Description of the video:

The Dish on Admish

Episode one: Meet your hosts

 

[Upbeat music plays in the background.]

 

[Video: The screen is white that fades to grey at the bottom. A blue square flies across the screen from the left and the words IU Admissions presents form out of the square. Geometric shapes also fly out of the square and across the top of the screen.]

 

Alyssa T.: Hi everyone, my name's Alyssa.

 

Alyssa N.: And I'm also Alyssa.

 

[Video: The words get larger and fly offscreen. Stripes of different blue and green shades move across the upper left and lower right corners. The words the Dish on Admish move into focus from the back. A photo of each host appears on either side of the title, both with their hands raised in a high five gesture.]

 

Alyssa T.: - We're two Indiana University students sharing The Dish on Admish, a k a, everything you want to know about college admissions and the college experience.

 

[Video: The images and words slide off the screen to the right. A blue background appears that features the faint outline of a clock with the words Indiana University above the clock face. The clock drawing resembles the red clocks seen on the IU campus. There are lighter blue stripes on the left half of the screen. The IU Admissions logo is in the upper left corner, and the Dish on Admish title is in the upper right corner. A display of sound waves is near the bottom of the screen. Different sections move up and down with the sound of the hosts voices. Captions of the dialogue are above the sound bar.]

 

Alyssa N.: In this podcast, we will guide prospective students and their parents through applying to IU and college in general by sharing some fun facts, insider tips, and sneak peeks into student life along the way.

 

Alyssa T.: This is our very first episode and we're so excited.

 

Alyssa N.: So even though we have the same name and we both go to IU, we actually don't know each other that well in real life. So we're going to get to know each other in this episode. And I think the best way to kick that off is to do our classic tour guide intro because we are both tour guides and every time we start the tour we have to give our classic tour guide intro. So I will go first. My name is Alyssa Nieman. I'm a junior majoring in elementary education and minoring in Spanish. And I'm from Doylestown, Pennsylvania.

 

Alyssa T.- Here's my little intro. My name is Alyssa Taylor. I am a senior double majoring in marketing and management and I'm from a really small town in Southern Illinois. Alyssa, really quick, what grade do you wanna teach?

 

Alyssa N.: Third grade for sure. They're crazy but in the best way, keeps things interesting. So before we get into the content, we're gonna do a little quick quiz just to get to know each other a little bit more. So the first question I have is Alyssa, how would your friends describe you?

 

Alyssa T.: Oo, that's a good question. My friends would definitely say I am bubbly and outgoing and they would probably also say I'm pretty gullible and naive. How would your friends describe you?

 

Alyssa N.: So I have to go with loud as well. I'm a really loud person. I also love talking a lot, which is part of the reason I was excited about a podcast. I'm also just really excitable. I get excited really easy and, you know, just extroverted in general. And that's pretty much it.

 

Alyssa T.: If you were stranded on an island what is one item that you would take with you?

 

Alyssa N.: This is so easy. I don't even need to think about this. Nick's fries. Done. Easy. If you guys listening, don't know what Nick's is. It's a really good restaurant here in Bloomington. Their fries have the best seasoning and that is all I would need on a deserted island. Especially because if you go to the actual restaurant, they give you your fries in a bucket so I can use the bucket for other things. It's a no-brainer.

 

Alyssa T.: Okay, I wasn't sure where you're going with that at first but at least the bucket could be useful. I think I was taking a more practical approach and I would wanna have my toothbrush with me. I have recently watched Cast Away and it really grossed me out how all his teeth rotted. So if I was stuck on an island, I would appreciate my toothbrush.

 

Alyssa N.: But what are you gonna do without toothpaste?

 

Alyssa T.: I didn't get that far. What are you gonna do with fries? (laughter)

 

Alyssa N.: Okay, so on a different note, I wanna talk about IU memories because the deserted island is giving me some bad vibes. What is your greatest IU memory so far?

 

Alyssa T.: Okay, I have a recent one and I have one from a couple years ago. So my recent one is that Dunkin' Donuts opened this month. What a great day to be in Bloomington. But IU related, junior year in the school of business you take a semester of classes called I-Core and it's basically known as your toughest semester in college. You work with a team and you spend a lot of hours together. You get really close with these people and you work on a ninety page case that is just one of the hardest things you've ever had to tackle as a student. And my favorite memory was turning in that case. Our team rode together on scooters all through campus and handed it in. And it was such a good feeling of accomplishment when we gave our professors that case and knew that we had survived I-Core.

 

Alyssa N.:- Plus you get those free shirts, right?

 

Alyssa T.: Yes, one of my favorite pictures is us hugging in our I survived I-Core T-shirts.

