2023 IDS International Student Guide

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE 2023

Congratulations on starting your first year at IU Bloomington!

You’re reading the Indiana Daily Student’s International Student Guide. This publication is your guide to adjusting to life as a student at Indiana University. Beginning college, especially in a new country, can be a stressful but fulfilling adjustment. Hopefully this guide will make these new experiences a little less intimidating.

The Indiana Daily Student is the student run publication here at IU. In this guide, the writing, design, photos and more are entirely done by students just

like you. To read our daily online content, visit our website, idsnews.com, or pick up a copy of our weekly print edition at a newsstand on campus.

Although you’re sure to have a fair share of changes once you get to campus, you’ll also make countless great memories in these next few years.

I hope you enjoy your time here as a Hoosier!

Sharing cultures though the years

Students from around the world come to IU to learn and share experiences. Here’s a look at some of the ways people from diverse backgrounds engaged with the campus and community through the years.

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Navigating the Office of International Services website

The Office of International Services website offers many resources for students from information on ways to get involved to advising and support, employment and scholarship opportunities.

On the home page of the website, students can find links to resources about applying to IU, finding community and ways to maintain immigration status. Students may also use a chat box to connect with an International Student Ambassador. An International Student Ambassador is a current IU international student who helps other international students navigate IU.

At the top of the home page, you will see seven resource options that have drop down menus when hovering over.

Here is a list of resources the website offers:

Admissions

Admissions is the first option available on the homepage. Students may find information about IU Bloomington, applying, cost and financial aid, as well as ways to prepare for their first year.

Studying at IU

In the “Studying at IU” tab, students will find various opportunities to receive academic support, scholarship opportunities, student visa requirements and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) resources. Scholarship opportunities include Global Citizen Scholarship and Rising Star Scholarship.

Living In the U.S.

Students will also find a section on “Living in the U.S.” Here, students will find resources for housing, health

and insurance, safety, equity and inclusion and more. Some of the diversity and equity inclusion programs that IU offers include the African American Arts Institute and the First Nations Educational and Cultural Center.

Student Employment

Here, students can find information on finding a job, visas and work authorization. They can also learn how to apply for a social security number.

Get Involved

Under the same menu bar, students can find many ways to get involved. The menu includes different student organizations, practical English tutors, things to do in Bloomington and more. IU is home to seven different cultural centers. A full list of clubs and

activities at IU can be found here.

Connect

Below the “Connect” subpage, students can contact the Office of International Services, student ambassadors and access social media information. Students can find the Office of International Studies on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook at the username @ iu_ois.

For Family

At the top right corner, a section for families can be found. Families of students will find resources in different languages about IU Bloomington and the Office of International Services. Families can also find a virtual tour of IU and a video playlist. You can explore these resources in your preferred language.

Words to Know

Academic probation

Students are put on academic probation when their cumulative GPA for a semester falls below 2.0.

AI

Typically graduate students, associate instructors help teach undergraduate courses.

Bursar

The Office of the Bursar bills tuition and room and board fees.

Canvas

canvas.iu.edu. This site is where you will access all your class information and

turn in assignments.

CAPS

Counseling and Psychological Services. This center is housed in the Student Health Center at 600 N. Eagleson Ave. Schedule a counseling appointment for free, as your student health fee includes two sessions per semester.

COAS

COAS stands for The College of Arts and Sciences. It’s sometimes simply called “the College.”

IMU

The Indiana Memorial

Union is often referred to simply as “the Union,” and is located at 900 E. Seventh St.

IUSG

IU Student Government allows students to be involved with university policy making.

IUSF

The IU Student Foundation is a nonprofit organization that raises funds for the University. IUSF sponsors the Little 500 bike race.

Little Five

The famous Little 500

bicycle race and the week of events surrounding it.

MAC

The Musical Arts Center, located across from Read Hall, is the site of Jacobs School of Music opera performances and IU Ballet Department shows.

Office hours

These are times that your professors sets aside each week to be available to answer questions you have about their classes. They are also a way to get to know your professor.

One.IU

one.iu.edu. This is IU’s portal to almost everything that you need to access, from class websites to scheduling to accessing your email. This website redirects you to all different IU programs and resources.

RPS Residential Programs and Services handles all things related to a student’s living environment, including dorm rooms, meal plans and programming.

SAB Student Athletic Board

allows students to be involved with IU athletics without being athletes.

SRSC

The Student Recreational Sports Center, located on Law Lane, is a 204,000-square-foot facility that offers more than 400 workout machines in addition to other programs, club sports and courts for working out.

UITS

University Information Technology Services deals with all things computer and technology-related on campus.

