A good student's kryptonite...

So I know that since this blog is for those currently, or considering attending UF, most of you are probably on your game when it comes to school work and whatnot, and that NONE of you have fallen into the nasty habit of procrastinating. At least that's my hope.

But maybe you contracted that age-old case of senioritis (or are still recovering from last year's bout), and it's ok! It happens to the best of us! But now that you're in college, you really should turn over a new leaf.

It is true that in college, there isn't anyone there to nag you about your homework or lean on you about a project due tomorrow that you haven't started, or anything like that, unless you have awesome (or wierd) roommates. So it's up to YOU!

Now, I know that "online lectures" may sound like "Oh I'm pretty busy now (on Facebook, perhaps), but I'll definately catch up on the 17 I've missed later!" But that's not true. And you probably won't... unless you spend four days doing nothing but Stat, watching 10X the normal speed with no breaks in between. Or have super reading/comprehending/memorizing/ staying awake powers.

Take away advice: 1. Kick the habit. 2. Start work as early as possible. 3. Come to realize you are not Superman. 4. If you do find yourself wondering where the time went when a seven page paper is due in two days, don't freak out! Relax. Take deep breaths. It will all work out in the end. :)


And now I'll leave with a wonderfully de-stressing resource. Not to be used as procrastination, of course...
http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2pelHs/rescomp.stanford.edu/%257Echeshire/EinsteinQuotes.html

Enjoy :)

Paying Fees

I know this is late, and sorry. But those of you who are applying for UF, I admire your determination and Good Luck!

Also a word to the wise if you want a specific dorm that $25 holding fee, I think it was. This will determine your place in line to pick your dorm. The change the way dorms are assigned this year.  You will now get to pick your residence hall and your roommates. Granted you may not know your roommates but still it's best to pay it asap. Waiting till the last minute will only give you slim pickings of a dorm.

We're Slacking!

Sorry everyone for the over-longed period of inactivity. Just shows how active we are in real life.

So many college students are 18 when they enter college, and if you arent, you probably turn 18 in August or early September. Usually, theres nothing to do if your under 18. Hopefully you dont drink, because that is ILLEGAL! (if you do, dont be stupid about it.)

So what do you do!?
Well Im gonna tell you.

1. Make sure you have good friends who understand your condition, and will stick by you.
2. Make sure your homework is done or near done, or you dont have something you Need to study for.
3. Have game nights!! (see future blog to come.)
4. Go to Gator Nights.
5. Bike rides, see what this campus has to offer. You dont need anyone for that, I went on one 2 weeks ago and saw an alligator at/in Lake Alice.
6. Go to the gym.
7. Karaoke. There are many places around Gainesville that offer karaoke, Orange&Brew has it Tuesday nights if you dont want to travel far.
8. Join a club/sport/thing! Recsports.ufl.edu has a list of alot of activities to so check it out.
9. There are classes you can take, like Salsa dancing, Swing dancing, swimming lessons, ect.

There are numerous things to do with out clubbing or partying. If you do find yourself without a way home theres also SNAP (352)-392-7627 , they will pick you up and drive you anywhere on campus.

Work Study: A Love/Hate Relationship

Oh Work Study, how you vex me! When I first found out I had received you, wrapped up nice in my financial aid package, I didn't think you would prove so frustrating! But alas, you did.

If you're sitting there wondering what in the world Work Study is, or if you have an idea, but you're still a bit confused about it, you have now joined the club! Congrats! I wish I could explain everything about it, but truthfully I don't know too much about it myself! So I'll tell you what I can.

The Federal Work Study Program is a grant, I believe, that you may receive after filling out your FAFSA, that is, if you qualify. Basically, you need to be at an financial disadvantage (you don't have money for college). Now that may sound a bit depressing, but in the college world, if you qualify, this is awesome news! It means free money! Now with Work Study, there's a catch: you will need to maintain a job (usually on campus), in order to recieve these funds, which come in the form of your paycheck.

Right now you're probably thinking "Wow! That's so easy!" Well think again. In order to hold down a job, you actually have to find one first. Let me say that again: No, receiving Work Study does not give you your job, nor does it guarantee you will find one. Now that's disappointing, huh?

But it'll be ok! Most people I've talked to say that if you have Work Study and you really want a job, you're bound to find one. Now I'm not saying it's a done deal, but it's some encouragement to hold onto.

Here are some tips for locating a postion:

• First stop: http://jobs.ufl.edu. Sign up, complete an application, and search away! Usually you're looking for part-time, student jobs, on the main campus, but feel free to try new options too.
• Visit different places on campus (such as the library, financial aid office, etc.) and see if they are hiring. To be honest, this unfortunately didn't really work for me, but instead I got directed to the next bullet...
• Go to the libary page on http://ufl.edu/ and look up jobs that way. I found a few that were on the jobs website, and a few that weren't, so it just depends.
• Also, try http://gatordining.com/ for food-related jobs on campus.

