Warning! All contents of this webpage are circa 2001. So read with caution...

All you wanted to know about life at IU-Bloomington (but not quite enough)
Ahoy folks new to Indiana University Bloomington (IUB). This page tries to give you enough info to get settled a bit at IUB and possibly even start enjoying yourself. Bloomington is a great town to live in and this page will hopefully help make your first few weeks more pleasant before you get caught in its humdrum. Though this page was intended for new "desi" students coming to the Computer Science Department of Indiana University, it is by no means exclusively written in that context. For a quick FAQ, you can be found at Ram's webpage at http://php.indiana.edu/~rthiruma/FAQ.html.

If you have any suggestions, questions or find any erroneous info (I'm sure there are a few!), fell free to mail me at .


Starting life at Bloomington

Transportation
The first thing you will want to know is how to get from the Indianapolis (Indy) airport to Bloomington. The most straight forward way is to catch the Bloomington Shuttle from that leaves every two hours from the Ground Transportation Center (GTC) at Indy Airport. Its costs $20 for a one way ticket and $35 for a round trip which, last I heard, was valid for 3 months. The GTC is just across the street from the lower level baggage claim at the airport. The first shuttle is at 6:40AM and the last at 10:40PM. If you arrive at unholy hours like 2 in the morning, the GTC has not too uncomfortable couches where you can spend the night! For the latest schedule and rates, check out their website at http://www.bloomingtonshuttle.com/. By the way, luggage is not a problem on the shuttle. I came with 4 pieces when I arrived and not small ones at that. Just remember to tip the driver :) You can get off the shuttle at Indiana Memorial Union (IMU) where you can call for a cab from the lobby, where there is a phone that connects directly to the 'Yellow Cab' office [(812)339-9744].

If you prefer a more luxurious entry into Bloomington, you can try the Signature Limousine Service or Classic Touch Limo. Its not too costly at somewhere around $50 for a oneway trip. Its better to check with them about its availability though since I've found they don't have limos standing by all the time.

For travelling within Bloomington, you can use the Bloomington Transit buses which covers most places in Bloomington except for within the university campus. If you are a IU student, you can even travel for free (not really since you have a compulsory transportation charge on your bursar bill!) by showing your Student ID. For travelling within the campus, you can use the IU Campus Bus. There is a fee of 75 cents for using the Campus Bus. You can get the schedule for the bus services at http://www.bloomingtontransit.com/ and http://www.iubus.indiana.edu/.

Hot Tip: Watch out for the huge bike auction held at the Jordan Ave. Parking Garage at the beginning of the fall semester where you can get amazing deals on second hand bikes.
Biking is pretty popular at Bloomington and you might consider buying one. There are second hand bikes being sold often and you can get a good deal if you keep your eyes peeled. Check out the Indian Daily Student (IDS) which has classified listings for cars, bikes etc. among other things. The iu.classified newsgroup also has postings of stuff students are selling off.

You can also get a car for anywhere from $500 upwards but remember that parking is a problem like in another town (sigh!). You can again look for deals on IDS or iu.classified. More on this later ...

If you are travelling to a nearby city like Cincinnati or Chicago and don't want to fly, you can try the Greyhound bus which has an office at Bloomington or the Amtrak rail which leaves from Indy.

Housing
Assuming you've reached Bloomington without loosing a limb or two, the next thing is to find a place to live, assuming you are here to stay a while. As a student, you have the option of getting campus housing or leasing an apartment off campus.

Campus housing has the advantage of being on campus and probably near your department. They usually come with stove, refrigerator, ethernet connectivity, campus cable, telephone connection and utilities paid. Your also billed in your bursar bill, so you can pay by a credit card. Some furnished apartments also available as are dormitories. You will have to book these in advance as they tend to get filled fast.
Hot Tip: The GSO website has a bulletin board where you can find students who have leased apartments and are looking for room mates.
You might want to check out the campus housing website at http://www.rps.indiana.edu/.

But if you want to save a buck or two, you might consider off campus housing. Personally, being in the Computer Science Department, which is in the southwest corner of the campus, I find it more convenient living off campus as it is closer. You'll find both single and double bedroom apartments, furnished or unfurnished. Single bedroom apartments cost around $400 upwards but you might as well stay on campus then. Double bedroom apartments are $550 upwards. Since furnished ones cost around $30 more, you can opt for it and save the hassle of buying new furniture. More than buying furniture (which would cost lesser over the year, specially if bought second hand), it is the transporting of the stuff and disposing it off when you move that is a problem. Depending on the apartments, they may come with gas and/or electricity paid which would come to about $50 if paid separately. You will also have to call the utilities and have the electricity turned on if the previous occupant disconnected it. Most apartments also have laundromats at the basement. Some realtors you might check out are American Sunbelt, Grant Properties and Regency Apartments.

