New kid? Here's help.

It’s important to be in the know. We’ve all needed that person – a trailblazer, a pioneer, and a connoisseur – to show us the savory tastes of a new restaurant and the fun of a weekend getaway. By staying fresh and expanding the originality of others, these seniors have traveled the path.


Alex Boler, of Wheaton, Ill., a central defender on the men’s soccer team.

Check out this fresh B-Town spot: Bear’s Place (corner of Third Street and Jordan Avenue) You’ve got to try the Hairy Bear. You’ve got to experience it for yourself.

Fresh restaurant: Butch’s Grillacatessen & Eatzeria (on the corner of Seventh and Washington streets). It’s sort of pricey, but they have huge sandwiches. The philly cheesesteak – just the size, the size is overbearing.

Fresh activity in Bloomington: Take a trip to Griffey Lake. You can run, jog, or hike around there. Most people are familiar with it. It’s about as scenic as Bloomington can get.

Fresh, perhaps unconventional ideas for the weekend: How about Iowa City (six-hour drive). Everyone should try to experience other Big Ten Schools ... You gain knowledge and respect for the schools in your conference – their campus, restaurants, bars, just the feel around town. Some campuses are really sweet, but some campuses, well, you’ll realize why you chose IU.

How do you stay fresh through college? Be myself, but at the same time, sort of networking. Making new friends, branching out from the group of friends from your home town. And school spirit, don’t be the “cool guy,” attend games and enjoy the experience to the full potential.


Adryan Dillon, of Evansville, Ind., was an intern at Glamour Magazine in New York City this summer. While in the Big Apple, Dillon hung out at Black & White, the same East Village bar where Twilight’s Robert Pattinson partied.

Fresh hangout: Once you turn 21, definitely check out The Office Lounge. They have great karaoke; it is such a great Bloomington scene. It is a little bit far away, though. It is off of Third Street, down by College Mall. It is just a great Bloomington establishment where a lot of locals go. You’ve got to go for the atmosphere ... You can sing pretty much anything (Dillon recalls some impressive Springsteen renditions), just don’t do Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing.” That song should be banned from karaoke.

A fresh idea for school: Take a music class. There’s a class on The Beatles (Z401-The Music of the Beatles), the history of rock ’n’ roll (Z201-History of Rock Music I: Roots of Rock to the British Invasion, Z202-History of Rock Music II: Rock’s Classic Era), and even jazz, taught by David Baker (former conductor and artistic director of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra).