I distinctly remember the moment I got accepted into the University of Florida. There were smiles and there were tears, but there was mostly excitement. By mid-June, I would be moving up to the land of “Gainesvegas.” For all of you incoming freshmen ready to tackle what will undoubtedly be the best summer of your life, keep in mind that there are some things that you just have to do. Follow this insider’s guide of the 10 most necessary things to do during your Summer B here at the greatest university, and you will quickly learn why it is so ridiculously great to be a Florida Gator.
1. Enjoy the local restaurantsWhile getting off the highway, your first impression of Archer Road may be that this city is full of nothing but chain restaurants. Although it’s true that Archer has every chain restaurant you could ever have a craving for, there are so many other local food places that are staples in the Swamp. These businesses understand that a majority of their target market is college students, so very few places will burn a hole in your wallet. Disregard your meal plan for a little while and walk up to Italian Gator, better known by students as Pizza by the Slice, and go crazy. Your drunk self will definitely want to stop by Relish at 2 a.m. for one of the best custom-made burgers, and your hungover self will greatly appreciate the delicious breakfasts at Peach Valley Cafe. Wherever you’re eating, it’s hard to go wrong around here. Don’t limit your palette exclusively to the cuisine of Gator Dining.
2. Go to the partiesMaybe you’re not the type to go out, and that’s totally fine; but it can’t hurt to try. UF was ranked as the No. 10 party school in the nation for 2015, according to CollegeAtlas.org, and we don’t get that high ranking for no reason. The nightlife here is great, and summer is when the fraternities pull out all the stops for their parties. You might have to make a 15-minute walk to some off-campus house, but don’t worry. There will definitely be a pack of freshmen girls in crop tops walking there with you. Parties are where you may meet some of your closest friends for the next four years because let’s face it, drunk girls really do bond with each other while looking in the bathroom mirror. And with all of the themed parties, you will quickly learn that college is a lot like Halloween year round, and who doesn’t love Halloween? Just remember to stay safe!
3. Live in a dormThis may sound weird, but living in a dorm over the summer is a freshmen experience you don’t want to miss out on. By living on campus, you inadvertently learn campus, and this is essential to not looking like a lost freshman for too long. It’s also ridiculously hot during the summer, and random torrential downpours are inevitable, so it makes your life a lot more convenient to be able to walk right from class to your room. And, if you’re lucky enough to have a social dorm, you’ll always have friends to walk places with, whether it’s going out for food or frats.
4. Get A’s in your classesMost likely, you are taking some combination of easy classes that are easy A’s. Don’t neglect your due dates and work and just do them. This is the time to get a 4.0 GPA to balance out your harder classes in the future that you may not do as well in. Similarly, summer is when you will have the most free time. Campus is very relaxed and libraries are relatively empty, so take advantage of this and just get your work done. Trust me—your future self will thank you for the good grades.
5. Take advantage of Lake WauburgLocated only about 20 minutes from campus is Lake Wauburg, a full outdoor facility that is free to UF students. Choose a weekend, rally up some friends, and head to the lake to go paddle boating, kayaking or just to tan on the makeshift beach. Pack some snacks and water to keep hydrated and have a relaxing day by the water to contrast the crazy busy days you will probably be having most of the time.
6. Explore downtownDowntown Gainesville has some of the city’s most historic buildings and some of the best food. Go there during the day to see some of the street art, watch a live show at the Hippodrome, or eat outside in a picturesque setting. Once 10 p.m. strikes, hit up Simons or 101, if you dare. Warning: The nightlife downtown is fun, but be aware that you may be tagged in some professional promoter’s photos on Facebook that you may not remember being in.
7. Get to know peopleThis may sound obvious, but it’s really important to form relationships during the summer. Make friends with older girls. Maybe they’ll be the girls who end up rushing you during sorority recruitment if you choose to go through it in the fall. Make friends with girls in your dorm so you’ll always have closets to raid and pairs of ears ready to listen. Get to know your TAs, become friends with the lady at Dunkin’ Donuts, talk to boys and fall in love. (Or don’t fall in love just yet.) This is the beginning of the best years of your life, and it’s nice being able to walk around this crowded campus and bump into familiar faces.
8. Get used to country musicIf you aren’t already exposed to it at local places and parties during the summer, you will definitely be hearing a lot of it once fall and gamedays roll around. UF is considered a southern school, so put your preconceived notions about country music behind and just embrace the country twang. It isn’t so bad, and soon you’ll find yourself craving a beer and some Tim McGraw.
9. Save everyone’s number with something identifiableYou will be getting a lot of new people’s numbers, and putting a gator emoji next to their name will not make you remember who they are. Trust me on this. Pro tip: Putting where you met them or what is memorable about them when you met next to their name usually works. That way, when “Ryan with Flippy Blonde Hair” texts you, you know exactly who he is.
10. Don’t take yourself too seriouslyYou’re a freshmen and everything is new to you, so you can’t expect yourself to not make some mistakes. You probably will get lost walking to class for your first week or two, you might have some embarrassing nights that you’d rather not talk about, and you might make yourself look like the stereotypical freshman. We’ve all been there, and no one, no matter how old and experienced, is done making their fair share of mistakes. Summer B is meant to be a learning experience and a time for fun, so don’t let the actions you do or don’t do define your next four years.
Oh, and bring an umbrella. It isn’t called The Swamp for no reason. Have the best summer of your life, baby Gators!
Photo credit: tasteofkate.wordpress