University of Florida Top Questions

What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?

Jamie

I wish I would have known how big the school the school was, so it would take a little adjusting to.

Karissa

I wish I had known that classes would be so different than high school.

Nikki

I wish I had realized that I wasn't going to have a social circle when I went there and that it is very hard to maintain friendships built out of a classroom. If you want to be surrounded by "friends" from classes, you have to find new ones each semester.

Cynthia

I was very happy to be moving on in life when my senior year of high school ended; people were becoming very stagnant, flat, and cynical about how college would turn out. Because of this, I was not sure what to expect from the people at the University of Florida. I was so impressed with the student's intelligence and insatiable desire to learn when I was a freshman. I wish I had known that people at my future university were going to feel the same way about life and learning as me.

Randi

I wish someone had told me how important it is to get involved straight out of the starting gate. Gettting involved not only allows you to make friends and surround yourself with people like you, but it also gives you credentials to put on your resume that you will need to apply for internships, jobs and graduate school, as well as for other campus positions.

Sonia

I wish that I was told that I would be able to take classes but watch them online at my own leisure. However, if I had questions, I would also have full access to professor during either office hours or via email. I was nervous that I was going to be stuck in huge lecture style classes, but this way, I am to create a schedule around my needs, while still getting the help and assistance that I need.

Jennifer

I wish I would have known how much of a role the Fraternities play in student government.

Melissa

I wish i would have been prepared for all the new people. Although there are alot of new people you have to be really proactive to actually make a friend. If not you just meet alot of people once and nerver talk again.

Amber

I wish I would have know what major I was going to chose so I would be more perpared to take the required classes.

Alli

I wish I knew how hot the summers were before coming to UF, it would not of made a difference in my choice, but boy does it get hot!

Brigitte

I wish I had known not to finish all my general education courses in my first two years. I wish I had known to wait until my senior year to finish all my general education courses. Also, I wish I had known what I was going to major in and possibly double major.

Alvin

The best way to really embrace your college experience at a large university is to put yourself out there. Don't be afraid to tlak to people you wouldn't normally, take classes that aren't in your ciricumlum but interest you, and most importantly step beyond your comfort zone: This is where the learning and character development occur.

Brian

I was lucky enough to have a sibling that attended UF, so any questions I had were answered. I knew UF was the right school for me before I started my freshman term.

Colin

I wish I would have known more about my college before I came. There are so many things to get used to as a freshman, but picking your college and getting to know it (and sometimes not finding it suitable to you) are the two biggest determining factors in deciding your major.

Bianca

How to get around campus better. maybe have like a guide for the first week of school

Christina

none

Lauryn

I wish that someone would have told me that the larger classes are not that bad and that you need to make sure that you take decent notes in large lectures to maintain focus.

Claudia

The size of the classes. Also that many of the general courses are thought by foreign educators.

Bryan

I wish I had known the universal nature of being a person. That everyone has fears, doubts, hesitations, and aspects that they are self conscious about. If I could go back and tell myself one thing before entering the University of Florida I would say "Relax, take a deep breathe. Talk to every person you meet, because you never know whose day you will change by just saying hi." I am finally stepping out of my own shell and meeting some really great people, but I only can imagine the opportunites I missed out on by not starting earlier.

Jessica

I wish I would've considered transportation a little better. My first semester, I only had a bike to get around campus and I would use the bus to go places off campus. Needless to say A year later I bought a car because it was a necessity to do groceries and errands. A scooter is the best mode of transportation on campus as well as off because there is plenty of parking on campus and everything in Gainesville is within a 5 mile radius; not to mention gas is so much cheaper!

Kathleen

I wish I had appreciated more the vast resources and talent that I had at my fingertips while attending such an outstanding university. We often go into school thinking that the work is work and that we are really there for the fun. I would really have taken much more advantage of my professors and their knowledge. I would have spent more time cultivating mentorship relationships and delving into the plethora of activities and opportunities available for growth and discovery. There was no limit to what was available to us, and I still feel I only scratched the surface.

Eric

I wish I would have known how to network better. At the University of Florida, it really isn't how qualified for a position you are because frankly, practically everyone attending the University of Florida is qualified for just about any on campus position. The key to becoming successful at the University of Florida is how well you get to know current leaders and how well you can network to get leadership positions on campus. Though I have a few positions, I feel I could be much more successful had I known how key networking was to UF.

Chelsea

I wish I had known more about the actual quality of the academics. My school is generally regarded as a "good school" but there's not much more to the reputation than that. Of course, it's great that it's relatively highly regarded, but I wish I was more certain about the quality of education that I would be paying for. I also wish I would've known more about the campus culture, if only so that I would've known what to expect from the different aspects of campus life.

Scott

That you do not need to spend every minute working on class, when the opportunity presents itself to go out and be sociable, do it.

Jodi

Before I made my decision, I wish I would have better understood what being at a big school means to each individual students. Being at a large school means that freshman and sophmore classes can have 200-600 people in them. This means that the professors all use power points which makes math and science material difficult to follow. While there are downsides to being part of such a large school, I do love all the different opportunities for clubs, friends, and sports that come with such a large student body.