Communication
Telephone

Telephone services are divided into local service (for calls placed within Bloomington and nearby towns), long distance service (for calls within the US and Canada that don't come under local service) and international service (for calls outside US and Canada).

Hot Tip: Sign up for free 'Slamming Protection' with Ameritech. This prevents telephone service providers from changing your present service provider without your explicit consent.
Bloomington is provided local toll service by Ameritech. They have a basic phone service that includes unlimited free local calls for less than $20. You can add features like call waiting, caller ID separately for a few bucks each or if you feel the need, go in for some calling plan that clubs a bunch of these features as a package. There is usually a one time activation charge of around $50. All you need to do is call 1-888-635-5050 and give your address. They'll typically ask you for your Social Security Number but if you've not applied and received it yet, explain to them you you'll give it to them soon as you get it. Sometimes they may ask you to fax your passport as a form of ID. They'll give you your new telephone number immediately in most cases and will activate it in a day or so. Be warned though that they try to 'brainwash' you into signing up for their most comprehensive (and hence costliest) calling plan. So insist on what you want. And don't buy a phone from them when they offer it. You'll get a better deal outside.

For long distance service, you can use Ameritech, AT&T or Sprint-MCI. AT&T and Sprint usually give competitive deals. Depending on how often you'll be calling within the US, you can choose one of their calling plans. You have 'weekend plans' that are cheaper during the weekends, 'late night' plans that charge less the during night and so on. Check out their websites or call them at 1-800-877-4646 for Sprint or 1-888-928-8932 for AT&T to find the plan that suits you. You need to get the local service activated before you sign up for the long distance and international services.

Hot Tip: Consider using a calling card to make long-distance and international calls. eShakti has deals for individual cities in India at 28 cents the minute and no connection fee!
International calls are cheaper when taken on a country by country basis. AT&T has a 'One Rate Intn`l value plan' that costs 55 cents the minute to India at present with a $2 monthly fee. Sprint has a 'Global Family' plan to India for 52 cents the minute and a $6 monthly fee. Last I heard, AT&T also came out with a 53 cent plan to India with a higher monthly fee. So choose your plan depending on how often you'll be calling home. Check out their websites or use the same toll free numbers as for the long distance service.

Post

The main US Postal Service office is on East 4th Street. USPS has a pretty good website that gives you complete information about services offered. Within the campus, you also have a mini-postoffice, 'Mailboxes, etc.' on the ground floor at IMU that gives you basic postal services. You'll find mailboxes scattered around the town and within the campus. For Computer Science students, there is one right behind Lindley Hall.

Other than USPS, you also have premium services by FedEx, UPS and others. Both FedEx and UPS have an authorized shipping outlet at 'Mailboxes, etc.' at 899 S.College Mall Rd.

Finances
Banks

A bank account is something you would want to open soon as possible. There are two types of accounts primarily offered, the checking account and the savings account. People usually have both. The checking account basically allows you to issue checks on that account and carries no interest on the cash balance. It is similar to a current account in India. The savings account is precisely what it means and carries a nominal interest rate. You cannot issue checks on it.

Hot Tip: Remember to sign up for telephone and internet banking. Saves you a lot of trouble tracking your expenses.
Most students have an account with Indiana University Credit Union (IUCU). It is a non-profit banking institution open only to those affiliated to Indian University (that means students too :)). They have a branch near the front entrance of IMU. They also have a number of ATM's in and around the campus. They have a couple of checking and savings options and you can discuss your needs with the banking personnel and decide on the accounts you're opening. Some things you should keep in mind are the minimum balance each month, the mandatory fees for maintaining the account, number of free check leaves you get, frequency of paper statements and overdraft protection. You also get a 'Flash' card which is a debit/ATM card with your checking account.

Other 'bigger' banks you may consider instead of the IUCU (for whatever reasons) are Monroe County Bank, Fifth and Third Bank, Bank One and Peoples State Bank, all of which are on Kirkwood.

Credit Cards

America lives on credit. That may be a sweeping statement but the fact is, without a credit card, you are as good as a social outcast! It may be a little difficult to get a credit card at first since you've been in the country for such a short while and do not have any 'credit history' as such. But there are a credit cards that are intended for first time users and you can start with those and graduate to other high-end cards as your 'credit history' builds.

