INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE 2020
AN INDIANA DAILY STUDENT SPECIAL PUBLICATION
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE 2020
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Learn a few of the key terms that will be useful to know around campus.
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Learn about the different resources offered by IU’s Office of International Services.
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Read about Lucky Seven, a club for students who use their expensive cars to form a community away from home
Find out the most common home countries of international students on the IU campus. Look at the ways international students take part in different cultural activities at IU.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
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Welcome to IU! There is a lot going on in the world, but everything considered, we hope you are all able to find a place at IU and feel welcomed. As you make your way to campus and get settled in, this guide will help ease you into this stage of your life. IU has plenty of resources to help you smoothly make the transition and we’ve prepared this guide to introduce you to a few of them. In addition to special publications such as this, the Indiana Daily Student will keep you up to
date on everything going on around IU and Bloomington at idsnews.com, on social media and once a week in print. There is a lot of uncertainty about what this semester, and even the coming years, will look like at colleges around the country, but my best advice would be to make the most of your experience here. Be proud of yourself for taking on such a challenge. Good luck and enjoy your time as a Hoosier, even if part of it is socially distanced.
Tristan Jackson IDS Summer Editor-in-Chief
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INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE 2020
Construction of new international center halted By Avraham Forrest ahforres@iu.edu | @Avraham_Forrest
Plans for the construction of the 40,000-squarefoot Stephen L. and Connie J. Ferguson International Center have been put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The completion date was set for June 2021, according to the IU Capital Projects website. No new date has been set for finishing the center. The decision to halt the construction on the $17.5 million center was made at an IU Board of Trustees meeting this April. “That was held up by the trustees during its spring meeting because of financial constraints due to the ongoing pandemic,” IU spokesperson Chuck Carney said. “We halted projects that were not started and reliant on state funding.” Before the hold, construction workers made progress preparing the site, but the construction process had not begun. “They had only cleared the space, the former structures were torn down and fencing placed on the site,”
COURTESY PHOTO
A rendering of the Stephen L. and Connie J. Ferguson International Center, which will be located at the corner of Jordan Avenue and Seventh Street.
Carney said. The building‘s purpose is to bring together university resources from programs such as the Office of International Studies, the Office of Overseas Studies as well as other organizations who assist international students at IU into a single space, Adam D. Thies, Associate
Vice President for Capital Planning said. The only direction they’ve been given is that the project is on hold, Thies said. The difficulties of transitioning to a new country and college can be hard on international students. “It can be intimidating
for us to be around totally different cultures and customs,” Ritwik Gupta, a freshman from New Delhi, India, studying economic consulting at the Kelley School of Business said. “That’s a big contributing factor for me coming to IU.” IU President Michael McRobbie said during his
speech at the groundbreaking ceremony IU has established a reputation as a college with international students in mind, with more than 7,600 students from 147 countries. “A lot of international students, especially new international students, are also halting their plans to
return to the campus this fall,” ZheHu, a graduate student studying human computer interaction at IU, said. However, it is unlikely that construction will be finished any time soon. “If there will be an international center, then I would definitely reach out to them more,” Hu said.
IU’s guidelines on wearing, distributing face coverings for fall By Tristan Jackson
some things to know.
tripjack@iu.edu | @tristan_jackso
All of IU’s campuses are requiring masks be worn on campus starting now and continuing in to the fall as students and staff return, according to a public safety advisory from IU. Here are
Where will masks be required? Masks will be required in all hallways, elevators, public spaces, common areas, office spaces and when entering all IU buildings. A mask must also be
worn in outdoor spaces where social distancing can’t be maintained. Who is required to wear a mask? All faculty, staff, students, contractors, suppliers, vendors and visitors must wear a mask.
Will IU be providing masks? IU will provide two masks to all students, staff and faculty when they return to campus in the fall. Students living in Residential Programs and Services housing can pick up their masks when they
check in, and masks will be available at many buildings around campus for students not in RPS housing. What other precautions should be taken? In addition to masks, everyone on campus should practice social distancing of
at least 6 feet, wash hands frequently with soap or use hand sanitizer when soap is not available and regularly clean and sanitize work areas. The advisory says everyone should also adhere to recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and governmental authorities.