Vonecia

I wish I would have known about the Freshman Leadership Council. It's an early opportunity to get involved in Student Government. You get leadership development so by the time you're a senior, you will have opportunities galore.

Juan

If there were one piece of advice I would have hoped to receive before coming to the University of Florida, it would have been to develop a strong work ethic. Intelligence is important, although something I've realized since being at the University is that there are plenty of distractions that don't exclude those with an abundant supply of knowledge. A strong work ethic is essential in order to achieve academic success. Companies in both the private and public sector's strongly appreciate the student with a strong work ethic rather than the sole 4.0 student.

Jeremy

I wish I had known how wonderful a time I would have. Before I came here, I thought I'd never leave Gainesville, Florida. I've lived here my whole life and with my family's money situation, I basically was forced to come to this school (my third choice). All that worry and indignation I felt was too much for the glorious time I 've experienced in these past two and a half years.

Jonny

Use your time wisely to get the best of your experience. The campus life will seem a little overwhelming at first, and it will be tough to stay focused academically but you have to look at the bigger picture; Grades are everything. Network as much as possible since your fellow students will be in the same workplaces that you will be dealing with in the future. Get involved with campus activities and groups; These are great opportunities to meet new and interesting people from all around the world. Most importantly, don't forget to have fun!

Andrea

At this school, you must work. STUDY and do it earlier than the night before the exam. If you fail a class, it is okay; just don't lie about it. Good parents are one of the biggest assets you can have through your college experience. If you lie to them, it's harder for them to trust you, but no matter what, they will still love you. Go to class. It's a huge factor in the outcome of your grade. Prevent stress by not procrastinating. Most importantly, enjoy your time in college! It's irreplaceable. :)

Janine

While in high school it was always plunged into my head to get ready for college because it is so hard. I think every one of my senior teachers told me that. However, what they didnt tell me was what exactly made college so hard and what I needed to prepare for. Now that I am in college I feel that I could have been easily prepared if I took better steps in high school. Managing study time, doing constant reading, and still getting proper rest is mainly what I struggle with in college, but I am surely progressing.

Brittany

I wish I had not under-estimated the importance of self-confidence. Not only regarding your self-esteem but also possesssing self-confidence with your morals and decision is vital. Although many students are intially elated at leaving home for the first time, becoming independent in college is a rather daunting task. So many peer pressures are thrown at you at once: socially, academically and emotionally. It is tempting to get bogged down in trivial matters surrounding campus life. I wish I had entered college with an unshakable faith in myself and in my ability to succeed.

Damarise

I wish I had learned better studying techniques.

Andrew

Before I came to the University of Florida, I wish I had known how advantageous it can be to not be afraid to ask questions, i.e. talking to an advisor, going to office hours, or talking to a professor about his or her research and opportunities for involvement.

Jennifer

I wish I had known just how large this college is and how its size affects the quality of teaching. I have had difficulty meeting with professors outside of class in order to ask questions, and there is simply no time during class. Several of my classes have consisted of over 400 students. I have also discovered that many of my current classes are called "weed-out" classes, in which the professor must fail a certain number of students in order to cut down on the applicants for Medical, Dental, and Veterinary School.

Doran

I wish I would have known to get a scooter for this town. Gainesville is pretty small and having a scooter here is ideal. Also having a bicycle to ride around campus and around town is another great investment for new comers to Gainesville. Riding my bike is good for me and good for the environment. So I highly suggest investing in a scooter and a nice road bike to get around campus and town.

Brooke

I wish I would have known how to become more involved as a freshman. I joined a non-panhellenic Christian sorority on campus, yet, I would sometimes find myself feeling lonely and missing home. It is difficult to make friends and establish relationships when school is a main priority at the University of Florida.

Qian

A sense of direction on the campus and people that were already attending

Ronika

N/A

Erin

I wish I had known that the winters were cold

Heather

I felt pretty prepared when arriving at this school. ofcourse adjusting to college is a shock or anyone, but I was not overly shocked

Gwendolyn

The importance of going out to make and maintain friendships.

Erin

I wish I had known how different college life would be from anything I'd ever experienced before. The freedom of living away from my parents was overwhelming, and I did not manage my time well. If I had known better time management and stuy skills, my college GPA would be more ideal.

Allison

How hard the classes can be and that big classes really do make a difference.

Alexandria

I think orientation along with upperclassmen that I knew prior to attending the university provided adequate information.

Brett

How to manage my time and money better.

Dale

Greek involvement

Esdenka

The different programs offered depending on your major to help you better transition from high school to college. As well how to chose classes properly and know about the courses before registration. And how bad some advisorers are here.

Guirlande

Many of us have prejudices about what a school is like. I had form my opinion about University of Florida based on what other had said. But seeing the school for myself, I can truly say that I love it! The University of Florida should have been my first choice school but because of other people opinion it wasn?t. I wished I knew how great the school is in academics, research, campus size, resources, sports, and financial aid before I came because I would have had a better outlook on my college years.

john

How big it was