Hot Tip: All credit cards offer payment thought the internet. You not only make sure you pay your bills on time but also save on 34 cents postage :)
There are some things that you should know about a credit card. There are four main credit card organizations: Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover, in that order of acceptance. There are numerous credit card companies that give credit cards backed by one of these organizations. Credit cards have 'credit limits' on them. This is the amount up to which you can spend on the card. This may range anywhere between $200 to thousands of dollars! There is also an 'annual fee' on the card which is the fee you pay yearly to use the card. There is also an APR rate which is an interest rate you pay for the amount you have charged to the card and not repaid after typically one month of you getting your statement. There is also a 'cash advance' on the card, which is the amount you can get as cash from an ATM using your card. Note though that you start paying an interest on the 'cash advance' immediately unlike when you use it at a shop when you get a 30 day grace period to repay the amount. There is also a 'balance transfer' option that allows you to transfer the amount you have charged on an existing credit card to a new card you are applying for that, typically, gives a lower APR than what you are paying for currently.

Hot Tip: In order to protect your credit card number when you do online transactions, use American Express's 'Private Payments' which generates a new one time use credit card number.
Now that we have the basics out of the way, you are looking for a credit card that has NO annual fee and a reasonable credit limit, something like $500 for starters. You will not have to bother about the APR as long as you intend to repay the amount you charge monthly. Some credit cards that are easy to get for first time card holders and are advertised as 'student' credit cards are Verizon College (Visa), Phillips 66 College (Mastercard), Next Card (Visa) and CapitalOne College Student Card (Visa). Others you can try are AT&T Universal Card (Mastercard), American Express Blue for Students, Citibank Platinum Select for College Students and Discover Student card. Once you get your first card and use it for a few months, you can go in for higher end and speciality cards like MBNA's Indiana University Student Association Card (Mastercard), FirstUSA's United Airlines Miles Card (Visa) etc. depending on your interests.

Driving License
Driving around the US can be a pleasant experience or an irritation depending on the way you look at it. While you can switch on the cruise-control and speed along at more than 100KmPH on interstate highways, there are more stop signs than you can shake a stick at within towns that drives you nuts; not to mention those imposing eighteen wheelers that seem to be all over you. But whether you are an experienced pro of Indian roads or have driven just enough to get a driving license in India (which, in all probability, was nothing :) ) you can catch on quiet fast on American roads. The rules here are pretty straight forward and the best part is that *everyone* follows them!

Interesting: You never use your horn while driving unless you are very annoyed at someone's driving. That should be a nice change after the blaring horns from India.
You get a driving license at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) located on 118, South Rogers. You first need to take a written test based on the Indiana State's driving manual. You can just walk in during office hours and take the test. Before you take the test, you need to have identification, which in the case of international students, includes your passport, your Social Security card and Indiana University Student ID. You may also want to take some utility bill that you've got in your name since there is a points system for your identification and each item has so many points. The test is multiple choices and has two parts, one on the road signs and the other on road rules. If I remember right, you are allowed one mistake in the first part and two in the second part. When you pass it, you take a vision test to make sure you are not blind as a bat.

Hot Tip: If you are not an experienced driver, you might want to take driving classes. They are a bit steep at around $50 per class and you take around 6 classes; but they prepare you real well for the test.
Once you pass the written test, you can either get a Learner's Permit or you can get a waiver for it based on your Indian License and can schedule to take your driving test immediately. There is a charge of $10 for the learner's permit. If you get a learner's permit, you can drive only with some person who has a valid driving license beside you. You can take the driving test 60 days after you get the learner's permit. You need to call up and schedule an appointment to take the driving test. The written test result is valid for 90 days, so you have to take your driving test before that expires. You will have to take your own car (ie. they will not provide the car) for the test along with valid registration papers and insurance. The instructor will ask you to drive around the town giving you precise instructions. You will also be make to 'parallel park' as part of the test. There are penalties for each mistake you make and if you make more than so many mistakes, you fail the test. If you make a big mistake, like drive on the left (on a two way street), you fail outright. Incase you pass, you need to pay a $10 fee to get the license. The license is valid for 4 years. If you fail, you can take the test after a minimum gap of 14 days. In case you fail, the written test is valid forever ie. you do not have to take the written test again.

Hot Tip: Not only your International Driving Permit (IDP) but even the normal Indian Driving License is valid in Indiana for one year.
State ID

While you may not be in a hurry to get the driving license, it is a very good idea to get your Indiana State ID from the BMV. This is the primary means of identification and is equivalent to your passport. You need to take the same identification items as for the written test. A photograph of you is taken there and they issue your ID in a few minutes. There is a charge of $5 for it.


Now that you have settled down, you can really start enjoying the place ...