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INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE 2020
FILE PHOTO BY MATT BEGALA | IDS
LOOKING FOR A TERRIFIC COURSE? Round out your life with great non-major music courses from Music in General Studies. Choose your favorite topics, from the history of rock ‘n’ roll to women musicians, community engagement, and much more. Or take courses to create your own music! Learn more about Music in General Studies
The Indiana Memorial Union sign displays the University’s official motto “Lux et Veritas” on May 25, 2019.
Just FYI ...
Here are a few key terms that are useful to know around campus. You’ll know them all by heart soon enough, but until then, this reference can help. A&H Courses categorized as Arts and Humanities by the College of Arts and Sciences. Academic probation Occurs when a student’s cumulative GPA for a semester falls below 2.0. AI Associate instructor Bursar The office that bills tuition and room and board fees. The Bursar’s office is located in the Poplars Building W100, 400 E. Seventh St.
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FILE PHOTO BY JOY BURTON | IDS
A student takes notes as Drew Ficociello, IU Student Government chief of staff, speaks at an IUSG executive branch meeting Sept. 10, 2019 at the Indiana Memorial Union.
Canvas canvas.iu.edu. This site is where you will access all your class information. It allows you to track grades, turn in assignments and access materials posted by professors, instructors and aids. CAPS Counseling and Psychological Services, housed in the Health Center at 600 N. Jordan Ave. Schedule a
counseling appointment at 812-855-5711 for free. COAS The College of Arts and Sciences. It’s sometimes simply called “the College.” IMU Indiana Memorial Union. It’s often referred to as “the Union,” located at 900 E. Seventh St. IUSG IU Student Government IUSF IU Student Foundation. It’s a nonprofit organization that raises funds for the University. IUSF sponsors the Little 500 bike race. Little Five The famous Little 500 bicycle race and the week of events surrounding it. MAC Musical Arts Center, located at 101 N. Jordan Ave., across from Read Center. It is the site of Jacobs School of Music opera performances and IU
Ballet Department shows. N&M Courses categorized as Natural and Mathematical Sciences by COAS. Office hours Times that your professors set aside each week to be available to answer questions you have about their classes.
Allows students to be involved with IU athletics without being athletes. SID Student ID number. Used to access your transcript or your schedule online. Sometimes required by professors when taking tests.
One.IU one.iu.edu. This is IU’s portal to almost everything that you need to access, from class websites to scheduling to accessing your email.
SRSC Student Recreational Sports Center, located on Law Lane. A 204,000-square-foot facility that offers more than 400 workout machines in addition to other programs, club sports and courts for working out.
RPS Residential Programs and Services. The division that handles all things related to a student’s living environment, including dorm rooms, meal plans and programming.
UD University Division. The part of IU most freshmen are automatically admitted into and remain in until they are accepted by the school of their major.
S&H Courses categorized as Social and Historical Studies by COAS.
UITS University Information Technology Services. Deals with all things computer and technology-related on campus.
SAB Student Athletic Board.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE 2020
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BY THE NUMBERS Here’s a breakdown of the countries contributing to IU-Bloomington’s international student enrollment in fall 2019.
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Enrollment by country: 0-50
51-100
101-200
201+
SUBSCRIBE! Ranking
Country
Fall 2019
% Total
1
China
2,447
32
2
India
1,740
23
3
South Korea
589
8
4
Saudi Arabia
407
5
5
Mexico
264
3
6
Other
2,263
29
SOURCE INDIANA UNIVERSITY, GRAPHIC BY CARSON TERBUSH
Subscribe for free at idsnews.com/subscribe
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE 2020
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Fourth Street offers international eateries From IDS Reports Bloomington's Fourth Street offers a glimpse into a diverse community through a variety of ethnic and international restaurants. While not the only options around town, Fourth Street restaurants are close to campus and concentrated in a single strip of downtown Bloomington, making it a simple matter of walking down the street to scout out the options.
Anyetsang’s Little Tibet Restaurant Serving Tibetan, Thai and Indian cuisine in a restored house on Fourth Street. 415 E. 4th St. Bloomington, IN 47408 (812) 331-0122 Best Taste Chinese cuisine in downtown Bloomington. 109 W. 4th St. Bloomington, IN 47404 (812) 822-1737
Anatolia
Btown Gyros
Mediterranean and Turkish dishes and cuisine. 405 E. 4th St. Bloomington, IN 47408 (812) 334-2991
Gyros, falafels, plus other Mediterranean foods, located within the Fourth Street Oriental International Market. 408 E. 4th St.
