University of Florida
Hallmarks and Quirks
Things I'm Good At:
- Football. I've claimed three National Titles and eight Conference Titles. There are thirteen College Hall of Fame players that once played with me. Good luck getting tickets the day of a home game.
- My Engineering Program is one of the top programs in the country. I have over a dozen research centers.
- Parties. I mean, what college isn't good at parties? (Oh, right… Biola.)
- Small class sizes. For a big college, my class sizes are fairly small. That means you can bug your professor a lot more.
My Top 5 Must-Haves:
- Enough funds to either buy groceries or eat anywhere other than the cafeteria. Seriously. Blech.
- Great parking skills. If you park on a white line, you will be fined.
- Patience. You'll have to wait what seems like forever for the Student Nighttime Auxiliary Patrol (SNAP) vans to pick you up.
- Some appreciation for the sports' programs.
- Heat tolerance. Also, be ready for when the entire state of Florida becomes submerged in water. Yay for global warming.
Why You Might Have Heard of Me:
- I'm the fourteenth-best public university in the United States. Just being humble.
- I'm also the 48th-best of all public and private universities in the nation.
- I won twenty-three of the last twenty-six SEC All-Sports Trophies.
- I'm regularly in playoffs in all sports.
- I'm one of the largest research facilities in the United States
- Tim Tebow crying. D'aw.
- Gatorade. Yeah, I'm why it's called Gatorade, bro.
On a regular Saturday night, you can find me...
If you can't find anything to do around me then you're the boring one. Downtown Gainesville isn't far away, nor is Midtown. University Avenue is a happening place and there are all kinds of shenanigans to get into while walking up and down the strip.
Libraries aren't open 24/7, so you won't find many students hanging out on campus on a Saturday night. Stop in at Gorg House Bar and Grill for the cheapest drinks around.
Favorite Hangouts:
- Swamp Restaurant. Playboy Magazine ranked this as the best college sports bar. Holla.
- Gorg House Bar and Grill. Face it. You're a student and on a budget. Thankfully, Gorg has the cheapest beer in the area.
- Calico Jack's (CJ's). This is the most popular place on campus. The wings and oysters are delightful.
- Any number of outdoor areas on campus. Since I'm a Certified Audubon Sanctuary, you'll be sure to find something to do outdoors.
Quirks:
- Minuses are used on the grading scale, which can drastically affect your GPA. Sorry 'bout it.
- All new campus buildings must be LEED-certified. Here's that sensitive, environmentally conscious side coming out again.
- Free bus transport with a student ID. It's no big-city transportation system, but it does the job.
- There are over 700 student organizations. Go out and be a part of something. Anything. There are options aplenty.
Famous Alumni:
- Erin Andrews, sportscaster, journalist, and TV personality
- Stephen Stills, musician known for this song
- Melinda Lou Thomas, a.k.a. Wendy from Wendy's
- Steve Spurrier, football coach at the University of South Carolina
- Frances Mayes, writer and university professor
- Kendra Todd, winner of The Apprentice, season three
- Faye Dunaway, Academy Award-winning actress
- Emmitt Smith, former NFL player