Volleyball Games

One of the most popular sports to go to on campus is Women's Volleyball. The games are always fast paced and its a blast watching the girls win. The UT team is really good! 

This is the women's basketball team getting ready to head to the Breast Cancer Awareness volleyball game against our rival school Florida Southern. 
Me and my roommates at the game. 
The women's basketball team supporting their fellow athletes at the game.The swim team has the most school spirit. They wear all of their swim gear to the games, every time we score they take of a piece of clothing. Once we win the match they are down to their bathing suits. In this picture they are doing pushups on the court. 

The crowd in pink supporting the volleyball team. 

So I've been trying to find a few good pictures of campus and things that go on around campus...I think I've found a good assortment of pictures that represent a normal week at UT...I'm new to this whole blog thing so stick with me while I try and post pictures...I will probably post 3 or 4 at a time until I run out...once I get back on campus maybe I'll take a few more pictures...If you let me know what you want to see, I can possibly take pictures by request.. 

This is a view of the baseball field from behind home plate. It is really nice to sit out at the field during a game in the spring when the weather is gorgeous! 



Here is a view of downtown from my room in Austin. I lived in Austin my freshman year. 




This is my favorite picture. I took this picture from the West Parking Garage, it is of our soccer stadium. The view from the stadium into downtown is the best view on the whole campus. 

When I have more time to download more pictures I will! I hope everyone is getting excited about getting to Tampa!! 

ps I don't know why its putting the text to a link...I'm computer handicapped what can I say?! 

Changed my look

Hello!

We changed the look of the page to make it look a little more like UT! Its the same blog just a new look :) 

As I stated before I'm on vacation so I haven't been in the office to hear all of the questions...so if you have any topics you'd like me to write about I would be happy to!

Have a great night! 

On Campus vs Off Campus?

Good Sunday Morning! 

I'm on vacation but can't sleep so I guess I'll start writing...

One topic I know has always been a debate around campus is whether you should live on or off campus? What are the reasons to consider both options? Why have I chosen to live on campus all 4 years? Why have some of my friends decided to move off campus? 

At UT it is the norm to live on campus whereas at most schools is is the opposite. UT doesn't even require on campus housing freshman year and we have about 70% of our freshman class living on campus and then 60% of our undergrads living on campus after freshman year. Those numbers are huge compared to many other schools. So why do so many people decide to live on our tiny little campus? I think one reason is because it is a tiny little campus and it is such a community to live in. Why would you want to move away from all of your friends and all of the activities that are going on? I have noticed that when my friends move off campus they tend to not be as up to date on everything going on around campus and they miss out on a lot of events. The majority of us came to this school because it is a small university with that homey one-on-one feeling, and you won't get lost in the crowd. I think that living on campus helps a lot with not getting lost in the crowd: you can walk around at any time and know at least one person, you can get out of bed and go meet with your professors in their offices, you can walk to get food that is already paid for and is less than 5 minutes away from your room.....I could go on and on! One of the main reasons I stayed on campus and is probably the same for a lot of other students: I can roll out of bed and in 5 minutes I'm in class. I have never been late to a class, and I know for a fact that is because I live on campus. I have overslept numerous times and still been to class on time. I also work on campus, our office opens at 8:30 and if I had to get up any earlier than I already do to drive to campus, I would be one cranky person to work with! And the last reason I think people end up living on campus has to do with the great options we are given for housing: Most of our dorms were built within the last ten years, and we have an option to "move up" as we gain more credits. I would have most likely moved off campus my junior year if I wasn't given the option to live in an "Apartment Style" dorm. Having the option to go from Suite style, to having a common room, to living on your own in an apartment is great and a huge asset to our campus. 

So then why do about 40% of our students live off campus? There are a few reasons: It is cheaper to live off campus, you get more privacy, there aren't as many rules, and you are finally living completely on your own. - Living off campus can definitely be cheaper there is no doubt about it, but you have to factor in the convenience you will be losing. - You will most definitely be getting more privacy and have more time on your own. In a dorm room people are always popping in and out of your room and you always have roommates around you. - The fact that you will be living away from campus will get you away from all of the rules designated by campus. If you want to live with a pet, you will have that option off campus, and if you don't agree with a lot of the rules the RAs enforce you wouldn't have to. - And last, living off campus finally gives you the independence you have been wanting. Being off campus, you can buy and make your own food, decorate how you want, and sleep in a normal sized bed. 

To each his own BUT in my opinion, we have many more years after we graduate to buy our own groceries, keep our houses clean, and fix our own sinks. Enjoy the years of letting those who get paid for it make your meals, clean your rooms, and unclog your toilets. We will be commuting to and from work for the rest of our lives, so take these four years to roll out of bed in your pjs, go to class, AND get away with it. 

Enjoy your Sunday Funday! I'm off to the beach! 

Orientation and Gateways

Good Morning! 

Summer is winding down for all of us and the reality of going back to school is getting closer and closer. I remember the anticipation and the anxiety I felt before heading to Tampa, a whole new world is waiting for you and is a month away. To be honest once I got here it was a complete blur...but I do remember one thing...feeling extremely confused before I got to school, but once I arrived at UT the orientation process went smoothly. This post is going to be concentrating on Orientation and Gateways. 

