Make the most of Little 500

America’s greatest college weekend is fast approaching as Little 500 week kicked off. It is during this time that we celebrate the largest collegiate bike race in the United States. The IU tradition founded in 1951 by the IU Student Foundation still remains one of the most highly anticipated weeks of the academic year.

Soon Hoosiers will be able to witness the 33 teams in action, vying for position against each other. This competition of strength, agility, speed and endurance will push the riders to their limits.

The four-person relay teams will have to execute their exchanges masterfully in order to be considered for a top spot. The entire race is quite a spectacle to behold.

Alas, the bike race alone could not justify Little 500 week being dubbed “America’s greatest college weekend.”

While Little 500 week is dedicated to IU’s annual bike race, so too is it known as a week of debauchery, drunkenness and a complete disregard for impending finals.

Each year Little 500 is host to a slew of concerts, sees a sharp rise in weekday parties and serves as the annual excuse to blow off every other responsibility.

It’s interesting to witness the divide in ideologies concerning the excitement of Little 500. 

On one side there are the bikers, the actual participants of the Little 500 bike race. These individuals have invested a great deal of time, money and sweat equity in preparing for the Little 500 bike race.

Their hard work, training and diligence will all culminate into a single bike race lasting a pittance of hours.

Their excitement of Little 500 stems from the possibility of being able to win the Little 500 bike race and go down in IU history.

On the other hand, you have those unrestrained by the rigorous training a Little 500 race demands.

These individuals, who just so happen to be the majority of students, are free to partake in the many prevalent extracurricular activities available during Little 500.

This side is not as concerned with the bike race aspect of Little 500.

They are more so interested in participating in said activities, and in many cases, participating in these activities to great excess.

This divide in the perception of Little 500 speaks volumes toward our priorities as a student body.

However, regardless of the side you fall under, Little 500 will always stand as a last hurrah before summer.

I suggest you go make the most out of it.

­— andsamps@indiana.edu