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GRW Social Activities

GRW Social Activities

GRW social activities

Because you may spend time outdoors either during or between activities while you're here, we encourage you to wear suitable clothes and shoes for walking outdoors. The weather in Indiana is very unpredictable, but tends to average between 30 and 40 degrees during this time of year. Rain and/or snow are possible.

Thursday: An informal dinner on the town between 8 and 10 p.m. with your graduate student host or another IU Biology graduate student.

Friday: A dinner reception in the evening at the WonderLab Museum of Science, Health, and Technology. Prospectives can mingle with IU Biology faculty members and graduate students in a fun, relaxed atmosphere.

Saturday: Choose from a variety of activities. There is also an option to explore on your own. Please review the list of Saturday activities below and then submit the online form to sign up for the activities in which you wish to participate.

Sign up for Saturday activities

In addition to informal opportunities that will arise throughout the weekend to interact with IU Biology graduate students and faculty, we have planned a few specific times for socializing.

Early afternoon (12:45 to 2:30 p.m.)

Walking tour of IU campus

Join us for a walking tour of the campus—highlighting unique locations and architecture of Indiana University.

The tour will start at the Biology Building greenhouse and navigate through campus, ending at the infamous Sample Gates. Key locations along the tour include science buildings, The Kinsey Institute, performing arts centers, Indiana Memorial Union, and Dunn's Woods.

IU Research & Teaching Preserve hike

Join us for a hike at the Griffy Woods property (which includes a field lab, heavily forested ridges and ravines, and a lake). Wear hiking boots in case trails are muddy (moderate exertion). Griffy Woods is part of the IU Research and Teaching Preserve. The IURTP consists of eight sites totaling approximately 1600 acres of varying habitats, providing for field research, teaching, and outreach.

Time to explore Bloomington on your own

Feel free to get to know our community on your own.

Late afternoon (2:30 to 4:30 p.m.)

Walking tour of downtown Bloomington: The tour begins at Sample Gates on the west end of the IU campus. We'll walk down Kirkwood Avenue, which is the main street that leads to the town square. During the tour, you will see some of the popular downtown restaurants, bars, and stores. Following the tour, you will have the opportunity to explore many of Bloomington's small businesses or enjoy coffee at one of our local coffee shops.
Heartwork Brewing: Heartwork Brewery is Bloomington’s newest gem. Recently opened in November 2023, Heartwork provides a great place to gather with your friends and is the first and only brewery in Bloomington history to filter their water and build mineral profiles with reverse osmosis. This means they strip down the extremely hard, local tap water to a pure neutral state, and then build our own mineral profiles per style of beer. For a fee, you can taste beers and/or their gluten free seltzers from the Heartwork menu of options. Please bring cash and an ID to participate in the tasting. Must be 21 or older to attend.
The Lilly Library and Eskenazi Museum of Art: The Lilly Library is IU's principal rare books, manuscripts, and special collections library. Visit the library anytime to view their special exhibitions and items on permanent display such as the New Testament of the Gutenberg Bible and the Slocum Puzzle Collection. The Eskenazi Museum of Art is next to the Lilly Library in the heart of IU's campus. The Museum has exhibits and paintings by Monet, Picasso, and Pollock; works from contemporary artists; and so much more.
Time to explore Bloomington on your own: Feel free to get to know our community on your own.

Please complete and submit the form. You will receive an email confirming your submission.

Department of Biology

GRW Social Activities