 

Alyssa N.: My memory is a little more silly than that one but equally as accomplished, I would say. So for those listening I'm not sure if you know this, but your first pro tip about IU is that there's actually a tradition for new students to jump into the Showalter Fountain, which is just a fountain on campus. Everyone has to do it before they graduate. If you don't, that's just embarrassing. You have to do it. And my floor freshman year decided we were gonna get it over with the first week of school as a freshman. And plus it was August so it was warm. It was okay. But we went to campus and we jumped into the fountain fully clothed all together. And it was so funny. I just remember seeing everyone just like splashing around. It was hilarious. And then we all raced back to the dorm to get to the shower. Yeah, 'cause I mean, yeah, it's water but that's just kind of gross and I wanted to shower.

 

Alyssa T.: That sounds like so much fun.

 

Alyssa N.: Yeah, it was super exciting. So that's my favorite memory so far at IU.

 

Alyssa T.: So Alyssa, what is your biggest goal or dream for yourself?

 

Alyssa N.: I would say probably just being prepared for my life and for adulthood and having everything I need to take with me and having all my friends that I've connected with in college just to take on life with me. And I'd say I'm doing a pretty good job so far.

 

Alyssa T.: That is awesome. Mine is to give a TED talk someday. I don't know what the topic will be or what I will be well prepared enough to speak about but I just love listening to TED talks. I think the people carry themselves so well. And if I was ever asked to give one, I think it'd be a huge accomplishment for me.

 

Alyssa N.: I'll go to your TED talk. (laughter)

 

Alyssa T. At least there'd be one person in the audience. (laughter)

 

Alyssa N.: So as I mentioned before, we are both tour guides. And one thing that we always do at the end of our tours is we like to do a why IU moments. So that's basically where we just tell our tour group, why we personally chose IU and what it had to offer for us. So I'll go first. I am from Pennsylvania, as I mentioned before, and I wasn't sure how far I wanted to go. Obviously, Indiana is not very close to Pennsylvania but it was important to me that the school I chose was big, had lots of opportunities, lots of school spirit, a beautiful campus and just had activities that I would want to do, and a place I could see myself being a student. And as soon as I got there, I just knew right away that I could see myself studying in the different study locations. I could see myself walking around Downtown Kirkwood and just with my friends having the time of my life. And when I went to my first football game, I just knew I picked the right school. Everyone was so excited and I was just so proud to be Hoosier. It was amazing.

 

Alyssa T.: I know you guys can't see me but I'm smiling ear to ear because I know that feeling and it's such a great moment. My story is a little different. I wasn't as brave as that Alyssa and I didn't go as far away from home but the reason I chose IU was because both of my parents went there. They met there and I was just brainwashed since a little baby that IU is the happiest place in the world. So I toured and my parents would raise their hands at every stop saying we went here and we ate here and we studied here and I knew how much they loved it. And the credentials of the school speak for itself. It's a great, great school, has a great spirit and so I knew it would work. I didn't know if I would find the joy and the happiness that my parents found. But I am so thankful to say within a short two weeks, I had found my favorite study spots, I had found my favorite places to eat, and no offense to them but the places that I found didn't even exist 30 years ago. And I definitely found a way to make it my favorite place and the school of my dreams, even though the reason it was in my radar in the first place was because of them.

 

Alyssa N: That sounds so cute. I'm so glad you picked IU.

 

Alyssa T.: Me too.

 

Alyssa N.: But that made me curious, what's your favorite study spot on campus?

 

Alyssa T.: So right in the Arboretum, there is a little gazebo with benches. It's next to the library. Can you picture what I'm-

 

Alyssa N.: Yes.

 

Alyssa T.: And I love studying outside there. The Wi-Fi goes all throughout campus, indoors and outdoors. So it's really nice when you can study outside on nice days.

 

Alyssa N.: I always walk past that spot when I go through the little courtyard area and I love it. It's so pretty.

 

Alyssa T: Stop by and say hi sometime. (laughter)

 

Alyssa N.: I sure will. I have a lot of different study spots but I think my favorite is the Lois Eskenazi Museum of Art, which sounds weird because it's a museum. But if you go upstairs there's a little café and there's a bunch of tables. And when you look out, you can see all the windows and like the glasswork and stuff on the ceiling. And it's so nice and there's a lot of daylight so that's my favorite spot.

 

Alyssa T.: I love big windows and daylight when I'm studying because I'll get tired if it gets dark.

 

Alyssa N.: Me too.

 

Alyssa T.: Okay, well, now that I know everything about you, Alyssa, no, I'm just kidding. But this does wrap up our first Dish on Admish podcast but we are really excited to be releasing some new episodes in the next few weeks about all things college. We'll have podcasts over dining, housing, financial aid, and applying to college in general. So please tune back in because you won't wanna miss these tips and tricks.

 

Alyssa N.: Thanks for joining us on

 

Alyssa T. and Alyssa N.: The Dish on Admish.

 

Alyssa N.: Yeah, we're gonna have to work on that. (chuckles)

 

[Upbeat music grows louder then fades out.]

