#iuhesa

[iuhesaliving-blog]

IU HESA Living: Housing Guide, Bloomington

While some HESA students don’t have to worry about finding a place to live because of an assistantship with Residential Programs & Services (RPS) where housing on-campus is provided, roughly half of the cohort has to find a place off-campus. But where to start?

Well, let’s break it down for ya!

Luckily, living in a college town doesn’t mean that you have to…

In fact, there are some great housing units in Bloomington that current HESA students recommend!

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STEP #1 TO FINDING YOUR NEW HESA HOME:

Check out the IU HESA Living Apartment Tours during Outreach

Tours will check out both on and off-campus apartments. Our off-campus tours will include the following two apartment complexes:

Covenanter Hill

CONTACT INFORMATION

Address: lEast Covenanter Drive, Bloomington 47401

Rental Agency: Renaissance Rentals

Website: www.renaissancerentals.com / http://www.renaissancerentals.com/CovenanterHillNeighborhoodDistrict-intro/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/covenanterhill

Phone: [phone] Text Us: 812-315-9231 Fax: [phone] Office Hours: M-F: 9AM-5PM Sat: 12PM-4PM

PERKS & ACCOMMODATIONS

Location:

5 minute drive from campus

East-side location central to IU, dining, shopping, & Lake Monroe

Short drive or walk to Jackson Creek Shopping Center & College Mall

Public Transportation

Bus pick-up approximately every 7 minutes during the day

On Bloomington Transit 9 bus route

On Bloomington Transit 3 East bus route

Apartment

2 bed and 2.5 bath

Washer and dryer included

Unique architecture with spacious floor plans

Living Space

Complex pool

Stylish eastside urban neighborhood

Enjoy the green-space, trees, & beautiful landscape

Free Parking

Additional street parking

Large sundeck & pool

24 hour emergency maintenance service

Professional on-site management

Pet Friendly (call for details)

Indiana Daily Student newspaper box

Herald Times newspaper box

Purchase stamps at cost at the office

Send & receive faxes at the office

Make a few photocopies at the office

Shred documents at the office

We will accept packages when you are away (when we are in the office)

Snacks & sodas at the office

COST

$985 + $200 in utilities (this is added and divided between two people; estimation by current HESA student)

***

Scholar’s Quad

CONTACT INFORMATION

Rental Agency: Renaissance Rentals

Website: www.renaissancerentals.com / http://www.renaissancerentals.com/index.php?page=ScholarsQuadCollegiateApartments-intro

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scholarsquad

Phone: [phone] Text Us: 812-315-9564 Fax: [phone] Office Hours: M-F: 1PM-6PM Sat: 10AM-4PM

PERKS & ACCOMMODATIONS

Location

1 mile from out apartment to the School of Education

At 10th and the Bypass, just East of campus

Public Transportation

Bus pick-up approximately every 10 minutes during the day

On Bloomington Transit 9 bus route

On Bloomington Transit 6 bus route

Apartment

Contemporary 2 bedroom/2 bathrooms, but single rooms are available

Each apartment features free internet, free water & sewage, free trash removal, and free parking!

State-of-the-art programmable door locks

Living Space

Free Parking

Conference room with free wireless access

Indoor mailroom with 24-hour access to residents

Landscaped green courtyard with public gas grill & park benches

Beautiful verandas

24 hour emergency maintenance service

Indiana Daily Student newspaper box

Soda vending machines

Purchase stamps at cost at the office

Send & receive faxes at the office

Make a few photocopies at the office

Shred documents at the office

We will accept packages when you are away (when we are in the office)

Snacks & sodas at the office

COST

2 bedrooms = $1050.00, 1 bedroom = $775.00 + utilities (which are about $100/month total for both roommates

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STEP #2 TO FINDING YOUR NEW HESA HOME:

Research other locations that what you see above

Clearly there are dozens of apartment complexes and rental houses in Bloomington. We have some great resources to help you find your new home!

IU Residential Programs & Services (RPS) On-Campus Apartments

On-Campus apartments for older undergraduate and graduate students

Bicknell, Banta, Hepburn, & Nutt: http://www.rps.indiana.edu/bbhnapartments.cfml

Campus View: http://www.rps.indiana.edu/campusviewapartments.cfml

Evermann: http://www.rps.indiana.edu/evermannapartments.cfml

Redbud: http://www.rps.indiana.edu/redbudapartments.cfml

Tulip Tree: http://www.rps.indiana.edu/tuliptreeapartments.cfml

University East: http://www.rps.indiana.edu/universityapartmentsapartments.cfml

Indiana Daily Student (IDS) Housing Rental Guide

A simple approach to comparing and contrasting apartment complexes based on type of unit, rent, deposit, and lease length, number of bedroom/bathrooms, and amenities:

Housing & Rental Guide http://www.idsnews.com/news/advertisinginfo/images/Housing&Living.pdf (pages 19-21!)

