Make the Most of your Time in Gainesville and at UF
By Brooklyn Carey
What we do in our spare time can tell a lot about who we are as a person. The time that we allow ourselves to spend on activities shows our priorities and how much we follow the goals we set. Time is a scarce resource that we only have a limited amount of, and we aren’t lucky enough to know how much is left so we need to make sure that the time we have is used and not wasted. We assume that we need a lot of time in order to ‘accomplish’ something and we are fatigued before even starting the task by the thought that we won’t finish so we don’t even start. Whether that is showing your family members you care by taking the time walking in between class to call mom, or realizing that you have been so busy during the week that its okay to take a Saturday off. Essentially, time is important and you shouldn’t waste yours. You have just a couple years here at UF and we have some ways that you can get the most out of it. These are some of the ways to get the most of your time.
1. Start your day right
When Nike first started to work with an advertising company, one of their early ads showed this picture:
There is man running on Oregon terrain. He is alone and far away from the viewer. Near the end of the ad copy there’s this line: “Beating the competition is relatively easy. But beating yourself is a never ending commitment.”
It’s about pushing yourself to your brink, cause you want to improve.
That’s why, even though you don’t want to, you have to wake up early. Like I said, there’s a finite amount of time that we have here, and we don’t get to know how long that will be, so we need to make the most of the days we have.
People are always looking for ways to extend their life- get up early, and you are.
That’s the first step. Figure out that time you can get up early enough to maximize your time during the day and stick with it.
From there you need to get active.
During the Fall and Spring the UF Southwest Rec Center opens up at 5:30 am, the Student Recreation & Fitness Center opens at 6 am; both of them stay available until 12 am.
I don’t need to list all the benefits of an active lifestyle, but I will say this: what you do in the morning will set the tone for the rest of the day. Get up early and get active and you will have the energy for the rest of the day. This is the first step to utilizing your time.
Don’t know how to workout? I feel ya, going to a class can make setting those habits easier. Here is a list of available classes that you can go to, and they aren’t just in the morning, you can go to them around your schedule.
2. Take time to strategize
There’s an entire forum focused around making fun of this picture tutorial:
Mapping out the in-between makes sure that you know exactly where to go and ensures that you don’t leave yourself hanging. You never feel lost- you know what the next step is and you know what to prepare.
After hitting the shower from the gym, figure out your goals for the day. When you know your goals, list out how you are going to achieve them. Then fit those activities to work towards those goals between classes, during free time and make sure that you follow through. In college we have this mentality that our goals are in front of us waaaayyyy down the line from where we are now. We often ignore that the choices we make now are what bring us to those goals later down the road.
It helps to talk with someone. To get all the ideas out of your head and vocalise them. At UF, use the Career Resource Center, they will talk to you about your career goals and help you plan to reach them.
3. Get involved!
Make sure that, even if you don’t know what you want to do, you are doing something right now! You will be surprised where your hobbies can take you, and the people you will meet.
There are ton of really fun clubs that you can join and run head first in.
Gator Salsa is a great club on campus to meet new people. Everyone there is so welcoming and helpful! If you afraid your dancing skills won’t impress, worry not! You aren’t going to be dancing alongside the most skilled dancers. They have a tiered learning system so you can slowly improve your skills to bust out on the club dancefloor.
The Cicerones are the peak of UF involvement. You are on the front line of undergraduate affairs. You lead groups of new students on tours, you represent UF. This is also hella impressive on your resume if you get accepted. The group is full of friendly and dedicated people so join head first!
Here is a list of more clubs you can get involved in. Find your interest and go!
4. Save money so you are not limited by what’s in your bank account
These are the best tips I can give you to be frugal in Gainesville and at UF.
You are inevitably want to get some UF Cheer Gear for tailgates and games. Thrift stores in town have a constant stream of UF gear coming into their shops from graduating seniors, people going through their closets, and just being close to UF. Many of them have sections in their stores just for it!
Here is a short list of Thrift Stores:
Outreach Thrift Store
Eat at Krishna!
Krishna lunch can be enjoyed at the Plaza of the America’s every day! What is it? It is a homemade buffet-style meal that is vegetarian and vegan friendly. You can pay $5 for a single meal or you can get bulk meals that equal out to $3.50 a piece. The meals are delicious, you get a generous amount and you usually can meet a lot of people just by going out to Krishna. It is also extremely convenient to go in between classes to their section on Plazas.
Use the promo code UF and Uber has provided and get up to 50% off Uber rides. College is fun but you need to make sure that you get home safely and this is the way to do it and still minimize costs.
5. Get to know your teachers, classmates, and community
Life isn’t about what we can accomplish on our own, it’s about the people we meet along the way and their impact on our lives. Put yourself out there, talk to the people around you. Humans are notoriously simple, and that creates similarity between us on a broad scale. Someone you don’t expect could complement and fit with you well but you won’t know until you speak up. Most people tend to be pretty friendly right below their surface but everyone is waiting for someone else to make the first move. This is how you get those life-long friendships, future business partnerships, and overall, how you make life more enjoyable.
I hope you guys found this article helpful! If you have any tips to share, put them below.