 

[Video: The screen changes to red. The IU trident logo appears at the top of the screen. The words Indiana University appear with the website address admissions dot Indiana dot e d u. The screen changes to white and the words the Dish on Admish appear with the words a podcast on college admissions below. Stripes of various green and blue shades move into the upper left and lower right corners. The photos of Alyssa T. and Alyssa N. in a high-five gesture float in to either side of the title.]

 

[End of transcript.]

Description of the video:

[Upbeat music plays.]

 

[Video: A blue square flies across the white screen. Words form from the blue square and move to the middle of the screen while other shapes shoot out of the words and off screen. The words read IU Admissions presents. The words move forward and off screen.]

 

Alyssa T.: Hi everyone, welcome, I'm Alyssa.

 

[Video: Words appear in blue font that read the Dish on Admish a podcast on college admissions. Stripes in different shades of blue run diagonally across the upper left and bottom right corners.]


Alyssa N.: And I'm also Alyssa.

 

[Video: A photo of Alyssa N. slides into view to the left of the words and a photo of Alyssa T. slides into view on the right. They have their hands raised as if they are giving a high-five. An IU trident logo appears in the upper left corner. A box appears in the upper right corner with the words with special guest Phillip, residential assistant and a photo of Phillip.]

 

Alyssa T.: And this is The Dish on Admish, a podcast about all things related to college admissions and life at IU Bloomington.

 

[Video: A teal stripe swoops across the screen, and behind the stripe the screen turns dark blue. There is a faint outline of one of the iconic red clocks from campus on the right of the screen. Light blue stripes are on the left half of the screen. The Indiana University Admissions logo is in the upper left corner. The Dish on Admish logo is in the upper right corner. The captions from the dialogue appear on the screen. A sound bar graphic is below the captions, with segments moving up and down with the voices speaking.]

 

Alyssa N.: Today's topic is finding your home at IU. Today, we'll be talking to our guest, Phil, who's an RA on campus, about his connection to housing at IU and why living on campus is so great for incoming students. So Phil, welcome. Would you like to introduce yourself to our audience?

 

Phillip: Hey, yeah, I'd be glad to. I'm so happy to be here. My name is Phillip, I'm a sophomore, I'm from Chicago. I'm studying management within the Kelley School of Business. Yeah, like Alyssa said, I am an RA. It stands for residential assistant. An RA is a trained peer leader who coordinates activities in residence halls. So for me, some of my responsibilities are watching my floor of residents. There are about twenty plus of them this year. Enforcing IU's residential curriculum. So for me, some examples of that would be installing bulletin boards based on monthly themes, participating in intentional engagements, checking in on my residents about once a month, making sure they're adapting well to school, living conditions, anything of that sort. As well as running my own floor meetings. So you can be an RA in any of the four neighborhoods. There are four neighborhoods on campus, the Northwest neighborhood, the Central neighborhood, the Southeast neighborhood, and the Northeast neighborhood. All of them have amazing dorms and living facilities. And they're all near something pretty significant on campus, either the stadium, the School of Music, Sample Gates, et cetera. And then there are also Living Learning Communities (LLC) that you can be a residential assistant in or that you can just live in. A Living Learning Community is a community that connects you to a ready-made group of peers and mentors who share your interest and broaden your life on campus. So they have course requirements, academic advising, alumni support, career exploration, exclusive facilities, and faculty and staff support. So there are a couple of different LLCs and thematic communities. There's the Global LLC, which is for international students or students majoring in global studies. A business school LLC, now called the Jellison LLC, or even the Women in STEM LLC. So there are a lot of LLC options for students who are looking to go that route as well.

 

Alyssa T.: Awesome, thank you for all that good information. I have to say my RA was, became to be a good friend. She had to unlock my door for me a couple of times (laughs) as I stood there in a towel. So very appreciative of you RA's and all you do. I know that you host a lot of events to get people on the floor to get to know each other. And those are just awesome for freshmen that are from far away or don't know anyone. So we appreciate you guys.

 

Alyssa N.: Phil, I just had a question for you. Why did you choose to be an RA?

 

Phillip: Great question. And I just wanna respond by that by saying, well obviously, my parents told me that it was time for me to get a job anyway.

 

[Both hosts laugh.]

 

Phillip: So I can just start there with a joke at my own expense. There were just a bunch of benefits to becoming an RA. It's really good money. I mean, the pay is really well. I get to live for free here on campus and I get to live by myself as well. And then, now I virtually go here for free with my job and the other scholarships that I have. So it just made my Bloomington life and experience much cheaper and much easier for me to breathe now that I have the benefit of being an RA.

 

Alyssa N.: Sounds like a major power move to me.

 

[Laughter.]

 

Alyssa T.: Yes, that's awesome. So, Alyssa, do you wanna tell a little bit about what neighborhoods we chose to live in?

