My first three years at UCF have flown by in what feels like a blink of an eye. I feel incredibly lucky to have spent my undergraduate years in O-town as a Knight, but senior year looks very different than most of my time here. With the global pandemic bringing “Zoom University,” this year is my first and last at the UCF Downtown campus.
As a student at UCF pre-pandemic, the main campus almost feels nostalgic. Long study sessions in the John C. Hitt library with friends, Huey Magoos every Wednesday and sitting by the reflecting pond with my boyfriend, now fiancé, talking about all of the goals we hope to achieve when we graduate. The main campus will always hold a place in my heart because it’s where I learned what being a Knight truly means, but now that I’m at UCF Downtown, can every day still feel the same? I’m here to let you know that it absolutely can!
My first day back to class this semester truly felt like a fresh new start, and I most certainly have Downtown Orlando to thank for that. When I stepped out of the parking garage, it felt like a breath of fresh air. Every building downtown has a sleek city vibe with a touch of ingenuity. It all feels shiny and new to someone who has had class online for the past year and a half. I’m a Digital Media major, so my new home is the Communication and Media Building, and I could not feel luckier to be working with UCF’s latest and best state-of-the-art equipment. This building is a candy shop for web and game designers and developers. Each student has a dual monitor set up, a 3D printing lab across the hall and shares a home with the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy. For me, I feel like I’m making progress every day toward graduation with the most supportive environment UCF could offer me, and it’s all Downtown!
Now, I know that Downtown isn’t home to a lot of classes yet, but let me share a few of my favorite places that you can check out on a campus visit. Many students are stepping into in-person college for the first time and one of the joys of that is finding your favorite study spot. Downtown, my new favorite, is on the first floor of the Dr. Phillips Academic Commons. I love the modern vibe of the building and it’s not usually crowded near my favorite booths. It’s perfect for completing assignments or reading some chapters of the textbook before and after class. Another of my weekly stops has become the Dunkin’ Donuts at Union West for an iced coffee to get me through the day. There’s also a Subway right next door for lunch in between your midday classes. I’ll also share my favorite workstation on campus: the glass window lab in the Communication and Media Building. I always appreciate the dual monitor set up for multitasking and there are glass windows that look out into the hallway making the room feel more open after long hours spent in there coding.
As the semester starts going into full swing, I hope that you all can find your favorite places on campus to make memories. UCF has been my home for the past three years and I couldn’t have chosen a better place to make friendships, learn so many things, and learn about who I am as a person. Saying goodbye in the spring will be tough, but creating a home Downtown, as I have on the main campus, is a new and exciting start to my senior year. I hope that everyone gets a chance to visit UCF in the middle of the beautiful city because being a Knight truly can’t get better than this!