Giving thanks for Old IU

I can tell by the increasing course work and thinning ranks among my classmates that Thanksgiving is upon us. A time to go home and see our parents for what might be the first time all semester, laundry in tow, for some good home cooking and a little bit of time away before the final push of exams at the end of the semester.\nThere is something nice and reassuring about turkey dinner and football games at this time of year. Knowing that it is Thanksgiving also lends one to giving thanks for certain reasons, such as why we attend this University. I would like to take this time to point some of these reasons out to those of you that might not know, so that you can enjoy them the rest of your time here.\nThe campus. Have you opened your eyes enough when you walk around from class to class these days? We attend college at possibly one of the most beautiful campuses in the country. All the trees, buildings of limestone, the Arboretum, Showalter Fountain -- it all ties together to make an experience that exceeds any expectations I might have had before coming here. During my campus visits in high school, I knew I would be coming to a school with an attractive campus, but I didn't realize how beautiful it was until I was here for a full year and took in all the seasons. Nothing that I have experienced tops Bloomington in the fall.\nThe music scene. The School of Music at IU is one of the best in the country, and as a result the music that is created around here is far superior to any other music scene in surrounding college towns. I've talked to friends of mine who attend other Big Ten universities, and none of them can brag about the amount and quality of live music like I can. There are several different bars that exist solely for live music, and the wide array of music here is great. Any night of the week, chances are pretty good that at one of the local bars you will find a band pumping out music that gets you moving, you just have to get out there and find it.\nThe people. We attend a school that 36,000 students call home for a period of their lives while they seek higher education. Chances are whatever sort of a person you are, you are going to find other people like you to spend your time with, living up each day to the most. Or, you could find some people who are not like you, so you can interact and expand your thoughts and opinions by discussing issues and seeing a different point of view. Whatever you are looking for when it comes to company, you can find them here.\nSure, this column comes off as pro-IU in sickening amounts. This isn't to say that there aren't some things I'm not thankful for when it comes to IU. There are. But Nonthanksgiving day isn't coming upon us, it's Thanksgiving day. So, the negatives about IU can be overlooked for a day, to revel in the greatness of the University that I attend.