University of Florida Top Questions

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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. :)