Being a UWF student comes with a lot of perks. Use them to be a responsible student or follow my lead and get a little creative with your resources.
The choice is yours.
1. Checking the eLearning classlist to figure out that cute guy’s name.
ELearning has a lot to offer, but one Easter egg I have exploited several times is the class list feature. It shows you a list of every person in a given course, providing their email addresses too. So instead of scrolling through every guy named John that goes to UWF in that vague Facebook search you just did, cut to the chase and check your class list.
2. Playing with the degree audit “what if” feature to become somebody else.
When the going gets tough, the tough procrastinate by plugging hypotheticals into the Degree Audit’s What If? Feature. Ever wondered what it would be like to abandon your journalism degree to pursue a theater education? Yeah, me too. And I spent hours staring at the Degree Audit living out that pipe dream.
3. Doubling up on free trials by signing up with a student email.
Free trials let you dip your toe in the luxurious side of the pool. For a limited time, you can listen to Spotify Premium while trying to decide if you want to watch Hulu or Netflix (because you have options), only to decide that you rather soak in the joys of Amazon Prime. Then, the trial ends and it’s back to the dark ages. Fear not, my crafty friends. Relive that splendor by signing up for another free trial using your student email address, rather than a personal one.
4. Requesting books from interlibrary loan that have nothing to do with academics.
Sure, the Interlibrary Loan system is a lifesaver when you are writing a research paper on a topic the UWF library seems to have overlooked entirely when stocking its stacks, but it’s also a total goldmine for fiction. Even fairly new releases can be found in the database, and it will sent directly to our library here from whichever library in the country is harboring it. The whole process is something akin to online shopping, except you don’t spend any money.
5. Scanning the ArgoPulse calendar for events with free food.
At any given time, I can count on two things: My account balance is weak and my hunger is strong. ArgoPulse has your back by displaying a calendar of events submitted by student organizations around campus, complete with times, dates, locations, and event descriptions. There’s bound to be free food at some of them, if you look hard enough.
6. Using the dual-monitor computer stations in the library to watch videos while browsing social media.
Work hard. Play hard. Bonus points if you do them both at the same time. The computer stations in the library that offer two monitors are a multitasker’s dream. Open YouTube on one screen, Pinterest on the other, and before you know it, you’ve maximized an afternoon.