Top 10 most underrated parts about IU

Before I begin this article, I think it’s important that we come to a consensus as to what “underrated” means. For something to be “underrated,” it must be good, even great. But more importantly, it must also be underappreciated, undervalued or simply unrecognized.

For example, college dress codes are pretty underrated. College students can dress however they want; pajamas, sweatpants, it doesn’t matter. But, despite this awesome comfort, no one really talks about it.

No one really appreciates how special it is. Thus, college dress codes are underrated. I spent some time researching the most underrated parts of IU. And it would be pretty unfair of me to create a top 10 list and not share it.

So, without further adieu, here are the most underrated parts of IU:

10. Panini sandwiches at Ballantine Hall. Food found on campus is usually pretty questionable, but these paninis are really good. If you’re running late to class, you can snag panini and eat at your desk. That, my friends, is a delicious consolidation of time.

9. IU Mobile app. I know not everyone has an iPhone or Android, but this app is pretty cool. You can check your school email account, use Oncourse resources and navigate your way through campus (if you’re a freshman).

8. The rib shack by Memorial Stadium. I’m very picky when it comes to barbecue. I blame my Texas roots. The guys there sure know how to cook and sauce up some barbecue. Their ribs almost make our football games worth attending.

7. The revolving doors at the Indiana Memorial Union. Have you ever thought about how many people go through the IMU in one day? A lot. This one door has seemingly perfected the traffic flow for one of IU’s most-used buildings.

6. The Stacks in the Herman B Wells Library. The Stacks make this list solely because of gigantic size. They have 10 floors, each the size of a football field. That’s 10 football fields’ worth of books.

5. The graffiti. Whether it’s chalked on the sidewalks or carved into the desks, people love expressing their opinions. A lot of them are funny. A lot of them are stupid. But all of them make our days more interesting.

4. The Fourth Street cuisine. Bloomington is randomly home to some really good ethnic restaurants. It’s a nice change of pace from the same old national chains Bloomington offers. 

3. The pre-made shortcuts around campus. If you look closely at the layout of campus, you’ll notice two types of routes. First, there are the longer, scenic routes. These are ideal for warmer months and for people who like to observe our beautiful seasons. But if it’s raining, or if you’re hurrying to class, you can take the pre-made shortcut routes. So I raise my glass to you, Mr. Wells, for making my morning route easier and less stressful to navigate.

2. Vending machines with the campus access/credit card swipers. This is the most clutch thing to hit IU since Jordy Hulls’ jump shot. Sometimes I have no cash. Sometimes I only have 20’s and 5’s. But I always have a card of some sort.

1. The most underrated part of IU, cliches aside, is our student base. Other campuses underestimate us, but maybe that’s because they’ve never seen Little 500. Or maybe they’ve never seen one of our tailgates. Either way, IU can be the rowdiest campus in the nation.

 ­— awcohn@indiana.edu