 

Alyssa N.: Of course, so I can start. I lived in Spruce Hall, which is in the Southeast neighborhood. So it's kind of near the School of Education. It's near Forest, which is another dorm, near Read, another dorm that we'll talk about a little bit later. And in Spruce, I was a part of the Inspire LLC, which is the one for education majors because I'm an education major. And the reason I chose to live in an LLC was because I wanted to be around people that had similar interests and similar career interests as me. Because I was, as I've mentioned previously, I'm from Pennsylvania. And I did not know anyone coming into college. So I wanted a great way to meet lots of people easily. And along with that aspect of the LLC, another great thing that they offer is opportunities to meet people that are directly affiliated with your major or with the focus of your LLC. And then experiences. So for me, it was working in schools with students before my classes even allowed me to. And attending panels with other educators that speak on them to give you their insights. We took trips to other cities. We went to Cincinnati, so that was really cool. So LLCs are great. And I had a great experience living on mine. And just living on campus in general was another great way for me to learn where the buildings were, get affiliated with campus, find my favorite study spots; the cafes, the classics. And my favorite dining halls, of course, while also just enjoying the college atmosphere in general. And speaking of dining halls, I just have to give a quick shout-out to Forest, which as I've mentioned is the dining hall that was across from mine. So-

 

Alyssa T.: The best.

 

Alyssa N.: Yes, hands down. It was five-star exquisite dining, just amazing food. When you think of college food, you are not thinking of Forest. You will walk into Forest and it feels like a restaurant. It is incredible. I went there every day. I'm not ashamed of it. I actually regret nothing.

 

[Laughing.]

 

Alyssa N.: So yeah, definitely. If you find yourself on campus, whatever you do-

 

Alyssa T.: It's so good. And it's the same CrimsonCash and meal bucks as anywhere else. So it is definitely the spot to be.

 

Alyssa N.: Yes, and my favorite part of Forest was at The Round, which is a little cafe place. They have flatbreads and there's a bunch of different flavors. So if you like flatbreads, definitely get them there. They're so good and addicting. But yeah, all in all, Spruce was great. Southeast neighborhood was great. I was really close to the Education building, which was good for me. So I could just get up out of bed and go to class. And yeah. Alyssa, would you like to talk about yours?

 

Alyssa T.: Yeah, so I was on the other side of campus. I lived in Foster, which was the Northwest neighborhood. And really the only reason I chose this neighborhood was because it's the closest to the School of Business, which is where I thought the majority of my classes would be. I definitely found myself walking through all parts of campus and even having some general classes, like econ on the south side of campus. So neighborhoods are not the end-all, be-all, but definitely helped me guide my decision as to where I preferred to live. My dorm, Foster, was incredible. Not near the best food that Alyssa had in, across from Spruce, but the campus is so walkable.

 

[Laughter.]

 

Alyssa T.: I still got down there with my friends quite often. My favorite is the pasta at Forest, but the dorm I lived in, Foster, does have community bathrooms. I actually am a big advocate for those. It's a great way to make friends. Teeth brushing parties are a real thing. I met the girls who lived next door to me through that. And it is a great way to meet people and just to get out of your rooms. Phil, where did you live?

 

Phillip: Yeah, and I honestly think the timing is perfect for my response because I've had a combination of both. I live currently now in the Northwest neighborhood. Foster ironically, is where I live now as an RA. But my freshman year, I also did live in the Southeast neighborhood. I lived in a building called Read, which was just down the street from Spruce and across from Forest. So Alyssa, I have to say that you are 100% correct about Forest just about how great it is. I would go back for their burgers almost any day, so-

 

Alyssa N.: Oh! Yes!

 

[Laughter.]

 

Phillip: Yeah, and then also Read have its own mini cafe on the first floor. They serve the greatest waffles.

 

Alyssa T.: Waffles!

 

[Laughter.]

 

Phillip: Yes, and what I would do is just combine the waffles and the ice cream that will come with the waffles and kind of make my own waffle sandwich with it. So that was just great to, I mean, my mouth is pretty much salivating thinking about it.

 

[Laughter.]

 

Alyssa N.: Now I'm hungry.

 

Phillip: I could go every other day now that I think about it. But like I said, I lived in Read. I did live on an LLC floor ironically, but I opted out of the LLC itself, But living in the Southeast neighborhood since it was so equally distant from everything, it really helped me get a better feel for the city of Bloomington as well as campus itself. And then before coming to IU, I mean, I had only lived in one city my entire life, which was Chicago except for a couple of weeks in Argentina. But other than that, so just being able to make that adjustment because I stayed on campus was very huge for me.

