I was selected to be a 2010 Preview Staffer. The selection process to become a preview staffer is careful and particular. It is a month long process consisting of three rounds of interviews; the first is a group interview to see how well one plays with others. This interview is very fun and interesting but this is where true personalities start to show. The first round allows people to propose and initiate ideas and this is where some try to show off what they call their “leadership capabilities.” What they are really showing is their ability to speak over others and have the need to talk all the time. Let’s just say many people do not make it to the second round. The second round interview is with an UF faculty member and a previous year staffer; they get to know more about you as an individual. The last round of interviews is with the New Student Programs (NSP) Staff. In this interview you are expected to know a little more of the aspects of UF such as living on and off campus, extra-curricula, registering for classes, and case scenarios. There are also some links to websites and articles that they supply you with prior to your interview they ask questions regarding them.

There is a mandatory weekend retreat that all new Preview Staffers must attend to become acquainted with the rest of the staff and to start creating a bond. At the retreat there are mini group discussions which vary from inclusiveness to individual responsibility. A Preview Staffer has an intense load during the summer which includes being a peer advisor, role model, being aware of resources available, and knowledge about the university in general. Once you have been selected to be a Preview Staffer you have to register for a 3 credit course to help you become better prepared to help students throughout the summer. In the beginning of the course you begin to learn more about yourself, your strengths, and how you work in a group setting. You learn how to effectively resolve and prevent conflict. From there you begin to learn more about the resources available at UF, guest speakers from all over campus, some of which you will be working with over summer, come to the class to present topics ranging from housing to studying abroad. Then the last portion of the class is when you learn more about the academic aspect of UF. You learn how to help students register for courses based on how many credits they bring in, if they are undecided, and if they have their mind set on many majors. This course also includes quizzes, assignments, and an oral final exam. With that all said, if you do not pass the course with a B or better, then you can no longer be a Preview Staffer.

I feel so privileged and honored to have been selected for the 2010 Preview Staff. I have gained so much personal and professional growth just by taking the course. Being a preview staffer has allowed me to gain new friendships, networking opportunities, and availability to more resources. I am ready to discuss with parents and students their concerns or needs and share my empathy. Sometimes as a preview staffer parents and students, as some say, “try you,” even when you are very well qualified for the position. During the last month of the course staffers go over plenty of case scenarios of what could happen over the summer. It’s like we are truly getting ready for a race.  This summer is going to be full of fun, stress, and heat. When I look at how far I have come, I just can’t believe that it’s almost show time. I’m on my mark, getting set, and ready to Go.

SNAP! When I think of this word another word that comes to mind is quick. SNAP at the University of Florida stands for Student Nighttime Auxiliary Patrol, therefore it does not stand for quick. SNAP was created to provide a safe way to navigate across campus. A student can have a walking escort or a van can come pick them up. This sounds so convenient for students on campus however, a lot of students are taking advantage of this free program.

It is 7:15pm and I have a test on the other side of campus in which I do not mind walking to but to be on the safe side I figured I should call SNAP. I dial the number 352-392-7627. “SNAP how may I help you?” are the words streaming to my ear. I need a ride from Simpson to Bryan Hall. “Name and UF ID, please.” “How many people are there?” Just one, I reply. “Ok, the van is on its way.”  What I fail to mention is my need to get to my destination in a “snappy” manner.

Somewhere on the other side of campus someone is hopping on the van with a group of friends. When they were asked how many people they had, they replied five in which two were UF students. Here they are occupying most of the room and the majority of them aren’t UF students. I’m being passed by three different SNAP vans thinking that one of them has to be mine. Yet I am fooled.

SNAP drivers are very qualified to be driving. They go through a long selection process before being handed the keys. I just wish they could way more honest about the time it would take for a van to pick me up, that way I can be prepared. I won’t have to wait outside in the cold as long or rush to get my things together. I wouldn’t even mind calling ahead of time and they send me an alert letting me know how many minutes away they are.

I waited thirty minutes and I’m finally picked up. One may say this was an accomplishment but I still have to watch new people get on and others get off for fifteen minutes before I am set free. I make it to my destination on time. I could have walked to Bryan Hall and made it in half the time it takes to catch a SNAP.

After I got out of my test instead of calling for a ride, I walked back to my room in a darker part of the night. Being a little anxious in the middle of the night surely helps getting home in a “snappy” way.