Bloomington, IN 47408 (812) 333-1396 Burma Garden Burmese cuisine with a variety of noodles, specialty pho noodles. 413 E. 4th St. Bloomington, IN 47408 (812) 339-7334 Do Asian Fusion Cuisine Korean and Japanese cuisine. 404 E. 4th St. Bloomington, IN 47408 (812) 333-7470 Korea Restaurant Korean cuisine. 409 E. 4th St. Bloomington, IN 47408 (812) 339-2735
My Thai Thai restaurant serving a variety of dishes. 402 E. 4th St. Bloomington, IN 47408 (812) 333-3993 Siam House Thai cuisine. 430 E. 4th St. Bloomington, IN 47408 (812) 331-1233 Taste of India Indian cuisine, familyowned restaurant with lunch buffet. 316 E. 4th St. Bloomington, IN 47408 (812) 333-1399 This list is not exclusive,
IDS FILE PHOTO
Anatolia Restaurant is a Turkish restaurant on Fourth Street. It's one of many international food options in Bloomington.
and there are a variety of ethnic and international restaurants available
throughout Bloomington. -Dominick Jean
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE 2020
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Tips from CAPS director for mental wellness in college By Lilly St. Angelo lstangel@iu.edu | @lilly_st_ang
The Indiana Daily Student talked to Denise Hayes, Counseling and Psychological Services director, for tips on how to adjust to college and maintain good mental wellness. Here are her tips. Establish a routine. Life in college is going to look a lot different than life in high school. Freshmen have to adjust to a whole new environment, communal living, meeting new friends, studying and adjusting to class formats that may be online. Hayes said writing down your routine can help you stay on track and balance all aspects of your life. She said be realistic with
your routine and make adjustments as needed. Roll with the punches. Hayes said there is usually a time of euphoria at the beginning of a student’s college experience but then a period of disappointment. Your initial college friends may not be your forever friends, classes may be harder than you thought and you and your high school friends may not stay as close as you said you would. College may not be the fantasy you imagined, but finding your way is part of the journey. Establish connections Making close friends takes time, but you’ll need more than just a few college
best friends. Hayes said to consider all the areas in your life that you can make connections, whether it’s someone you sit next to in class who could give you notes if you miss a class or someone you can eat lunch with. Try something new, or join a club you’re passionate about — you might just find a friend. Stay connected to your support network from home While adjusting to life in college, it’s tempting to ignore everyone at home who is eager to hear how you are. Hayes said it’s important to remember to keep up in contact with your support networks, whether that’s parents, grandparents, friends or mentors. They know you
IZZY MYSZAK | IDS
The Counseling and Psychological Services check-in desk is seen on the fourth floor of the IU Health Center. CAPS director Denise Hayes suggests students download the app WellTrack to help self-monitor and improve mental health.
and care about your wellbeing, which can be a source of comfort and familiarity amidst a lot of new. Hayes also suggested downloading WellTrack, an
app that can help students self-monitor and improve their mental health. You can log in with your IU credentials to use the app for free, and everything within the app is
kept confidential. CAPS will be open for virtual therapy appointments in the fall. Call 812-855-5711 to make an appointment or talk to a 24/7 crisis counselor.
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INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE 2020
Sharing cultures Students from around the world come to IU to learn and share experiences. This year, students will be taking precautions in their interactions to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus, but there will still be different kinds of opportunities to learn and grow. Here’s a look at some of the ways people from diverse backgrounds engaged with the campus and community over the years.
IU ARCHIVES 1944 Members of IU’s Cosmopolitan Club pose on the steps of the Indiana Memorial Union. The club was founded in 1916 to foster understanding between students from all countries and promote international cooperation and peace.
ETHAN BENNETT | IDS 2013 Mufarrah Musaeva and Nader Osama Kokandy dance together in the Uzbek Dance Medley during the Navruz Festival. The Persian, Iranian and Central Asian New Year Celebration featured music, dance and food and was organized by the Navruz Student Association. RYAN DORGAN | IDS 2011 Students celebrate Holi, a Hindu festival that celebrates the beginning of spring, by covering each other with brightly-colored powered dye. The annual event is sponsored by the Asian Culture Center.