 

Alyssa N.: I just wanted to throw in a quick little insider tip there. If you are concerned about not getting the neighborhood that you really, really want, it's not something that you need to really worry about. Because anywhere you live you're gonna be close to a dining hall, you're gonna be close to different things on campus. So do not worry if you do not end up in the neighborhood that you were really hoping for because I know a lot of my friends ended up in a different neighborhood than they anticipated. And they actually ended up really, really enjoying it. So don't worry.

 

[Laughter.]

 

Alyssa T.: Yeah, I absolutely agree, second that. So do you guys think we should talk about the hot topic of roommates?

 

Alyssa N.: Yes, I'm sure that's what everybody wants to know.

 

Alyssa T.: I know it. So I used IU’s online community for admitted students to find a roommate. My roommate and I had never met before we decided to live together. But we did use the platform to talk to each other, message, have a couple conversations. And find that we did have a lot in common. So I call it halfway random. We are actually still best friends to this day with the girl who lives next door to us as well. So thank you again to the community-type dorm situation. Big plug for that, great way to meet people. Alyssa, how did you find your roommate?

 

Alyssa N.: So I went completely random. I ended up not even meeting my roommate until move-in day. So I, as I mentioned before, I'm from Pennsylvania. There was absolutely nobody from my hometown that was going to IU, it was just me. So I couldn't really have chosen someone I knew from home. But I also, like Alyssa, I kind of wanted to branch out anyway. So I got my roommate through my LLC. So if you're applying to an LLC, you usually live with someone that's also in the LLC. So I was not too, I was excited about it because I knew that it would be someone that was also an education major. And somebody that I could have common interests with. And we ended up having a really great time. She was super chill. We became friends. We still talk and we have classes together. So it worked out really well for me. And I do not regret anything about the process. I think it went well. Phil, would you like to share your experiences?

 

Phillip: Of course, I would. I mean, my experience was kinda similar to yours, Alyssa. I mean, I also went random as well. Only three other people from my high school ended up coming here to IU. So I didn't really know anyone either. Plus, I mean, I was just a blank canvas coming into the school. I just really wanted to meet people. I didn't really have much of a preference about a roommate. So they gave me a roommate from the Chicagoland area, which was great because of the similarities close to home. And like you said, I didn't even meet my roommate until the day we moved in either. But we were able to click immediately just because the first day that we met, we spent about three plus hours just rearranging the whole room to our satisfaction. Even with our parents' help, it took us that long. So we were just really able to bond off that moment. And I think going random for a roommate has been great. We still keep in touch to this day, even though we may not live together anymore. But just, I know choosing a roommate can be a difficult situation for all those people who are listening. So I just wanna encourage you that it's really not gonna be bad at all.

 

Alyssa N.: And on that same note, I do wanna throw in that I do have some friends that chose their roommate before they moved in from their hometown or just from knowing someone. And that also worked out great for them. I remember being really nervous that everybody would have their best friend already coming into school. And I wouldn't be able to meet anyone, but do not worry if that is you. And you're thinking that right now, that is totally valid. I was there, I get it. But don't worry because it will all work out. And you will end up meeting some really great people regardless of where you find  your roommate.

 

Alyssa T.: Yeah, absolutely. And if you all are interested in how I found mine through IU's online community, it is called the 2021 New Hoosiers, which is where you can connect with other new students, find a roommate, or just find some friends before move-in day. So you'll receive an email inviting you to join. So that's a plug for making sure you set up your IU email address. So I know Phil is our special guest this week. We can kinda of teach him a little bit about a Hoosier moment. A Hoosier moment is something  that made us feel proud to be a Hoosier this week. Alyssa, did you have a Hoosier moment?

 

Alyssa N.: I sure did. So I have classes back to back. I have three classes on campus. And I don't have enough time to go home. And I ran out of meal points the other day and I was very upset because I was super hangry. And I have a very limited amount of time in between my classes. So I was just not having a good time. But one of my classmates who has a meal plan offered to buy me lunch! And that just shows that Hoosier hospitality is a completely real thing.

 

Alyssa T.: It's so real. My Hoosier moment happened earlier this week. IU gave us a wellness/mental health day, which was a day that our classes were canceled and we were encouraged to focus on our mental health. For me, that kinda meant doing some assignments and getting ahead on work. I know a lot of people decided not to even touch their schoolwork. And either and both were totally acceptable. Whatever mental health meant for you, it was encouraged. And I just think it was so cool that IU listened to their students, and is emphasizing mental health importance, and gave us a day like that. All right, Phil, the moment has come. Do you have a Hoosier moment?

 

Phillip: I think I do have a Hoosier moment.

 

[Both hosts laugh.]

 

Phillip: Earlier this week, I just attended one of the career fairs that IU offers. They offer so many career fairs for almost every major on campus. So I went for one under my major. And it just really put things into perspective for me, especially why I chose to come here, because of these resources that IU does offer. And all the support systems that they have to try to really help students succeed and help them guarantee employment after graduation. So I was really just appreciative of that moment. And I think that's my biggest

Hoosier moment this week.