For the last few days there has been a ridiculous amount of tension between me and one of my best friends who happens to be my roommate.  So you have a clear picture of how she is and what  our relationship is like, here is what I wrote about her in a writing exercise for this class:

SUSIE

Nerd-emo-rock-child

She actually has the best heart I’ve ever encountered. The rock rebel child is more of her likes and interests rather than the way she really is when you are alone with her and get over the layers of presumptions. I was the popular cheerleader with the “nerd” best friend that never wanted to fit in with the popular crowd. She’s witty and spunky, you can say a little chonga (Hispanic attitude) like me, but you’ll never know it by the way she dresses or speaks unless you get in her face and the real Miami girl comes out, which I bring out of her whenever we are with each other. She’s a nerd like me and we had all the same AP classes. But I was classified as a smart cheerleader. She was classified as a nerd and geek.

Key in on the word “Chonga,” the Hispanic attitude most Miami girls have. Now don’t assume I am talking about the chongalicious video. That’s not what I mean. Two girls with very strong attitudes and beliefs always will bump heads over certain things. We have gotten in too many “discussions” about several different topics and some of these “discussions” have left us sometimes not talking for aa couple of days.

Even though we get into these “discussions” I’ll never trade her in for someone else. Even though we bicker and fight over the stupid little things, she always knows how to make me forgive her, because I am never wrong in an argument! I do not argue for just any reason. J

After one of our epic fights about our schedules and who needs to clean, and again I was right, I was annoyed to say the least. When I woke up the next morning on our white board there is a note that says “The Refrigerator wants you to open it” so I go to the fridge and see that there is a 6 pack of Corona with two limes: one has a happy face the other has “truce?” written on it. She knows the way to my heart!!

So we made up and while we were drinking our Coronas we had a real discussion and we were able to communicate and be truly honest with one another as we always have been. Just because she is my best friend we are able to do this, if it was some random chick I would not be so forgiving and patient. If I ever had a chance to redo my living arrangement I wouldn’t change a thing.

            “Katelyn, I know you have been an excellent student throughout high school and have strived to maintain wonderful grades while taking a challenging course load but I have reviewed your schedule for the upcoming year and you have no necessary classes to take. I realize there are no further classes offered at Branford High School for you but I feel it will look bad on college applications if they see you slacked off your entire senior year. It is my opinion that you should take some online AP classes and dual enroll in classes at the local community college.”

            The first thing that goes through my mind…SHIT. Why did I spend the first three years of high school loading my schedule with difficult courses if I was not going to get a break? I kindly told Mrs. Smith thanks for her help and I would talk it over with my parents. BAD IDEA. Of course my parents are all for me taking classes which they do not have to pay for and will count as college credit when I get to college. So, after being pressured by my parents I decided to take these classes. Really how hard could it be? So for the rest of my senior year I suffered through AP Calculus, AP Literature, Dual Enrollment Psychology, AP Macroeconomics, and numerous other classes. It was terrible. I was finishing a final paper while getting my hair fixed for prom. I took my final exam for AP Lit the morning before the big Powder Puff game. I even completed supply and demand graphs for Macroeconomics on the way to Universal for Grad Bash (Do you know how hard it is to connect dots and make perfect curves while riding on a swaying bus with 40 other loud seniors?) After my last final I was proud to have accomplished such a great feat. I knew they would count for college credit and hopefully make my first few semesters of college a little easier.

            Arriving at college I am informed by an advisor that it is possible for me to graduate early due to all of the courses I took. What? Wait just a minute. Why the hell would I want to graduate early? Really!!! I have a 100% scholarship and my parents help me with apartment and living expenses. Who wouldn’t want to remain in a town where dating possibilities are endless, there is always a party to attend, you can believe anything you want and still have friends, and you don’t have to be in class all day? It is PARADISE! If my parents would pay for it I have no doubt that I would receive as many degrees as I was allowed and stay forever.

            So I didn’t want to graduate early but I did want my classes to count so I could have a few easier semesters. After evaluating them I learned that they would count but only as electives, not as general education classes. I still had to take the hard and boring general education classes that I was thrilled about avoiding.

            I have decided the only thing my dual enrollment and AP classes in high school classes might have helped with is making my application to UF look better. They also helped with my comprehension and writing skills. Other than that, they were a complete waste of time. I would suggest to high school students to carefully evaluate the benefits they will receive from these classes before they take them. I would also suggest not rushing through school. Senior year in high school is memorable, fun, and an experience you can never repeat. College is the best institution ever formed. Why grow up before you need to?