IDS Classifieds: http://www.idsnews.com/news/classifieds/

Craigslist

If you’re looking for a space, Craigslist can help you out, especially if you’re just looking for a room to share or a roommate (but if you need a roommate, you can also approach current or future HESA students!)

http://bloomington.craigslist.org/

Bloomington Herald-TImes Classified Ads

The local newspaper has a list of housing options in its classifieds

http://www.heraldtimesrentals.com/

General Apartment Finder Websites

While helpful, these websites can be annoying because they often require personal contact information before they produce results. Still, it is good for a general search, photos, and apartment details.

www.apartmentguide.com

www.rent.com

www.apartmentratings.com http://www.apartmentlist.com

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STEP #3 TO FINDING YOUR NEW HESA HOME:

Searching for a new 2-year home can be rough and the process basically resembles the following:

But don’t worry! If you’re at a loss for finding a new apartment, feel free to message current HESA students with any questions you may have. We’ll be sure to answer you with “real talk” so you end up with a positive living situation. We’re here for you!

PS: This message was brought to you by the Leslie Knope Appreciation Gif Club, celebrating our greatest fictional Indiana resident ;)

[iuhesaliving-blog]

Top 10 Reasons why Living in Indianapolis is Awesome

Indiana University’s HESA program is unique with its approach to “2 Campuses, 1 Program”. Students are able to take classes with renowned faculty at either Indiana University-Bloomington or Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Now that we’ve taken a look at Bloomington, let’s talk about the Top 10 Reasons why Living in Indianapolis is Awesome!!

"OMG IUPUI IS SO AWESOME!!!!! WOO!!!!"

#1. Indianapolis is the 12th largest city in America and one of the fasting growing metropolitan areas in the US. There are over 30,000 students at IUPUI and Indy has over 800,000 residents. IUPUI has ranking programs in professional & health-related degrees. Learn more at the IUPUI Factbook: http://www.iupui.edu/about/facts.html

Indianapolis

#2. Sports. Not only does IUPUI have Division 1 teams but Indy has a host of professional teams. The IUPUI Jaguars have great teams, many of them who play in “the Jungle” aka the IUPUI Gymnasium. Indy is home to the famous Indy 500, the Colts (football), and the Pacers (basketball). Not to mention, the 2012 Super Bowl was held at the Colts stadium!

 Meet Jinx & Jawz!

  #3. Unique Neighborhoods. In the words of one HESA student at IUPUI, “Variety is the spice of life, and Indy has tons of it! Each side of town has something special to offer. Head to the west side, and you can visit one of the largest sports venues in the nation, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The south side is equipped with awesome neighborhoods (Fountain Square, Garfield Park, etc.) and fun activities. The east side has a certain kind of small town charm and a great pizza joint (Jockamo's Upper Crust Pizza). The north side is chalk full of places to shop. The heart of the city provides you with so many things to do.”

Indy neighborhoods, by Ross White, Kansas City

  #4. Festivals. Indianapolis is home to great festivals and parades that celebrate the city’s many cultures. HESA students recommend Devour Downtown, Indiana Black Expo, Ribfest, Irish Fest, International Festival,  Indy Pride, Latino Festival, Vintage Indiana Wine & Food Festival; German fest; African Festival, Broad Ripple Music Festival, Octoberfest, Penrod Arts Fair, Indy Jazz Fest, Indian Market, & Juneteenth,

Dee Dee Bridgewater at Indy Jazz Fest

  #5. Outdoor Adventures. Just because you’re in the concrete jungle doesn’t mean you can’t see any green! Indy has plenty of parks, canals, and nearby state parks & lakes! Check out: Garfield Park, Canal Walk downtown, White River State Park, Eagle Creek Park, and more!

Indianapolis Canal Walk

#6. Dining. You’re going to expect world class food in a world class city, but Indy dining is definitely something special. HESA students in Indy recommend the following restaurants: Thai Café, Lava, Adobo, Bru Burger, Tulip Noir, Barcelona Tapas, Firehouse Subs, Saffron Square, Nake Chopstick, Sahm. Whether you’re in the mood for international cuisine, sandwiches, or pizza, Indy has you covered!

Burger at the Colts Diner, care of a prospective HESA student, Colin!