IU ARCHIVES 1954 Two students perform a dance at a meeting of IU’s Slavic Club.
IU ARCHIVES 1950 A Filipino mother and daughter prepare to graduate together in 1950.
ANNA TIPLICK | IDS 2019 A member of the African Student Association walks down the runway March 25 in Alumni Hall at the Indiana Memorial Union. The event was the International Fashion Show’s first performance at IU.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE 2020
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TAE-GYUN KIM | IDS 2016 Chao Run Fan from Young Pioneer competes during Individual Time Trials at Bill Armstrong Stadium in 2016. Young Pioneer is the first Chinese Little 500 racing team in IU history.
ARBUTUS FILE PHOTO 1967 Through the International Sisterhood Program, students from around the world developed friendships with American students.
ANDREW WILLIAMS | ARBUTUS 2018 Students pose for a group photo in front of a green screen with an assortment of flags from around the world as props during the World’s Fare Nov. 9 in the Indiana Memorial Union’s Alumni Hall. The event celebrates international culture through art, dance and music.
EMILY MILES | IDS 2017 Visitors talk after the Islamic Center of Bloomington community potluck on a Friday night in 2017. Executive Board President Ashraf Abdelhafez said many groups reached out in support after President Trump issued an executive order banning international travel to the U.S. from seven Muslimmajority countries.
SOFIA HAY | IDS 2017 Liberty Forster and Avinash Divecha perform with the IU Swing Dance Club at the International Dance Night to welcome Venezuelan refugees.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE 2020
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IU senior performs during Concert Series By Raegan Walsh ramwalsh@iu.edu
It’s a Friday morning and the Indiana Memorial Union Starbucks is packed. The windows expose the colors of the fall leaves outside, the smell of freshly brewed coffee permeates the air, study materials are ALEX DERYN | IDS
IU students study in the seating area across Starbucks on Oct. 27 in the Indiana Memorial Union. Senior Dhruv Kapoor performed Friday during the Noon Concert Series.
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INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE 2020 sprawled out on the many wooden tables and there’s a line out the door of sleepdeprived students hoping to get a jolt of energy before their next class. Sitting alone in front of it all is senior Dhruv Kapoor. Eyes focused on a music stand, he strums a finetuned guitar and begins singing a medley he composed that included “Hey Jude” by the Beatles and popular Bollywood songs. The rest of his set continued this trend, combining other English songs, like “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls, with music from his Indian heritage. “A lot of the music that I have performed are from different generations of music, so the ‘70s, ‘80s, 2000s,” Kapoor said. “It’s almost
kind of an all-encompassing sort of performance and I try to pick artists that have never received international acclaim.”
“It’s almost kind of an allencompassing sort of performance and I try to pick artists that have never received international acclaim. Dhruv Kapoor, IU graduate
Kapoor is only one of the many international students that have performed at the Noon Concert Series sponsored by the Office
11 of International Services. Every other Friday, an international student has the chance to show off their musical abilities in front of an audience of their fellow peers. Performers are encouraged to share cultural music from their home countries and take ownership in the way their talents are presented. Kapoor has been playing the guitar and ukulele for six years. He has performed for the Noon Concert Series every semester for two and a half years as a way to get experience performing and to represent his culture in a positive light. Kapoor is also a part of the all-campus ensemble band where he plays alongside a large group of other
students and their guitars. He said the Noon Concert Series has been beneficial as he is by himself and has to learn to attract a crowd and perform in front of others alone. “We just want students to be able to express themselves while they’re here,” Katie Goodroad, the coordinator for international orientation and outreach, said. “It’s a way for the students to take pride (in their culture) but also present something in the way that they want and tell their own story.” The Student Life team at the Office of International Services works to prioritize diversity and incorporate a wide variety of cultures into the program. Past performances have included cellos and violins, Manda-
rin rap, traditional Chinese instruments, acoustic guitar and singing. Goodroad explained how the concert series is a way for domestic students to obtain a cultural lens into another country. Kapoor’s medleys are just one example of the ways international students who have performed are able to introduce other students to the sounds of their home country. “One of the most exciting parts (of performing) is just trying to get everyone’s attention towards Indian music,” Kapoor said. “Just the fact that I would have a platform to spread awareness and be able to show my skills as well is great.” This story originally ran in the IDS on Oct. 27, 2019.
