A Gator Forever

Introduction
I have been attending Gator games since before I could walk. It’s kind of a tradition to go to University of Florida. My dad always said he would sign the check for nowhere but here. Gator Growl is the largest student-run pep rally before homecoming. We had Bill Cosby here, all kinds of stuff has been happening.

Campus Life and Social Life
The campus is huge, you’re going to walk everywhere. Parking is always a problem, but everybody’s in the same boat, same thing with living in the dorms. Nobody really wants to live in the dorms but you meet so many people, but everyone does it so it’s okay. It’s a very friendly campus, everybody has a good time. The students really are running the town, you drive on the streets up 34th or down Archer Road, and you look to your left and to your right and it’s pretty much students around you, with the occasional resident or kids. But it’s a fun town. They’re very, very accommodating to the students that come and take over their town for 9 months out of the year. Advertisement
Academics
I am a PR major, it’s probably one of the top 3 schools in the country for PR. Academics are tough. The standings, like the SAT scores and the GPA’s and stuff coming out of high school, are very, very high. I’ve had classes anywhere from 300 down to- I have 12 in my French class. I had an IR class that was probably 200-300 in a big lecture hall in Turlington. Some of my upper division PR classes probably have 15 people in them. Most classes average around 30. It’s a lot of work, but it’s still stuff you’re actually using. Especially with my major I’m learning stuff that I’m going to be using for the rest of my life, I’m not just learning History and Civil War stuff. I mean you do learn that your freshman year, but it’s like learn it, pass the class and get out. Other than that, it’s stuff you can actually apply and I haven’t found that UF has a lot of busy work, which is my biggest pet peeve.

Student Body
Football games are insane. Just being in the stadium when the game starts, they have the opening act is just amazing. They have Gators chomping at the swamp, it gives me the chills every time, probably because I’ve been here for so many years. I can’t imagine being anywhere else on a game day. I think I’ll probably still come back here every Saturday for games after I’m alumni. You can’t replicate a UF game day, you just can’t. The students are what make UF so great. My heart has always been a gator, I will always be a Gator and it’s very centered on student pride and what you stand for and that you’re a gator and not anything else.

In Closing...
UF’s known as the Bang for your Buck school. It’s not that expensive especially if you’re instate for Florida. It’s probably under $1500 a semester for Workload, but then you have to look at living expenses. I can walk into a place and have $5 in my hand and walk out full. If you’re strapped for cash you can make it work.