Here are a few key terms that are useful to know around campus. You’ll know them all by heart soon enough, but until then, this reference can help.

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The guide to Indiana University sports and culture

The seemingly all-day tailgating. Candy-striped pants and Martha the Mop Lady. Fall sweater weather and smacking the boards before corner kicks. Cyclists racing to the sound of their respective thundering clans. Spring sunsets as the backdrop for seven-to-nine innings.

Welcome to the scenery of Indiana University’s sports — to quote one sports announcer: “Where basketball is religion.” For rivalry and ranked matchups, students will line up outside Simon Skojdt Assembly Hall for hours in the cold for the best seats to watch the Hoosiers.

Residents of the state of Indiana are nicknamed Hoosiers. This is also the name for

the school’s 24 sports teams, though at one point, Indiana’s mascot was the bison. Regardless, corresponding with the 24-sport medley on campus, Hoosier fans are impassioned.

The football schedule begins the first week of September, as the Hoosiers, which compete in the 14-team Big Ten Conference, play every Friday or Saturday up to the end of November. The team’s season-opener is at 3:30 p.m. EST on September 2 versus Ohio State.

The parking lots encircling Memorial Stadium will be packed with thousands of fans for home games, as will the nearby Tailgating Fields across the street. Though football isn’t Indiana’s staple sport — the team has had back-to-back losing seasons — it’s the lone repeating sport that features

lively all-day activities for students: from pregame tailgates, to the game itself, to afterparties. Getting enough rest and staying hydrated are important for gamedays.

Student tickets to football games cost $120. The price jumps to $440 to combine basketball tickets. Basketball is synonymous with Indiana and the basketball stadium, Assembly Hall, becomes more than rowdy welcoming rivals like Purdue. The five-minute video on YouTube titled “Proof that Indiana has the best fans in college basketball” shows clips of frenzied fans at the Hall, starting with the renowned “Wat Shot” in 2011.

Indiana has won five national championships in program history, the latest in 1987. Current head coach Mike Woodson, who was appointed

before the team’s 2021-2022 season, played at Indiana in college and has coached in the NBA. Indiana hadn’t contended for the NCAA Tournament since 2016, until back-to-back Tournament appearances the past two seasons under Woodson. Players Jalen Hood-Schifino and Trayce Jackson-Davis were selected in this year’s NBA Draft.

The women’s basketball team, which likewise plays games inside Assembly Hall, has been on the rise under ninth-year head coach Teri Moren. The Hoosiers have posted eight consecutive 20win seasons and reached their first Elite Eight in the 2021 NCAA Tournament. This past season, Moren was named the program’s first-ever Associated Press National Coach of the Year as Indiana won the

Big Ten regular-season title for the first time in 40 years — also playing in front of the first sellout crowd in program history. Guard Grace Berger, Indiana’s all-time winningest player, was selected by the Indiana Fever in this year’s WNBA Draft.

The gameday experience at Assembly Hall has traditions such as players wearing the iconic cream and crimson striped pants during warmups and Martha the Mop Lady — an opera singer named Martha Webster mopping the floors of Assembly Hall shown on the video board — singing the school’s fight song “Indiana, our Indiana” before tipoff. This video can be found on YouTube.

The caption from the Indiana University Athletics video reads, “During the mid 1970s, Indiana Farm Bureau

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE

Insurance ads included this iconic Martha the Mop Lady campaign. It ran prior to the [Indiana] games on local television channel WTTV-4. When broadcasts expanded to national networks, Martha was displaced for roughly 20 years. It was not until 2010 when Martha reappeared; this time, it was on the video board inside Assembly Hall prior to tip-off.”

Though football and basketball largely attract the Hoosier fanbase, plenty of other Indiana sports are worth checking out. The Indiana men’s soccer team has won eight national championships and have reached 22 College Cups. This past season, the Hoosiers reached the national championship match in North Carolina, though lost in penalty kicks.

The team plays midweek night matches at Bill Armstrong Stadium in the fall semester, which is the perfect setting to destress or relax on cool nights with friends. Plus, fans can stand directly next to the pitch on the far side and collectively smack the boards. This section is where the Hoosier Army, the group of devoted Indiana men’s soccer fans, watches matches.

Indiana’s volleyball team plays matches inside Wilkinson Hall, next to Assembly Hall, and this past season beat two ranked teams on the road for the first time in program history. You’ll find students acting berserk in the stands at volleyball matches. Perhaps the sound reverberates better indoors.

The Indiana men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams always seem to be churning out Olympians. In the spring, evening baseball and softball games are the perfect time to unwind.