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IU international students have Super Bowl watch party By Ty Vinson vinsonjo@iu.edu | @ty_vinson_
Twenty-five pizzas, 800 chicken wings and “cheat sheets” were set on every chair, the night was ready to begin. More than 70 international students, faculty, friends and family members came together Sunday night in the Global and International Studies Building for the 54th Super Bowl game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs. Katie Goodroad from the IU Office of International Services’ international student life team said the office organized the event to help international students become more famil-
iar with American football and the Super Bowl. It’s one of the many events the office puts on throughout the semester to help international students engage with American culture. “It’s a way to build community,” Goodroad said. Before the game, Goodroad played a YouTube video released by the NFL that helped explain some of the more general concepts of football, such as what passes and fumbles are. “Cheat sheets” were available to help students remember terms and different aspects of the game, such as how the game is scored. Goodroad said the international student staff members at
the event had to research football and its concepts and terms before the game in order to be prepared to answer attendees’ questions. Senior Haodong Xuan started watching football his freshman year. Xuan, some of his roommates and their resident assistant watched the Super Bowl in Willkie Quad that year. It was also the first year he went to an IU football game, one against Michigan State. Xuan volunteered at the watch party. He said many of the people who attended the event haven’t experienced American football before. He said it’s important for people to understand this aspect of American culture.
“The Super Bowl is a symbol of American life,” Xuan said. As people filled their plates and bowls with pizza, wings and Cheetos Puffs, Goodroad took a count of which team people were rooting for. Only two or three people raised their hands for the 49ers, and about a dozen people raised theirs for Kansas City. Everyone else said they were just excited to be there watching the game. First-year graduate student Anusha Manganahalli said she doesn’t have a favorite team, so she planned to cheer for both. “Sports is thrilling,” Manganahalli said. “I like the climax.” As the game began, students
TY VINSON | IDS
International students and faculty members watch a YouTube video from the NFL explaining football and the Super Bowl Feb. 2 in the Global and International Studies Building. The watch party was organized by the IU Office of International Services to encourage international students to learn more about American culture and society.
and faculty members settled into their chairs with their friends and families. After Kansas City’s first fumble, the crowd groaned. Scattered “oh”s could be heard as the 49ers came close to a touchdown. “It’s important to feel this feeling and get excited about this,” Xuan said. This story originally ran in the IDS February 20, 2020.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE 2020
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Office of International Services gives new students advice taken or things like that, they can come in and use our office as well.
By Jaden Amos jamamos@iu.edu | @jadenamos
We spoke with Mai-Lin Poon, associate director of international student life, about the Office of International Services and different ways to help international students get involved with the university. Indiana Daily Student: What is the biggest thing you see international students struggle with? Poon: Not being close to family and friends. And, you know, moving across an ocean for four years. I think that’s pretty incredible and courageous, especially if they’ve never been to the U.S. I don’t think I could do it. Gosh, I am so in awe of our
And then what advice would you give to an international student?
COURTESY PHOTO
Above Mai-Lin Poon is the associate director of international student life. FILE PHOTO BY MATT BEGALA | IDS
Right The IU Office of International Services is located at 400 E. 7th St.
international students with what they accomplish here. What services does the Office of International Students offer other than providing help with student visas? I would say a big chunk of
our resources is being able to provide answers to questions about work authorization, what documents you fill out or travel questions. I think that’s a large chunk, but we help with everything from emergencies to social
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programming and support. Our office also has a passport facility. So for students who are domestic students thinking they’re studying abroad and they need their passport, or have questions about getting their picture
I would say, and I think this kind of goes for all incoming first-year students, is being open to new experiences and not being afraid of trying something. Trying to make friends and making those connections is tough because everyone is going through it. What is the International Student Ambassadors program? It’s a program where we have current international students answer questions
for incoming or potential students. They can answer the questions such as, ‘How did you choose IU?’, and ‘What’s the hardest transition point for you.‘ They are such a wonderful group. You’ll see them during orientation, you’ll see them throughout the year. Is there anything else you would want incoming international students to know? I guess confer resources and services that students use. For example, food ordering, what apps to use. You know, having the B-Town Menus app and making sure they have the DoubleMap app for the buses, which are really popular. Also the apps if the students want to ride the scooters.