#7. Museums. Indy is home to the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians & Western Art, the Children’s Museum, and much more. Great for a relaxing afternoon!

Fine Wind, Clear Morning (Gaifū kaisei) Katsushika Hokusai | Japanese | 1760-1849

#8. Service-Learning. IUPUI is recognized for its extensive service-learning programs. There are many opportunities to connect with Indianapolis residents and truly get to know the community. In 2010-2011 over 8,000 students gave over 15,000 hours of service. In fact, IUPUI has been named a leader in service by The Corporation for National and Community Service!

#9. Be a Kid again! Grad school is stressful and sometimes you just need to regress for an afternoon :) Indy has an excellent zoo where you can walk ‘under’ a dolphin aquarium and see daily dolphin shows, a baby elephant, and many other animals. There’s also the popular Children’s museum!

Indianapolis Zoo

  #10. Indy makes a great home! Imagine living near the city lights, having dozens of things happening every night, and getting to live/work/play with fantastic people. Here in Indy, you have a blend of an unique HESA experience – working on an urban campus, able to take classes at a “Big 10” institution,  and earning a degree from one of the top ranked student affairs programs!

IUB & IUPUI HESA students attend the IUPUI Regatta. Talk about some awesome HESA Heroes! (Photo credit: Mara Dahlgren)

[iuhesaliving-blog]

Top 10 Reasons why Living in Bloomington is Awesome

IU Sample Gates: To the east is IU, to the west is Kirkwood, a popular street with many restaurants, local shops, theater, and music.

  Wait……..I’m sorry but Bloomington is in the middle of nowhere, Indiana. How does the city really compare to other cities??

#1. Indiana University is a world-class research institution that serves over 40,000 students from all around the world. Learn more about IU via the Fact Book, produced by Institutional Research (IR). http://www.iu.edu/~uirr/reports/standard/factbook/

HESA Classes of 2013 & 2014 viewed The Nutcracker in 2012

2.  The IU Jacobs School of Music is one of the top ranked music programs in the nation. With your student ID you can see world class symphonies, operas, and ballets at a very low price (typically $15-$25). Plus, they have daily free shows of music performances! Calendar of Events: http://music.indiana.edu/events/

#3. Sports! The Hoosiers are currently ranked number 1 in men’s basketball and the soccer team won the national championship this season! The HESA crew always hosts some tailgates during the football season, which is a great time for everyone. Not to mention, IU has many other great sports!

  #4. Local stores and restaurants cover Bloomington and provide IU students with unique experiences. Get coffee at The Pourhouse, a nonprofit coffee shop that funds local philanthropy projects. Or go shopping for clothes at the multiple small boutiques that line the downtown area. Best yet, check out the restaurants!

Try some fresh Turkish from Anatolia

#5. Bloomington Restaurants gets its own space. The local diverse community has ushered in a wide range of restaurants over the years. International cuisine reigns supreme on 4th Street, an entire row full of Cajun, Tibetan, Indian, Ethiopian, Thai, Turkish, and Burmese. Burgers are the best at Bub’s and everyone loves pizza from Aver’s and Mama Bears.

John Legend performed at IU in Dec 2012

#6. Live music every weekend. Whether it’s John Legend at the IU Auditorium, Matisyahu at the Blue Bird, or one of the amazing local bands, you can always find a place to jam.

#7. The beautiful outdoors! Whether you bike (Btown is one of the most friendly cities for bicyclists), run, walk, or drive slowly to view the picturesque land (okay, if you do the latter, that’s kind of weird, but carry on), Bloomington is gorgeous. It is very park friendly with lots of trees, and there are plenty of hiking, fishing, camping, and boating opportunities in the nearby state parks and at Lake Monroe.

#8. An institution as old as IU is bound to have plenty of fascinating stories & traditions. Did you know that the Dunn family, who gave IU its present-day land, created a rule that for every tree cut down two new ones must be planted (explains all the trees!). Or that the Little 500 is a major event for campus that rivals Homecoming for largest visiting crowd? IU has plenty of history – come be a part of it!

MC Rai performs at Lotus Fest in September 2012

#9. IU students have a whole city community to discover. Events like the Lotus World Music Festival harken back to a smaller (and cleaner) Woodstock and there are weekly Farmer’s Markets. Btown loves its festivals, and some of the more popular are Pride, African American music and culture showcase, and Taste of Bloomington.

  #10. Bloomington has that Midwestern feel. People are just nice here – students, faculty, staff, community members. When you live here, you feel like you’re at home.

HESA Class of 2014 - First Year Cohort pic :)