This past season, the baseball team made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019, while the softball team achieved the same feat for the first time since 2011 — winning 23 consecutive games at one point during the season.

Then, there’s the Little 500 — the largest collegiate bike race in the United States held annually in April — which began in 1951. Modeled after the Indianapolis 500, four-person men’s and women’s teams comprised of the school’s fraternities, sororities and more race laps around the quartermile track that circles the outside of the soccer field.

The men’s race is 200 laps and the women’s is half that. Deemed “The World’s Greatest College Weekend,” there are plenty of festivities in Bloomington the week leading up to the race. Cutters, an independent team, boast the most wins in the men’s race. The women’s race began in 1988. The Kappa Alpha Theta sorority has the most victories.

Students must purchase tickets to attend the Little 500, football and men’s basketball games. Admission to all regular season home games for baseball, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, volleyball, women’s basketball and wrestling, however, is free upon showing your student ID at the entry gates.

With many of Indiana’s 24 sports teams having great success this past sports season, the environments of sporting events at Indiana also offer many opportunities for students. From all-day tailgates and shouting at football and basketball games, to methodically-paced soccer, baseball and softball, not only is attending most sporting events free, but they provide a well-rounded fan adventure year-round.

When the world comes to town... Annual Lotus World Music & Arts Festival

The 30th annual 2023 Lotus World Music & Arts Festival returns to Bloomington this fall. From Sept. 28 to Oct. 1, downtown Bloomington will be filled with the bustle of crowds and the sounds of sweet harmonies from all around the world.

For international students, the Lotus Festival can serve as a taste of home. And, for four days, Bloomington’s downtown area is taken over by local and global artists. 2023’s lineup of global artists features Dominican Republic’s

Dream Bachata Academy, Malawi’s Madalitso Band and India’s Sonny Singh. The full lineup, featuring 22 artists and groups, can be viewed online on the Lotus Festival’s website, www.lotusfest.org

Not only does the festival feature global musicians, but it also includes creative workshops, local beers and food trucks. Additionally, some of the festival’s events are free to the public (like Lotus in the Park on Sept. 30, the weekend long Lotus Local Stage and workshops), while some concerts are ticketed. Tickets can be purchased in person or online at the BCT Box Office.

Bloomington’s 2022 Lotus Festival invited select performers to show support for Ukraine; including Lemon Bucket Orkestra, a Torontobased folk-punk group with Ukrainian Roots. Alongside inviting Ukrainian musicians, the annual shirt and glow bands handed out at concerts also showed support for Ukraine through the design and colors.

During an IDS interview with leader and co-founder of Lemon Bucket Orkestra during the 2022 festival, Mark Marczyk said, “We know that no matter who the audience is, people come to listen to

good music and be moved. You come with an open heart, so it’s bound to be a good experience.”

While there is no theme confirmed for the 2023 festival, Marczyk’s words stand true: it is a good experience. So, whether you come to support local or global bands, reminisce about home or find your next travel destination based on music — the Lotus Festival is one to attend.

1. Salaam band founder Dena El Saffar plays the oud, a traditional Iraqi instrument, Sept. 23, 2022, during the 29th annual Lotus World Music and Arts Festival. El Saffar founded the band while studying at the Jacobs School of Music.

2. Members of the Volo Bogtrotters perform Sept. 23, 2022, at First Christian Church during the 29th annual Lotus World Music and Arts Festival. The ensemble played old-time fiddle music from the American midwest.

3. Emmy award-winner Van-Ahn Vo smiles at the audience after her set Sept. 23, 2022, at Trinity Episcopal Church. Vo weaved her personal experiences into her music and told stories of her life in Vietnam between songs.

4. A member of the Nyansapo Highlife Band smiles at the crowd during an energetic set Sept. 23, 2022, at the 29th annual Lotus World Music and Arts Festival. The Chicago-based African band brought high energy and a variety of instruments to its performance.

5. A member of Flying Balkan Laikas plays the guitar Sept. 24, 2022, at the 29th annunal Lotus World Music and Arts Festival. The festival began Thursday evening and ran through Sunday.

6. Amman & Ayaan Ali Bangash perform as part of the 29th annual Lotus World Music and Arts Festival on Sept. 24, 2022. They both play the sarod — a staple in Indian music.

5 iconic American college movies to round out your summer

“Breaking Away” (1979)

“Breaking Away” is the quintessential IU film. Filmed almost entirely in

has inspired countless fans of IU’s Little 500 bike race and IU students alike. The Cutters, a Little 500 team inspired by the film’s events, won their fifteenth title this year.

The film follows a group of disillusioned high school graduates searching for purpose in their late teen years. As they navigate discrimination from university students, troubles with love and competition in their dreams of bike racing, the

group seeks to create their own destiny.