 

Alyssa T.: I think we kinda hit all aspects of a week here in Indiana. Phil, we wanna thank you so very much for joining us on this episode. You had so much good information, were very insightful. And I'm sure our listeners really appreciate the insider tips from a Resident Assistant. So thank you so much.

 

Phillip: Yeah, thank you for having me. I really enjoyed coming here. Hopefully, I can be on another podcast sometime.

 

Alyssa N.: We would love to have you.

 

[Laughter.]

 

Alyssa T.: Yeah, speaking of that, tune back in, we can't wait for our next few episodes. If you have a question or a topic, make sure to ask it on our website.

 

[Words appear: go dot i u dot e d u slash admish.]

 

Alyssa T.: That was today's episode on

 

Alyssa T. and Alyssa N.: The Dish on Admish.

 

[Laughter.]

 

Alyssa N.: Yeah, we're definitely getting worse.

 

[Both hosts laugh.]

 

[Video: The screen turns red. The IU trident logo appears at the top with Indiana University in the middle of the screen and the website address admissions dot Indiana dot e d u below that. The screen swipes clean and the Dish on Admish logo appears. The photos of Alyssa and Alyssa are on either side of the logo and they have their hands raised as if giving a high five. The IU trident logo appears in the upper left corner. In the upper right corner a box appears with the words with special guest Phillip, residential assistant, and a photo of Phillip.]

 

[Music fades.]

 

[End of transcript.]

Description of the video:

[Upbeat music plays.]

[Video: A blue square flies across the white screen. Words form from the blue square and move to the middle of the screen while other shapes shoot out of the words and off screen. The words read IU Admissions presents. The words move forward and off screen.]

Alyssa T.: Hi everyone, welcome, I'm Alyssa.

[Video: Words appear in blue font that read the Dish on Admish a podcast on college admissions. Stripes in different shades of blue run diagonally across the upper left and bottom right corners.]

Alyssa N.: And I'm also Alyssa.

[Video: A photo of Alyssa N. slides into view to the left of the words and a photo of Alyssa T. slides into view on the right. They have their hands raised as if they are giving a high-five. An IU trident logo appears in the upper left corner. A box appears in the upper right corner with the words with special guests Matt and Daisy, orientation team.]

Alyssa T.: And this is The Dish on Admish, a podcast about all things related to college admissions and life at IU Bloomington.

[Video: A teal stripe swoops across the screen, and behind the stripe the screen turns dark blue. There is a faint outline of one of the iconic red clocks from campus on the right of the screen. Light blue stripes are on the left half of the screen. The Indiana University Admissions logo is in the upper left corner. The Dish on Admish logo is in the upper right corner. The captions from the dialogue appear on the screen throughout the video. A sound bar graphic is below the captions, with segments moving up and down with the voices speaking.]

Alyssa N.: Today's topic is starting your Hoosier Experience. We'll be talking to our guests, Matt and Daisy, about the first-year experience, what we call the Hoosier Experience, and how you can prepare and make the most of your first year at IU.

Alyssa T.: Incoming students are about to start New Student Orientation, which is the official start of the Hoosier Experience. So it's a great topic for right now. I wanna welcome Matt and Daisy. I'm hoping you guys can introduce yourself, and tell us a little bit about what students can expect as they get ready for their first year.

Matt: Hi, everyone. I'm Matt. I'm a junior studying public management and leadership from Fishers, Indiana, and we're both Student Coordinators, so we're both students that work with the Office of First Year Experience Programs, and we help design orientation. We help hire the Orientation Leaders that will lead the student groups for all the incoming students, and kind of mentor the Orientation Leaders through their experience. But we also help connect with the new students as they go through their experience.

Daisy: Yeah. Hi, everyone. My name is Daisy. I am a sophomore studying psychology from Elkhart, Indiana. And just like Matt said, I am also a Student Coordinator.

Alyssa T.: Welcome. We're so excited to have you guys join us here today.

Alyssa N.: So would you guys be able to tell us a little bit about what students can expect as they get ready for their first year?

Matt: So like we mentioned, we both work for the Office of First Year Experience Programs. So our office's job is to support you all throughout your entire first year at Indiana University. And the first part of that is with your New Student Orientation. Not only do we help you go through the process of New Student Orientation, but we are called the Office of First Year Experience Programs because we are there to support you throughout your entire first year, not just through your New Student Orientation process. But that New Student Orientation process is coming up, so there's five parts to that. The first part is Start, which is where you'll sign up through the Orientation Portal and just get registered for orientation. The second part is Connect, which is where you'll get onto your Hoosier Network. You'll start connecting with your Orientation Leader, even start connecting with some other incoming students so that you can start making those connections. And then the third step is Prepare, which is where you'll get onto Canvas. You'll start going through Canvas modules. You'll learn about all the resources that IU has, and all the different ways that IU can support you, not just during your first year, but throughout your entire college experience. The fourth part is Attend, which is your week of online virtual orientation events. That includes your advising appointment, where you'll actually schedule all your classes. That also includes your meeting with your student group and with your Orientation Leader, so you'll actually get to talk to an Orientation Leader, kind of learn what it's like to be a student at IU Bloomington, and also get to talk to other new students as well. And then the last part is creating your Hoosier Experience. And I'll let Daisy talk a little bit more about that last part.