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LUCKY SEVEN Where student drivers of expensive cars fit in rather than stand out By Yue Sun sun12@iu.edu
T
he shiny white BMW i8 slid into the parking lot in front of the Thai restaurant. The driver’s door flew up and a young man stepped out in fitted black pants and leather jacket, his dark hair slicked up. Longjie Lin, a 20-year-old sophomore at IU from Wenzhou, China, came to have a quick bite before his meeting with members of Lucky Seven, the luxury car club he founded six months ago. “Look at that high-end BMW,” a passerby said, voice tinged with subtle bitterness. Lin was out of earshot for those comments. But he wouldn’t care even if he heard them. In this small Midwestern city, such uninvited attention to Lin and his luxurious sports car is almost guaranteed. He is used to it. In Lucky Seven, more than 30 members — mostly Chinese with a couple American students — drive a nice or nicely modified car. As the founder, Lin recruited all members by himself. The process was exclusive and by invitation only. “We don’t want others to think that we are just a group of people showing off,” he said. “But there are some unspoken requirements. You’ll either have to be able to afford a nice car or really know and love your car to have made nice modifications to it.” It doesn’t matter how much the car costs, Lin said.
Passion is the key. “We don’t want people who are just rich enough to afford a nice car,” he said. There are three BWM i8s in the club, including Lin’s. Members affectionately call them butterflies because their flip-up doors resemble wings. One of them cost $160,000, one of the club’s most expensive. An average family in Bloomington would have to save for more than three years without any expenses to afford a brandnew BMW i8. While many students are burdened with immense student loans and juggling multiple jobs to afford rent and car payments, they can’t help but wonder about these BMWs, Mercedes-Benzes, Lamborghinis, Corvettes, Porsches. These cars, sometimes worth more than enough to pay for their college educations — who drives them? Lin and his friends account for the lion’s share on campus. People say the students who drive these cars are stuck-up rich kids and must be using daddy’s money, IU freshman Justin Duckett said. He takes photos for the club periodically and has befriended the members. But the cars are more than a status symbol for the club members. They are a distraction from the boredom in Bloomington and
COURTESY PHOTO
Then-sophomore Longjie Lin drives a BMW i8 and has done modifications to it.
a way to meet like-minded people. When it comes to stares or snarky remarks, their motto is simple: Haters gonna hate. That never stops them from going about their lives on luxurious wheels. * * * IU freshman Hao Yu joined Lucky Seven two months ago. He drives a used Mercedes-Benz C-Class. It’s less expensive compared to other cars in the club, but still beyond most college students’ price point. Yu said he knows the negative images linked to them — somepeople just hate rich people. “American students have a different money mindset,” Yu said. “They try to save money to pay for their own tuition and don’t have that much spare money. My parents try to cater to my hobbies as long as they can afford them.” Unlike a lot of privileged Chinese students driving fancy cars in the California
and New York, Yu and Lin said their car club is simpler and focused more on their common interests — cars — instead of family wealth and other implications behind it. “We only talk about cars, really,” Yu said. “If you look at our Instagrams, we rarely post photos of us and the car. It’s usually just photos of cars.” Lin said he never asked about family backgrounds when recruiting new members. “We don’t want to allow vanity in the team,” he said. “As long as you’re in, everybody is equal.” The number of club members doubled in six months and still growing. They organize regular events, such as lakeside barbecues and races at tracks. In the early stage of the Lucky Seven, the dozen members split up into little groups of social circles, making it hard for Lin to hold everyone together as a whole. As members started to know one another, small friend groups merge into big-
ger ones, and members are more willing to participate in group activities. It means a lot to him when everyone is excited and actually wants to come to their events, Lin said. “It’s fulfilling to see a gang of people having same interests gather around,” he said. “The club does bring joy to people.” Lin had an idea of creating his own car club when he was writing his college applications. But his passion for cars traced back to his childhood, when he rode on the passenger seat of his dad’s white BMW i8. His dad would point at cars on the street to teach him how to tell different sports cars apart and assess them. When he first came to IU, lots of things didn’t pan out as he expected. He chose IU for its reputable Kelley School of Business but failed to get in. He had to settle for the management program in the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Later he found out the