            The Senate recently voted and passed the motion to improve the J. Wayne Reitz Union by raising tuition money of students. The proposed plan was to raise full time student tuition by $47 and part time by $23. As a student who is already struggling to keep up with rising expenses is this vote by the Senate necessary and should the students at UF be required to carry the burden of this new expansion project? In the Senate debate it was argued that the Reitz needed to be renovated not only for expansion reasons but also because of deferred maintenance problems. The University has failed to recognize several major problems at the Reitz Union because it has not had the money to fix such problems. After researching the subject I found that there were numerous urgent issues which need to be addressed (http://www.union.ufl.edu/stateoftheunion/powerpoint/stateoftheunionPPT.pdf). The Reitz Union has asbestos problems, nonfunctioning smoke detectors, and overheating of the voltage distribution center. It is unfathomable to me that these problems have not been addressed. I would think the University would be able to come up with the funds to correct such a hazardous environment.  

            I believe the problems in the Reitz Union must be addressed immediately. The University of Florida holds its students to the highest standards so the students should expect the same in return. The reputation of UF should not be compromised by unsafe environments for students. Though I agree these issues must be a top priority of the university to fix I do not think raising the tuition of students is the only way to cover expenses. The Executive Director of the J. Wayne Reitz Union, Eddie Daniels, explains that all other funding options have been exhausted and raising student tuition is the only way to raise funds to improve the safety of the building (http://www.renewyourreitz.com/). If this is the only way to make the Reitz usable and safe I have no problem with paying more for tuition, but I doubt ALL avenues have been evaluated. The Reitz Union has an allocated budget which is derived from generated revenue and student fees. I find it very hard to believe that such critical issues have been ignored for so long and have not been implemented into the yearly budget of the Reitz Union. If student fees had been raised gradually overtime the burden on current students would not be as great. If students are going to be charged for Reitz Union expenses all students across all years of study should be charged the same. Though the funds were not immediately needed the budget should have foreseen maintenance needs and charged all students equally, since all students have enjoyed the same benefits the Reitz provides.

            If the information provided by the Reitz Union is accurate it appears the only way to fix the immediate problem is to raise student tuition dramatically. I suggest the individuals who allocate budgets for the Reitz plan ahead to avoid placing these financial strains on a small percentage of students in the future. Once the Reitz is fixed it would be wise to again look ahead and begin collecting funds to maintain the building. It is unfortunate for the current UF population to carry the financial burden of many years past. However, as a current student I cannot deny the current situation the Reitz Union is in could prove to be harmful to students, visitors, or employees of the University of Florida.

The University of Florida is currently under a zombie invasion. On a venture through campus one can typically find a blood dripping, bandana wearing, psycho zombie. Our school has extremely smart students. Yet, these crazies are running around playing tag the last few weeks before exams. I’m sorry but since when are we four years old and playing cowboys and Indians? And is it really necessary for me to be trampled by mobs of humans or zombies on my way to class? Even the housing department has clogged my e-mail inbox with notifications about nerf guns in residence halls.

Another hazardous part of campus life is the transportation. What did the gator say when she crossed the road? Nothing, she was already hit by a biker. Walking on campus can be scary with all the chaos of skateboarders, bikers, scooters, drivers, etc. in every direction who like to keep you on your toes by nearly running you over.

After a free concert on campus a week ago, I waltzed outside with a friend to get pokey sticks from Gumby’s which are my favorite cheesy bread in the world. I had my cell phone gripped tight so I could call the delivery guy whenever I made it outside. There were throngs of people all over. Suddenly I hear a thud and brakes squeal. I look over and a biker is sprawled out on the road, trapped under his bike. People start running from all directions to come check out the scene. I am stunned and I haphazardly dial 911 on my cell phone. I robotically give details to the operator while my friend pays the pizza guy. My appetite has now evaded me and I no longer want the pokey sticks. I always want pokey sticks until now. The accident was too traumatizing.

More needs to be done to make the campus safer. A silly game of tag is not worth a fractured skull. And knocking someone down flat on their face is not worth riding your bike on campus. There is also a large necessity for people to be more observant. I often see students texting and not even paying attention as they cross a street. And these same students got into UF!

