Bloom Reflections

 After living in Bloomington for almost four years, I have frequented some spots more than others. I have found that Bloomington has a sort of natural beauty that I had never expected to find before coming here for school. In fact, I couldn’t even tell you where Bloomington was on a map before my senior year of high school, and I have lived in Indiana my whole life. Though Bloomington has a population of roughly 80,000 people, IU students make up over half of that number. Once you escape campus and the surrounding residential areas, Bloomington has beautiful, forested areas. It is in these areas where I have made some of my best memories as a student: as far from campus as I can get while remaining within the bounds of the town. The natural beauty and biodiversity, amongst the town’s assortment of trails, campgrounds, and parks, make for a wonderful escape from the pressures of your studies as a student at Indiana University. I am a bit embarrassed to say that I missed out on most of it during my first two years as a student here. I was confined to my dorm and apartment, as well as staying on campus. I never took the time to explore outside of what I already knew, and as almost everyone learns at some point in their lives, sticking to your comfort zone leads to a whole lot of nothing. 

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