Remember: no job is beneath you. Try different things because you never know what will happen. Happy job hunting!

Move In: Resident Hall Style

So I am rooming in Broward in a Triple.
Since I dont live in an apartment I probably didnt need to bring as much stuff as Vanessa and Kristina did, like kitchen supplies, bathroom supplies, closet stuff, so I didnt. Really I tried to bring the bare minimum..and splurged with the stuffed animals. Heres alil list of what I would suggest..and this is only if you dont have a bathroom and kitchen:

• Clothes- just bring your whole wardrobe, leave a few things to wear at home in case you go back home, you wont have to bring clothes.
• Stuff to do your laundry- Detergent, Softener, hamper (possibly another hamper type thing to carry your clean clothes in once washed)
• hangers- bring them from home to save money
• Microwave and fridge- You have to eat.
• Cleaners-febreeze, Lysol, and scented things to make stuff smell nice
• Bedding/mattress pad- You have to sleep.
• Toiletries- and backups.
• and the obvious: laptop/computer, decorations, school supplies

If i didnt mention something, oh well. But if you forget something there are stores up here to go to like walmart, publix, other places that i dont know yet.

UF sends you a bunch of emails about moving in, and quite honestly...they were all confusing. The best advice i can give is ask questions when you get here. Parking is even more confusing, I had thought the parking garages were open  to all those moving in but the decal we were given only allotted for an hour.
Apparently the 1st day is the busiest, I came the second day and had no problem. In Broward you get to use the elevators located on the east and west sides. And its awesome if you have a dolly, they let you rent them if you dont have one.

I had already discussed which beds were whos and closets and desks and such with my roommates prior to moving in. and it make it alot easier knowing what was mine to use. I defiantly suggest doing this with your roommate(s).

Active Roommates! ;)

So if your roommate is busy! ;) It's quite annoying knowing that there busy 3 times a day, n the amt of noise a busy person can make. JUST talk to them. Ask them to like warn you or something. Becauce seriously, you or I really dont need to know what your roommate r up too. And if you r that busy roommate, seriously control yourself. Take it to a hotel. Because I pay rent and i need my sleep at 1:00am.

bikesrus!

Just get one, dont even ask questions. Vanessa, Kristina, n Jill know how helpful they r, n I know how i really need one. So just visit your local bike shop and grab a bike. DONT even pay. jk! But also get a good lock, because bike crimes are high at UF. Remember to register your bike with the UF police department, so if it goes lost theres hope of it getting found back, even if it ends up in NEW YORK! So what should you get on your bike? Get a nice comfortable seat for your glutemus maximus, a cup holder, and a tray at the back or something to put your stuff in. ALso reflectors r important. Riding a bike at UF is like riding a car, there's bike polices. SO be safe n follow the rules! You dont want a bike fine!

GATOR NITES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Are you kidding me! This is like super fun with friends. It’s every Friday nites, well, not every but most just check the Reitz website. They always have free popcorn, soda, movie, n much more! If you’re a freshman, you’re probably going. All you need is your UFID n you can bring friends too! Exciting, right! My dearst friends go every Friday and we all stay till 2am, did I tell you they have midnite BREAKFAST! Crazy right! I know, can’t wait for it again in fallllll! I hope toooo c u there!

FREE PRINTING READ ALL ABOUT IT!!!

DID you know that UF offers students free printing at the third floor of the Reitz each semester, a total of 300 pages. MY dearst and super hero JILL H, told me this secret! It's part of your tuition. SO TAKE ADVANTAGE!!! I did!

WARNING: "CREEPERS!!!!"

Well, I just wanted to warn you to watch your back, sides, n fronts! There are creeps everywhere! Lol jk But always be safe an (girls mostly) carry pepper spray, your fav bat, or just go for the soft spot. ;) If you’re a nite crawler carry a flashlight, a friend (in your backpack, guys tend to be useful for this), n maybe you should consider doing RAD or whenever it’s called. Ask Vanessa or Kristina about it, they know. However, I had a creeper experience, I decided to take a short cut on the way home (bad choice), this scary guy came up to me (I looked around, no one was there). He asked for 50 cent, so I did some quick thinking (NEVER pull out your wallet or purse, they’ll probably grab it and run), I remember I had some lose change in my back pocket so I gave it to him, and he left me alone. THANK GOD! So please travel with friends and be SAFE!!! College is suppose to be a once in a lifetime fun experience, NOT shocking!