     I could never figure out the bus schedule and when I tried, I ended up on the wrong part of campus. I became a daily walker very early in my first year. I was always very cautious of where I walked and made sure to get out of the bicyclists way. But one hot Thursday afternoon right after spring break, I had just gotten out of class. I was done with classes for the weekend and ready to be free. I was walking down the ramp to the tunnel under 13^th street by Norman Hall and was minding my own business. I knew I was walking in the lane designated for walking because I had just walked over the little person painted on the concrete. I turned to my left to talk to my best friend when all of a sudden I was spun in circles and landed on the ground with a bike on top of me! The only thought in my head was “What the hell just happened?!” To my right I see the guy who was riding the bicycle lying face first on the grass hill. He had his hand out trying to reach someone else he saw and his handlebar caught my backpack. He couldn’t let go and it ended up just spinning me out of control and making him crash. This goes to show that a bicycle can barely fit in its own lane around campus, and it’s a big problem around this campus.

                Getting knocked out by a bike got me thinking. Who has the right away, a pedestrian or a bike? You would think the pedestrians would and they do, that is the law. However, many people just think “I have the right away” and keep walking in the middle of the bicycle lane or if they’re on the sidewalk. Bikes are bigger and are going faster; you should get out of their way unless you wanted to end up on the ground like I did. Also, why are the bike lanes so small? You hear about bicycle crashes all the time with pedestrians and even with cars! Bicycles swerve to miss people in their way and end up going into traffic and getting hit by a car. If the bicycle lanes were bigger and bikes didn’t have to go into the middle of the road, there would be fewer accidents. Also, if people walking would pay more attention to what lane they were in, the bicycles wouldn’t have to swerve around them and into the road.

                I feel that many students on campus believe they live in a little bubble and nothing can happen to them. A bicycle is still a vehicle and needs to follow the rules of the road. I understand when people are in their way, however instead of darting around them, slow down and stop if you have to, until the path is cleared. Therefore, you won’t be endangering your life and others.  Another issue is the sidewalk; it is not a bike lane. If bicycles would stay off the sidewalk and instead stay where they are supposed to ride then people wouldn’t have to get into the bike lane to get out of the way.  UF is currently trying to start a bicycle rental program to lessen cars and pollution on campus. There are also 4-person bikes made for home games! I think that’s great but before we add more, the school should investigate more on why there are so many crashes and try to fix the problem.

I continue walking and think nothing more of the situation other than he’s some random hipster trying to impress the babes by showing off his guns. As I keep walking, I become more aware that there are groups of people all carrying nerf guns and wearing bandanas. What the hell is going on? Why are these people chasing each other? And most of all, am I going insane? I soon found out: Humans vs. Zombies.

Apparently, the zombie apocalypse came sooner than most believed it would and is a lot more annoying than painful or scary. I never knew that zombies wore bandanas on their heads and only a mere touch from their hand would turn you into one. Luckily for the “humans,” these zombies can be fended off by shooting them with plastic nerf guns or throwing balled up socks at them. Even more luckily for us “normal people,” we can fend both of these races off by ignoring them or giving them the middle finger.

For those who haven’t caught on yet, “Zombies vs. Humans” is a campus wide game played by hundreds, maybe even thousands of students now. Supposedly, the game is nationally renown, but so far I have only heard reports of it being at other Florida universities, such as Florida State University and University of South Florida.

I personally believe that the game is pointless and is a waste of time. It also makes our campus look very suspicious with a bunch of people running around in bandanas and nerf guns. I thought guns were illegal on campus anyways…

However, there are a lot of people who find entertainment in this game other than making fun of the people who play it. A lot of people meet most of their friends and form bonds by playing this game. For example, I was coming out of the editing lab at about 11pm only to find about 50 “zombies” hanging out in front of Weimer Hall strategizing how to “kill” the humans. I walked another 500 feet or so and saw another group of 20 “zombies” working out their plan. Now I might have 800 Facebook friends, but I don’t think I even hang out with more than twenty of them. It amazed me how one person could tolerate that much idiocy within one group.

Maybe there is some good that comes out of this game. Maybe I’m just being insensitive and narrow-minded. It could possibly teach leadership skills, survival skills, and friendship skills. Then again, I wouldn’t know because I chose not to participate.

Here is a picture of what I would like to do to these kids.

-Joe Nanna

So for the first year and a half at UF, registering was such a task mainly because I was “exploratory,” and no one was telling me exactly what courses to take and when to take them.  That, mixed in with the fact that I know of no one more indecisive than myself, was a recipe for mayhem.  As much as the freedom to choose your own courses sounds rather appealing and liberating, it was frustrating for me.  Nonetheless, I meandered through my first three semesters quite well, as I was satisfied with both the times my courses were taught at, and what courses they were.  And then came the day when the university slapped me in the face with a big red notice that read, “You may no longer claim Exploratory as you’re major, you must choose an actual college to assign yourself to. And if you don’t, well then we’ll keep you from registering.”