If you watch the film, you’ll notice many classic IU landmarks, like the Indiana Memorial Union and Wells Library. Visiting campus after seeing the movie is like walking through a huge film set.

The movie also captures the conflicting realities of life in your late teens. It’s hard to know what to believe, who to follow and how you should spend the rest of your life. Life isn’t one straight shot, but taking the curves in the road in stride can help you end up with fewer skinned

knees. If there’s one film you should watch before coming to IU, it’s most definitely “Breaking Away.”

“Monsters University” (2013)

The prequel to Pixar’s “Monsters, Inc.,” “Monsters University” is a heart-warming tale about the trials of college life. Though none of us are furry with purple and blue spots — at least, I hope not, because you might need to get that checked out — the film still gives a great message for human college students.

“Monsters University”

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE

centers on the main characters of the original film, Mike and Sulley, as they meet at the titular university. The two join together with an unlikely group of friends to win the Scare Games and pursue their dreams.

The film defines the growing pains of college. We all worry about our future and our popularity in the present. But finding your true personality is part of going to college and always trying to fit in will just take you away from who you’re meant to be. And, frankly, Oozma Kappa is still my top pick for a fraternity if I were to join one.

“Legally Blonde” (2001)

“Legally Blonde” is a certified college classic. I still see images from it circulating around the internet 20 years

later. Its comedy still holds up for a new generation of college students with their own new, unique issues.

The film follows Elle Woods, who attends Harvard Law School in an attempt to win her ex-boyfriend back. In the process, however, she discovers her true passions — and her true love.

There’s a reason “Legally Blonde” remains so iconic among college students and casual filmgoers alike. It shares a universal theme — that people are more complicated than the stereotypes applied to them. People underestimate Elle as a lawyer due to her peppy sorority girl attitude. But it’s possible to be both a peppy sorority girl and a wildfire in the courtroom — and college is what helps define that.

“The Social Network” (2010)

For those of us with a more dramatic inclination, “The Social Network” provides a gripping, emotional and intense story focused around the creation of what remains one of the largest technology companies of the 21st century.

The film dramatizes the origins of Facebook, from its beginnings as a simple project in a Harvard dorm room to a billiondollar company that revolutionized the internet as we know it.

Like “Legally Blonde,” the film centers on an Ivy League school. However, it still stands as a relevant film in the American college canon. The antics of a dorm room, whether they spawn a massive company or a single chaotic Snapchat story, are memorable to all college students. Just remember — don’t dilute your shares.

“Rudy” (1993)

Based on the true story of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger, this inspiring classic is another college tale set in Indiana.

The film follows the titular Rudy, a lower-class man determined to play football at Notre Dame University. As he struggles to achieve his dream, he inspires those around him and learns how to become his best self.

Written by IU alumnus Angelo Pizzo, who also wrote Indiana classic “Hoosiers,” the film tells a story about perseverance and determination. Dreams are hard work. They don’t come easily or quickly. Being in college, however, is how we fight towards those dreams, no matter how far-flung they may appear.

he man deterl at Notre he strugream, he him and e his alumwho assic tells evertion. y or ege, ms, ng

Religious Organizations in Bloomington

With a diverse range of international students and residents in Bloomington, new students can find a multitude of opportunities to practice their religion close to campus. Whether you practice Judaism, Hinduism, Islam or Chirstianity, the many religious culture centers and organizations around Bloomington have lots to offer any incoming student.

Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center

The Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center was founded by Arjia Thubten Lobsang Rinpoche who began studying to be a monk at just eight years old. After fleeing Tibet due to political unrest, Rinpoche settled in Mill Valley, California. In 2006, under direct orders from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Rinpoche became the director of the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center in Bloomington, Indiana. He moved to Bloomington in February 2006 and continues his mission to promote Buddhism to this day.

The TMBCC was established by Indiana University Professor Emeritus Thubten J. Norbu in 1979 to acquaint people with the history and culture of Tibet and to support Tibetans everywhere. Visitors can enjoy a variety of workshops, teachings, seminars, initiations, retreats and ceremonies relating to Tibetan and Mongolian Buddhism. The temple strives to foster a cultural exchange between Tibetian Buddhists and the Bloomington community.

Most recently, on July 9th,

the temple celebrated His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s birthday. The day was packed with smoke puja, long life prayers, present khatas and pot luck lunches. Even on non-holidays, visitors are still highly encouraged to participate in various activities within the temple. On Wednesdays, they have a regular meditation session from 6 to 7 p.m. On Saturdays, they hold a prayer and offer sessions for those who wish to participate at 10 a.m.