Daisy: Yeah. So just like Matt said, another way that you can get ready for your first year would be to attend a Welcome Week event and to build your own Hoosier Experience. So everyone's experience will look different. Your friend's experience might be different than yours. You might do different things that will make your experience different, and that's totally okay. That's what makes your experience unique. And one way that you can build onto that experience would be to join Crimson Connections. So this is a small group, and where you will connect with and attend Welcome Week events with a small group of people. So these people you'll meet, and you can have a group chat with them. You can go get coffee with them. And it's kind of just like a little, little hangout group, and you can get to meet new people, and kinda find similarities that you might have. So as you create your Hoosier Experience, you'll attend events and activities. So you'll go through Hoosier Experience tiers and win prizes. So as you...Maybe you go to some events, and again, like go to those activities, you'll complete a tier, and then maybe you'll win a free T-shirt or something, or you'll win a little cup or something. Or the biggest prize of all, making new friends, making new connections. And a way to find when all these events will be is through the IU Mobile app. So the app will have basically all of the events listed in a little calendar, and it'll tell you the time, the date, and maybe a little description of the event, and it might also sometimes have a little sign-up link. So just make sure to look through the app to see all of the events if you would want to go to any.

Alyssa T.: Awesome. Thank you both. I remember getting so much free food and T-shirts my Welcome Week. So I know that's a really exciting time for incoming students. So now I'm hoping we could all share a little bit about our first year at IU, maybe some events that made our first year so exciting and so successful, and then maybe something we would have done differently. Alyssa, do you wanna go first?

Alyssa N.: I would love to. So I just remember eating a lot of free breadsticks, which, by the way, food is always just a highlight for me. I don't know if you guys have noticed, but (chuckles) that was definitely a fun time. And just hanging out with all of the people that I met through orientation was kinda my first glimpse of what college might look like in relation to finding new friends and building those friendships. For someone who is an out-of-state student, I was really nervous about meeting new people and building those strong connections that I left at home. So that was just really relieving for me, and just exciting because I knew that I would meet so many more people once classes actually started. And I think one thing I would change, if I could go back and do it all again, is just probably my mindset about it all because I just remember being super stressed my entire time the first week there, which is obviously understandable. But I just wish I could tell past me that it would just all be okay, and it's not something that people just say to make you feel better. It genuinely all works out, and you'll find your people. Alyssa, did you wanna
share your experience?

Alyssa T.: Yeah, for sure. So I went to Camp Kelley the four days before Welcome Week, and it was a major reason why I enjoyed my first year at IU so much. Camp Kelley is a program for incoming business students to go, either virtually or in person, to a camp and meet other incoming freshmen. So the best part of the camp is that it's run by current Kelley students. So they share their experiences, and tips and tricks to succeeding at IU. I loved camp because it allowed me to have friends before the school year even started. But if I could go back and do it again, something that I would do is sign up to be a Camp Kelley leader my sophomore year. I think this would be a great way to kinda give back to the camp that did so much for me, and it's also a great leadership experience to add to your resume. Matt, do you wanna share about your freshman year?

Matt: Yeah, I'd love to. So I put a lot of energy during orientation into making sure that I was connecting with my student group. The other students that were in my student group and my Orientation Leader was really helpful in getting me to kind of come out of my...come out of my shell a little bit and start talking to those people. And it gave me a lot of people to go to different Welcome Week events with. One thing I wish I would've done differently is put that same energy once I actually came to campus for the start of the semester. I wish I would've tried to make more friends in my residence hall, left my door open, that sort of thing. I think the first couple weeks, and first couple months, I was a little closed off from everyone else. And once I did start talking to them, I made a lot of my best friends from my residence hall, but I wish I would've started that sooner and put that same energy that I had during orientation, and continued it during the first few weeks of my semester.

Alyssa N.: Daisy, did you wanna share about your first-year experience?

Daisy: Yeah, so I was a part of IFS, or Intensive Freshman Seminar, and I took a class called Psychopaths: Born or Made?, which is the topic that I find really interesting. And there are also other topics that you could choose, but I personally chose this one because I am a psychology major, and like I said, I just find it really interesting. And through IFS I actually met two of my best friends, which they are still my best friends today, and we would do everything together. We would study together. We would maybe attend some events together. I live with one now, so that's amazing. And IFS also slowly got me adjusted to college life, which was also really helpful since I only had to focus on one class. I got to learn my study habits and time management, which was really great. And something that I would do differently would have to be just to attend more events hosted by IU. I attended a decent amount of sporting events and watched some last year, but other than that, I didn't really do much. But this year I am trying my best to attend some virtual events and some in-person events, so yeah.