second reason he chose Indiana, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, didn’t allow private cars to drive and race on the tracks. In the sparsely populated town with few places to shop or entertain himself, he was bored instantly and felt lost and stuck in the middle of nowhere. He started to connect with other Chinese students by creating groups on social media, mainly WeChat, the app most Chinese students use. He created a Chinese freshmen group, Willkie Quadrangle residents group, Zhejiang Province group, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds group and more. “Chinese students are all in this very small circle linked by all the WeChat groups,” Lin said. “There’s no one I don’t know or I can’t reach through friends.” Then he founded the car club. He reached out to the headquarter of Lucky Seven Club, a high-end car club based in Beijing consisting of more than 400 social elites from different fields. He discussed terms with the headquarter and founded the Bloomington chapter as the leader. Six months later, this car club has become central to his life. “It enriches my life, gives me a sense of belonging, and helped me find more friends to play cars with,” Lin said. For 18-year-olds, starting life in a foreign country without friends can be daunting. Different languages, different foods, different cultures — these huge gaps in every aspects of life make it harder for these young people to adapt. Many Chinese under-
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GUIDE 2020 graduates studying at IU come from big cities abundant in entertainment. In Bloomington, there are fewer distractions. As college freshmen juggle their first time living alone and figuring out their personalities and values, international students can get lost. They are out of their comfort zone and don’t know how to fit in. Being in a foreign country only accents the sense of loneliness. “My first year here I felt so depressed,” Yu said, “I just wanted to stay home, because I didn’t want to socialize and didn’t know what I was supposed to do.” He tried to befriend local students through a fraternity and a baseball team. Most people were nice, but he couldn’t fit in because he didn’t know or understand certain cultural references. “I have not watched any of the cartoons they talked about,” Yu said. “And they haven’t seen any of the shows I watched.” In Lucky Seven, Yu met people who come from similar backgrounds who share the same interests. “At first I just wanted to meet more people,” Yu said. “Some have had cars for longer and know more about cars. I learned a lot by watching them care for their cars and modify them.” Lin didn’t like parties or alcohol. With his car enthusiast friends, he found his place. The club functions as a bridge, Yu said. It connects people. * * * Lin’s car is more than a vehicle for him – it’s beautiful, it’s speedy and it’s worth
the money. The $90,000 BMW never comes short of both lovers and haters. Teenage girls on a school bus once waved at him while he was waiting for the signal to turn green. He waved back and saw giggles and screams broke out silently behind the windows. He pretended he didn’t see the drama and drove away. He felt more embarrassed than flattered. But it always feels good when people come up and
“As we have fun as a group, we are also paving the way for future potentials” Longjie Lin, Iu student
tell him he has a nice car. Duckett, the club’s photographer, comes from a small town in Tennessee. He can sense the differences between him and these Chinese students whose slimcut slacks draw a sharp contrast to his own sweatpants. He personally believes in the American ideal of being self-made, and he’s currently paying off his Nissan Sentra SR loans. Still, Duckett thinks these Chinese students aim to succeed, and luxurious cars help them have a more positive mindset. It’s important to be able to feel successful if one wants to succeed, Duckett said. A nice car must be essential to that feeling for those Chinese students. Once a white guy spat at Lin. Another time, he was in his friend’s red Porsche Cayenne on the way to a vehicle
15 maintenance store when a white guy coming from the opposite direction flipped them off in his car, out of the blue. His friend and him were confused but not bothered. “Why should I care?” Lin said. “These things don’t really affect my life. I drove on and my life continued.” Lin has a vision for Lucky Seven. He doesn’t want it to be merely for fun and making friends but wants to build a sustainable network with farreaching benefits that link back to the original Lucky Seven in China. “The current Chinese members in Beijing are already social elites and successful businessmen,” Lin said. “When we go back to China, we can still be active as members and share the existing resources. As we have fun as a group, we are also paving the way for future potentials.” Speaking of what Lucky Seven means to him, Lin said he is happier now. “It’s just my life now,” he said. “I spend a lot of time with my members. Besides school, I come to hang out with these people. I just go with the flows.” In their minds, they are no different from any other Chinese students, worried about school and struggling to understand English. As exams approach, Lin and his friends are getting busy with school. They study until late night at the libraries like everyone else. The only difference is they drive home in their expensive cars. Some interviews in this story were conducted in Chinese and translated by reporter Yue Sun. This story originally ran in the IDS on April 30, 2019.
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