St. Thomas Lutheran Church

St. Thomas Lutheran Church in Bloomington is a Lutheran church that is also linked to various ministries located in places such as North Carolina and El Estor, Guatemala. The church’s services are led by Rev. Adrianne Meier every Sunday and at 8:30 am and 10:30 am. Services are also live streamed on their Youtube channel on Sundays at 8:30 AM.

In their mission statement, the church says they “welcome all God’s children to an inclusive community.” The church believes their faith lies more with their actions than their words. Members believe in having many vocations in life and using their time on Earth to help others. For that reason, the group is partnered with many local Bloomington organizations that serve the public such as Bloomington Refugee Support Network and Community Kitchen of Monroe Country.

In addition to the presentations, the church will be hosting a potluck at the Sycamore Shelter at Lower Cascades Park on July 23. At 8:30 am, worship ser-

vice will be held at St. Thomas then, at 11 am, the potluck will take place down at Cascades Park.

Bloomington Friends

Bloomington Friends is a part of the national Quaker group, Friend’s General Conference. The group has been meeting since the 1940s. In-person and zoom meetings are available on Sundays at 9:50 am and Wednesdays at 9 a.m. The organization emphasizes inclusivity and diversity in their faith.

Bloomington Friends’ core beliefs revolve around the testimonies that each share that same sentiment of faith and religion being for everyone no matter their background. So, in order to open their religious services up to various other beliefs, Bloomington Friends operates differently from a normal church. This group meets on the basis of a silent meeting, so there are no pastors or leaders for the service. Participants come in and share how they are moved by their faith or belief.

Since Bloomington Friends is reorganizing, their meeting structure, clubs and other gatherings have been delayed for the time being. Peter Burkholder, Bloomington Friends’ Clerk, says Bloomington Friends will be having more events on IU’s campus such as lunch worship meetings. Be on the lookout for the Quaker folk concerts that are held at their meeting house every couple of months.

For more information on religious centers in Bloomington, visit guides.idsnews.com/ religious.

3 international restaurants to try

I’ll be honest: I seriously lacked exposure to international cuisine coming into college. My parents were not only standard American picky eaters, but also absolutely hated cooking. Most of my life before IU was spent on a diet of Hamburger Helper and Pop-Tarts. Thankfully for me — and anyone looking to experience the cuisines of other cultures or an authentic taste of home — Bloomington has an impressive selection of international restaurants to try.

Mura Sushi and Korean

For students living in IU’s Central Neighborhood, Mura Sushi and Korean is a convenient and delicious spot for authentic Korean food. Located on 10th Street across from Union Street Center Apartments and Ashton Center, Mura is just a short walk away from many residence halls on campus.

Although tables receive an array of complimentary banchan — small side dishes served with rice — visitors can also choose from many appetizers to start their meal. As someone who had never tried Korean food

before coming to Bloomington, Mura’s tteok kkochi appetizer was life changing and has become a staple in my order.

Between its extensive menu for both vegetarians and meat eaters, large sharing-size portions and affordable prices, Mura is a must-visit for anyone new to town. Grab a friend to split the family-sized plates and maybe some milk if you’re not used to spice.

Cafe Bali

Just off Fourth Street — Bloomington’s most wellknown hub for international

restaurants — is the hidden gem, Cafe Bali. Serving a variety of tasty entrees, desserts and even bubble tea, this Indonesian spot offers something for everyone.

Aside from the few pork dishes on the menu, many options on Cafe Bali’s menu are Halal. For anyone looking for meatless fare, the restaurant’s vegetarian dishes, including the curry rice and tofu rendang, are just as satisfying as those with meat.

Although Cafe Bali is tucked away beside the ever-popular Fourth Street, this quiet restaurant has be-

come a favorite within my friend group due to its high quality, always delicious Indonesian cuisine. Don’t forget to round out your meal with a tiramisu mille crepe and milk tea — if you have a sweet tooth, you won’t regret it.

Amrit India

Whether you’re looking for a cozy takeout meal or a sit-down experience in a great downtown location, you can’t go wrong with Amrit India. The Indian restaurant is located next to Downtown Bloomington’s iconic Square, making it the

perfect spot for a meal after exploring the many local shops off campus.

Amrit’s menu is extensive, with a variety of vegetarian and meat options. You can even choose the level of spice in your food, which is a helpful addition for any kind of palette.

Like many international restaurants around town, Amrit’s portions are meant to be shared with the table. Still, there’s nothing wrong with ordering a sharing-size portion for yourself! Having multiple days' worth of leftovers is my favorite part of visiting Amrit.

You’re going to want this later.

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