Sports
Being a student at IU opens up a lot of sporting opportunities. You have facilities for playing almost any sport. The Student Recreational Sports Center (SRSC) and the Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) (pronounced 'Hyper') are the two main buildings where you get to play and are part of the IU Recsport division. While SRSC is on E.Law lane near Eigenmann Hall, HPER is on 7th and Woodlawn.

Facilities

For tennis enthusiasts, there are outdoor tennis courts next to SRSC (North Jordan) and HPER (Woodlawn). There are a few tennis racquets and balls for issue there for students. But if you are serious about playing, you should atleast buy your own balls. There are also floodlit courts at Bryan Park.

Hot Tip: If you play a sport regularly, consider joining an IU club for that game. The courts are reserved and you get better facilities. You are also sure to improve your game :)
Indoor badminton courts are available at SRSC at Multisport 1 (3 courts) and Multisport 2 (1 court) rooms. Since other activities are also scheduled in these rooms, you should check if they are free before you leave. You can issue racquets and birdies (shuttles) there. There is also a badminton club that meets at HPER (HP163) twice a week and is popular with chinese students.

Bloomington also boasts of a cricket club, Bloomington Cricket Club (BCC), which is open to everyone. Though it may not have the best of cricket players, we are a pretty enthusiastic lot and encourage people with all skill levels to participate. It has helped to promote the sport in this town and starting fall 2001, it is becoming a club affiliated with Indiana University. We practise every thursday and play matches with other clubs in the midwest during weekends. Other than the club, some of us from the CS department occasionally sneak out to play 'tennis-ball' cricket at the indoor courts at HPER.

Swimming pools are located at SRSC and HPER. While SRSC has two pools in addition to a diving pool, HPER has one. There are locker rooms there where you can shower, change and store your things. You may also be interested in other aqautic activities that are held there.

Golf aficionados can tee off at the IU public golf course located at the bypass. There is a 9 hole par-3 course and a 18 hole 'Championship' course. There are also driving, putting and chipping ranges where you can practise. There is a fee of $7 for the par-3 course and $11 for the championship course. You can also rent clubs at the clubhouse for $6 and there are golf carts for hire too (these are weekday rates for IU students). If you are not a serious player, you can try out Putt-Putt golf which is something like an putting green obstacle course.

Hot Tip: Courses are offered in most sports and you can take them for free if you have financial aid. You can take a begginer course to learn a new sport or an advanced one to improve you playing.
There are a couple of table tennis tables available at SRSC and HPER. They are present in one of the racquet ball courts at SRSC and are at the first floor at HPER. You need to issue the nets if you want to play along with the bats and balls.

The are a number of racquet ball and a few squash courts at SRSC and HPER. Racquets and balls can be issued.

A bunch of students and staff from the CS department play volley ball on tuesday evenings at HPER. This gives you a good chance to come out of our cubby holes and realize that there are other people in the department. We are always looking for more people to join us.

Basketball is a popular game here. Rather, it is more of a tradition at IU which, till recently, boasted of Bobby Knight as it coach. There are numerous courts available (something like 50 or so!) at SRSC and HPER. Most courts are taken up but you can find a few to shoot out in and you can maybe join one of the many games in progress.

The health consious can use the outdoor jogging tracks at Woodlawn or the indoor elevated track at SRSC. SRSC and HPER have well equipped 'gyms' that have a variety of fitness equipment for working out. There are also fitness programs you can enroll in if you want to follow a regular schedule.

Hot Tip: You can get used sports equipment at reasonable prices at Playit Again Sports in College Mall.
Those interested in martial arts will find clubs in various disciplines where you can practise your art or go up in your rank. There are clubs for Karate, Taekwondo, Judo, Jujitsu among others. IU is also the foremost school in the US involved with Hapkido, a Korean self-defence art form.

There are also activities like pool, bowling, skating etc. that you can indulge in. You can also play frisbee at one of the many parks around town. There are many clubs for various sports that can help you learn more about the game and find you partners to play with. There are also courses offered by the 'School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation' in most of these sports that you can take up to learn/improve the game. If there is any other sport you play and I haven't mentioned it here, it is probably played around somewhere-you just need to ask around.

Shopping
Coming soon ...

Entertainment
Coming soon ...

For the Gourmand
Coming soon ...

Beyond Bloomington
Coming soon ...


Some information specific to new IUB CS students ...

The CS Department
Details coming soon, but probably not soon enough for Fall 2001 batch ...

Orientation
Details coming soon, but probably not soon enough for Fall 2001 batch ...

A checklist for Indian International students arriving at the CS department in Fall 2001.






The author can be contacted at
This page was last updated on August 11, 2001