after we have something to celebrate. It’s always after a great week, where we all just come together, like yeah, let’s just go out and eat some Lucky’s because we deserve it. It’s the best."

IDS: Best IU experience?

Campana: "I went rock climbing with my friends, through IU Outdoor Adventures. That was always really good. We got to spend a whole weekend just rock climbing at the Red, you know, the state park forest. It was beautiful. That’s what really got me into the sport of rock climbing. I just jumped on from there, and now I climb regularly. That was junior year. It’s never too late to learn something new." 

IDS: What advice to do you have for other IU students?

Campana: "Explore anything and everything. Explore academic pursuits, relationships. These four years will go by fast, so you’ve really got to embrace each and every single day. Just get out there. Don’t get into a routine. Always try to mix it up. That’s kept me away from regrets." 

Megan Read

Majors: Neuroscience, Spanish

Hometown: Fort Wayne, IN

IDS: Favorite memory?

Read: "Little Five this year has been a great memory. I’m really glad I did that. Even though I was out, like, the third lap of the race. But the first three laps were great. I actually started a team with three other seniors. We were all rookies, and we just wanted to do the race for the fun of it. The race was a struggle for the team, especially since I crashed, and I was out for the rest of the race. One of my teammates also wrecked, about 50 laps later. She was fine, but then we had a flat tire. We didn’t do as great as we wanted to, but it was still really fun training. It was an adventure for sure." 

IDS: Your go-to study spot?

Read: "I really like to sit out in Dunn Meadow by the river by one of the trees, because you still get Wi-Fi, but you get to enjoy the fresh air. But in the winter, I like to sit by the fire in the Union. Or over in the Arboretum, too." 

IDS: Advice for current students?

Read: "This sounds like bad advice, but don’t say no to things. If you have an opportunity to do something crazy, just do it. If your friends are asking you to go camping on a weekend, and you have a paper to write, just write it Sunday night. Go camping. Enjoy the time while you have the free time. You’re not going to be able to do random stuff like that when you’re not in college anymore. Go for the walk at 3 a.m. around campus in the rain. Just do it."

Elizabeth Bishop

Major: Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management

Hometown: Tell City, Indiana

IDS: Favorite IU memory?

Bishop: "I gave a tour to a high school from my hometown. Just getting to share our experience with a younger generation, and getting to show what we’re so proud of and what we’ve worked so hard to be a part of." 

IDS: Favorite spot on campus?

Bishop: "My favorite spot is the benches outside of Woodburn. I actually just took a Snapchat story there yesterday. I think it’s a really calming spot. I go at least once a week. Twice a week. I always try to make a point to go a little early so I can sit there and recoup before class." 

Simon Herran

Major: Informatics

Hometown: Dallas, Texas

IDS: How did you choose your major?

Herran: "I was initially going to do business, and then I decided to change to informatics because I kind of saw that within informatics I could kind of do some of the similar things I wanted to do with business and then also have a technical background. It’s been fun, it’s been challenging, but it’s been rewarding." 

IDS: Favorite part of the last four years?

Herran: "Not knowing anyone here really gave me the opportunity to really branch out and make some friends. And it was easy, being in the dorm life and being in the dining halls. It was easy to make friends. That was something I enjoyed, making friends that hopefully I keep in touch with." 

IDS: Favorite place in Bloomington?

Herran: "I eat at Chipotle, like, every week." 

IDS: Best game?

Herran: "My freshman year, we beat SMU (Southern Methodist University), who is a top ranked team. So that was really big, and a lot of fun." 

IDS: What’s the best advice you’ve been given?

Herran: "Learn to manage your time. There’s only so many hours in the day, but there’s so many things you can do and are going to want to do in college. So just make sure to keep your priorities straight. Make sure to get good grades in school, but don’t isolate yourself from your friends."

Leah Lasher

Major: Public Management

Hometown: Tell City, Indiana

IDS: What is your favorite spot on campus?

Lasher: "When I was a freshman, I had a class in Woodburn and then a class in the Fine Arts Building and I had a break in between. I’d always sit in the grass around Showalter Fountain. I wouldn’t sit up in it, but on the sides. I haven’t done that in a long time."

IDS: How do you feel as you’re getting ready to graduate?

Lasher: "I definitely didn’t bloom in college like a lot of people do. I definitely feel ready to start the next chapter and do the next thing. This was a good time while it was, but I’m ready to move on and have something more stable, more all the time and definitive. I’m going to miss it, and I’m sure my fiancé and I will probably always come back to games, but I’m ready to start the next chapter." 

Get stories like this in your inbox
Subscribe