Over 51,000 students attended IU Bloomington last year, including graduate students. The number of new students hasn’t been shared yet. The campus will release its annual student census early next month.
(Clayton Baumgarth, WTIU News)
A convoy of cars and moving vans is lined up in front of Read Quad. Anxious parents and students wheel dollies stacked with boxes and suitcases along the crowded sidewalk.
Thousands of Indiana University freshmen are arriving in Bloomington to move into the dorms.
For freshmen like Bloomington native Gabe North, coming to campus is a small move but a big shift.
Incoming freshman Gabe North attended Bloomington High School North. He's studying jazz saxaphone at the Jacobs School of Music (Clayton Baumgarth, WTIU)
“I remember thinking the last couple years, ‘Oh, I could never be one of those people that go to Target on the last day,’ and now I'm doing that,” North laughed. “So, it's like, I'm one of the annoying people now.”
Raeann Trakas from Chesterton came to IU as a freshman years ago. Now her daughter will repeat that experience.
“I'm excited, I'm sad, I'm nervous, but ultimately just really happy for her,” she said. “But I'll be crying on the way home.”
Raeann Trakas attended IU in the early 90s. Her daughter is moving in this week, but she's spent plenty of time with her Hoosier parents at IU sporting events in town. (Clayton Baumgarth, WTIU)
Moving far from home can be a trying experience, but Brooklyn Tidd and Jill Ramsay have each other. The two friends graduated from Mooresville High School and are starting at IU this fall. Still, that doesn’t necessarily make it an easy transition.
“It’s huge. There’s so much here, so much to offer,” Ramsay said. “I’ve already walked 20,000 steps today, and I feel like I haven’t even seen half of campus.”
“It’s been kind of nerve wracking because everyone’s new, so we have to meet people,” Tidd said. “But it’s been fun.”
Brooklyn Tidd (right) and Jill Ramsay (left) attended high school together in Mooresville. They moved into the dorms on Sunday. (Clayton Baumgarth, WTIU)
The dorms opened their doors Sunday, but the influx hasn’t let up.
Resident Assistant Nathan Nolan helped direct traffic and give directions to new students on his floor. He said the biggest challenge for RAs during the first week is helping families navigate parking.
“A lot of us are working eight hour shifts today, which is not normal for our RAs, but we're out here doing it,” he said. “We're trying our best to get people in and out as we can.”
Nathan Nolan studies music education. He's also a Resident Assistant, taking care of safety in the dorms. (Clayton Baumgarth, WTIU)
Over 51,000 students attended IU Bloomington last year, including graduate students. The number of new students hasn’t been shared yet. The campus will release its annual student census early next month.
Students returning bring the potential for new conflicts on campus.
IU Bloomington’s spring semester ended tumultuously with large, student-led protests in Dunn Meadow calling for IU to divest from Israel over its war in Gaza. The university responded by calling in state police and creating a new policy to govern expressive activity on campus.
Several students and parents said they weren’t worried because of those events.
North said he followed news from campus in the spring, and while he doesn’t support how IU handled the protests, he said he looks forward to getting involved in the conversation.
“I enjoy discussing stuff with people,” he said. “I’m thinking of maybe joining a debate club or something like that.”
Trakas said she enjoyed living on campus and that, despite the events in the spring, she thinks her daughter will, too.
“Ultimately, I feel okay with it,” Trakas said. “I know she makes good choices, and I definitely feel like even with some turmoil, Bloomington overall is a very safe place.”
Ramsay and Tidd said their No. 1 priority is academics.
“I’m sure there’s gonna be lots of disruptions no matter what, but it’ll be okay,” Tidd said.
“I’ll do my best to focus on my school,” Ramsay said.