Alyssa N.: Sounds like you guys all had super positive experiences. For all of you guys listening, we know that this year looks a little bit different with orientation happening virtually, so a great way to make those connections early on is to join IU's exclusive Hoosier Network where you can connect with other new students and find your people before you even get to campus. You'll receive an email inviting you to join once you've made your NSO reservation. So make sure to set up your IU email address.

Alyssa T: I'm actually one of the student ambassadors that runs the site, so I post discussion topics like "best pizza places on campus," and I give you the tips on where to go late night, versus the cheapest pizza, versus the places with the best toppings. I also comment and answer questions for any incoming students who ask questions regarding their first-year experience. So definitely set up your IU email address so you can log onto the IU Hoosier Network and start meeting new people

Alyssa N: Real quick, before we wrap up this week's episode we're gonna share our Hoosier Moment, something that we love to do on this podcast. So Hoosier Moment is just something during your week that made you feel proud to be a Hoosier, such as a classmate offering advice, or just seeing somebody on campus wearing IU gear, feeling really spirited. So Alyssa, do you wanna share your Hoosier Moment of the week?

Alyssa T.: Yeah. My Hoosier Moment is actually that my professor from freshman year asked me to go on a socially distanced hike with her current students to share my experiences as a senior, and recommendations for her freshman students. So I just love that she has kept in touch with me, and that I still get to be a part of her classes four years later. I also think it's pretty cool that she's going hiking with them. Alyssa, what's your Hoosier Moment?

Alyssa N.: So the other day I did not turn in a very crucial part of a big assignment that was due.

Alyssa T.: Ooh!

[Laughter.]

Alyssa N.: Yeah. Just a classic college moment right there. I actually didn't even notice until my professor emailed me, and she was like, "Hey, Alyssa. What's going on? You okay?"

[Laughter.]

Alyssa N.: I guess it was explained many times in class. I must've missed that somehow, (chuckles) but she was very understanding, and she actually let me turn it in late for full credit. She even sent a heart emoji in her email. So I just love seeing that the professors actually really care about us as students, and not just our academics, but also our personal lives. It was just nice to see. Matt, do you wanna share your Hoosier Moment of the week?

Matt: Yeah, my Hoosier Moment would definitely be my advisor actually reached out to me this week, not for anything related to my academics or anything, but just to see how I was doing. I just recently had a surgery, and I had mentioned that to my advisor last time we had an advising meeting like a month ago, and I guess she remembered that, and reached out to see how my recovery was going. And that was really special for me to know that my advisor was thinking about me as a student and as a person, and not just as someone that has to get X number of credit hours and whatnot, so that was really special for me.

Alyssa T: That is just so nice. And I actually think it's pretty typical for our advisors. They're just so caring and aware of their students. So that's awesome to hear. Daisy, what about you? Did you have a Hoosier Moment this week?

Daisy: Yeah. So I actually had an exam this past Friday, and I struggle with this class a lot, and I was texting on our GroupMe like, "Can someone help me? Or can someone explain this to me?" And some of my classmates actually arranged a little study group so I could actually study for the exam, and that was really helpful. And they kinda made a little lesson plan thing for me. They offered to tutor me for the rest of the semester, which was really nice. That would have to be my Hoosier Moment.

Alyssa T.: That's an awesome moment as well. Matt and Daisy, I wanna thank you so much for being a part of our podcast today. You shared some really great information about the freshman experience that I think is really beneficial for incoming students to learn.

Matt: Yeah, of course. Thanks for having us. To all the new students listening, we're super excited. I think I speak on behalf of Daisy and I. We're super excited to see you all virtually in the summer and on campus in the fall.

Alyssa T.: Well, thank you again. For you listeners, if you have any questions, or a topic suggestion for our next podcast, be sure to ask it on our website. That's go dot IU dot e d u slash admish. And that’s today’s episode on...

Alyssa T.: The Dish

Alyssa N.: The Dish

Alyssa T.: On Admish.

Alysssa N.: On Admish.

[Laughter.]

Alyssa N.: Yeah. We're definitely getting worse.

Alyssa T.: Yikes.

[Laughter.]

[Upbeat music gets louder.]

[Video: The screen turns red and the IU trident logo appears at the top. The words Indiana University appear in the middle of the screen with a website address below that reads admissions dot Indiana dot e d u. The screen swipes clean and the Dish on Admish logo appears. The photos of Alyssa and Alyssa are on either side of the logo and they have their hands raised as if giving a high five. The IU trident logo appears in the upper left corner.]

[Music fades.]

[End of transcript.]