 And indeed they held true to those nasty words.  When I went to register last fall for the courses that I am currently taking now, one of those infamous and hostile holds greeted me on the ISIS screen.  Not you again, I thought.  The hold was explaining how I needed to declare a major before I could sign up for ANY classes.  Great, I thought.  Now I have to track down the dean of some college that I’m not even sure I want to be a part of, and scramble to declare a major and then sprint back to good ol’ ISIS to sign up for courses that were most likely already full. And I did just that, but at least I’m happy with the major I chose, as it had been floating through my mind for months before.  Problem solved, eh? Nope. 

 I needed Chemistry 2 as the main course for my fall schedule, as it would be the main course that all of my other classes would be centered around.  What a fool I was in actually thinking that there would be open seats in the course! ISIS, you win again.  I had to frantically drop what I was doing and rush over to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences advising hours, only for a line out the door to smack me in the face.  I sucked it up and waited, only for the snooty ass advisor to tell me, (after I got on both knees and pleaded for him to squeeze me in the course), that with the budget cuts and whatnot, he couldn’t do much. 

 I was left with no other option than to stalk ISIS, similar to how people stalk their ex’es on Face book, and desperately check every hour if one seat had opened up;I finally got in.  But c’mon UF, is this the situation that students must always find themselves in when registering for classes?  It’s inefficient, discouraging and dreadful.

 This Wednesday that just passed was my assigned registration slot to pick my schedule for summer and fall, and I visited my advisor the week before to verify with her that I was on track with my courses and all that jazz.  I felt good about myself, accomplished now that I knew what prefixes and numbers I had to type into the search box on ISIS, and I thought that for the first time that registration would be effortless.  ISIS shut those hopes down really quick when I went to sign up for organic chemistry and a hold came up. Again.  I had to contact my advisor, only for her to tell me to contact the Chemistry department and get it settled.                                                                                                                                  

Must I always track someone down in order to tackle these vicious holds and hassles that registration comes equipped with?  When will the Advising offices collaborate with the designers of the ISIS site, and make the process of registering as smooth as a baby’s underside, instead of as painful as the spines of a  cactus?  Well, I wish I could ramble on about my frustrations, but the Chemistry Office closes in 30 minutes, and I am obliged to hunt down the dean of the college and question him about that hold…

The first stage is denial.  It sounds strange, but I wanted to deny graduation.  I knew it was approaching, but I wanted to deny the idea that I’m actually leaving, that my friends are leaving, and college is over (graduate school is not the same).  The unknown scares me, and it sucks to find a place and people who make you so happy, and then have to leave it all (if you do not leave, they probably left).  I hear of my parents reconnecting with their friends from college, whom they have not seen in twenty or more years.  That is a scary thought! Eventually, I came to terms with denial, ordered my cap and gown, and I moved to the next stage. 

The second stage is anger.  For me the anger stage was all stress.  The stress of deciding on my next move into the future was difficult to deal with and I had a hard time trying to find all the answers for my family and friends who were curious.  I was short fused and did not want to talk about anything graduate school oriented, but each conversation took that turn.  Pressures of inadequacy sneaked into my thoughts because I felt that all my friends have things figured out, and have amazing futures planed. 

The third stage, which is bargaining was not a stage that I went through.  It happens more with people who are about to experience death, or for people who are getting over someone’s death.  Bargaining is when people try to change something about themselves, to avoid the inevitable.  An example is that if someone was dying they might say “I will be the best father ever, if I could just live longer”. 

I did, however, experience the fourth stage, depression.  Depression kicked in when I realized there are just a few more weeks of school left.  I want to see everyone, from my old friends, to my closest friends, but it is almost too late because everyone is tied down with all the end of the year tests and projects.  The regret, and wonder if I made these four years the best was dominating my thoughts, because as I was always told, “College is the best four years of your life.”  Crap! Did I just mess up the best thing that could have happened to me?  The depression stage is tricky.  It is laced with nostalgia, and longing for more time. 

The fifth and final stage is acceptance.  I haven’t reached acceptance yet.  Maybe it will come when I put on my cap and gown, or maybe it won’t come until next August.  Yet, I do feel like I am approaching the end of the grieving process.  So, in conclusion, graduation is May 1^st, and hopefully by then I will look back at my college experience and accept it, all of it.