Arriving for move in and check in:

The most exciting part of the whole orientation week in my opinion is the move in part...you get to see your room, meet your roommates and their families, and then decorate your room however you want! For most of you that first day will be the 25th, you get to move your belongings in between 2pm and 5pm but you don't get to stay in the dorm for the night. I love this option because you get to get the hard part out of the way, the actual labor of carrying everything to your room is over and done with. Now you know what your room looks like, you have time to buy anything you think you might need, AND you don't have to sleep on a bed without sheets b/c trust me you won't be able to find the box where the sheets are. Then on the 26th you get to check-in for good and become the proud parent of a key and a spartan card! The picture on your Spartan card will probably look terrible, just embrace it! Between 10am and 4pm (check this link to find out your designated time http://www.ut.edu/detail.aspx?id=11454 for check in) the check in is going to be in Plant Hall (the old hotel). If you are going to be later than 4:00 you will be checking in at the Vaughn lobby desk (this is where all late check ins will go). You basically have the whole day of the 26th to move in and get settled. This is probably the the day you will have your parents with your for the whole day, so use them as much as you can before they go. Take it from me (I've moved into a dorm 3 times now), USE THE HELP YOUR PARENTS ARE WILLING TO GIVE YOU because once they tell you they think you can do it on your own, honestly it sucks. Moms are the best to help organize, clean, hang clothes, make beds, and Dads always come through to put up your bed, move your furniture, hang curtains, fix things..etc...I WILL SAY IT AGAIN...IT IS NOT FUN DOING ALL OF THIS BY YOURSELF....TAKE YOUR PARENTS HELP! You may think you want to be on your own now that your in college and its not cool to have your parents around...being on your own is a blast but when you need to get something done that your mom used to do for your...you realize how much you miss them...and then when they come to visit you on parents weekend...you feel lucky your parents actually came to visit you. 

After you have your room all set its time for Orientation and Gateways:

The 27th is when Orientation for you and your family begins. They are separate so say bye to the fam. Student orientation is a GREAT place for you to meet your first friends. I met my best friend (I ended up moving into her dorm room two weeks later) in my gateways class. I came into UT not knowing a soul, and within 2 days I met a girl I know I will be best friends with for the rest of my life. This is the time when you need to just let all of you inabitions go and be friendly, talkative and outgoing. Meet as many people as possible and have a blast! A few of the programs throughout orientation can be a little dry but there is important info to pay attention to. Your Gateways advisor is one person you will want to get familiar with and take advantage of their resources. You can get A LOT out of Gateways if you take the time. I'm going to back up a second and explain Gateways:

It is a freshman class that lasts the whole year (Fall and Spring). This class is only for freshman and you will stay with the same class throughout both semesters. Your professor for this class is called your Gateways Advisor. They are there to guide you through your freshman year, don't complain about this class, be thankful UT offers it b/c most schools throw you to the wolves and expect you to figure all of this stuff out on your own. Your Gateways Advisor is going to help you one by one with your schedule, your major, your minor(if you want one)...etc. They are basically there to answer any questions you have during freshman year. To top that, there is also a Gateways Mentor in each class. That mentor is a student that already attends UT. They are great to ask questions to, and find out the scoop on campus. While you are sitting in Gateways you might complain and think its a waste, but when you look back on it you'll be thankful you had someone there to help you when you were clueless. 

Back to Orientation: 

So basically you are going to be in Orientation type activities the whole day of the 27th. After Orientation is finished there are going to be Student Productions (SP) events going on. I would recommend going to these, usually they are pretty entertaining. I'm not sure what they have planned but it is usually a comedian, a band in the courtyard...something along those lines. 

Then on the 28th you are going to notice the rest of the school moving in...ENJOY YOUR TIME ON CAMPUS BEFORE EVERYONE ELSE MOVES IT! Starting the 28th, all other returning students will be moving into their rooms, it will be pure chaos, just stay out of the way and go to the events that are going on. I think there are a few sporting events, they give out pretty good prizes at our "Spartan Spirit" events so I would suggest seeing what they are doing. 

Once the weekend arrives you are basically free to do what you please or what you have planned. Some of you might be going on the Busch Gardens trip on Sunday. There is also a movie on Sunday night, they are always good movies. 

I would definitely get used to where your classes are, if you have all of your supplies for the first day, how to get around campus, knowing your schedule, checking your alarm clock...etc...use your free time wisely b/c once classes start its going to be a whirlwind. 

ENJOY EVERY MOMENT ONCE YOU SET FOOT ON CAMPUS, YOUR DAYS, WEEKS, MONTHS, AND YEARS ARE GOING TO FLY BY. EVERYONE TELLS YOU THIS AND YOU DON'T BELIEVE THEM, BUT I AM GOING INTO MY SENIOR YEAR AND I STILL REMEMBER UNPACKING MY BOXES FRESHMAN YEAR LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY!! UT IS AN AMAZING PLACE TO GO TO SCHOOL, USE THE RESOURCES THEY OFFER, MAKE THE BEST OF YOUR FOUR YEARS, AND LEAVE MAKING A MARK. DON'T JUST FLOAT BY UN-NOTICED, DO IT BIG AND DO IT WELL. MY FAVORITE QUOTE FROM A GREAT PROFESSOR:

"YOU DON'T GET A SECOND CHANCE TO DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME"

Let me know if you have any questions about anything!!

TGIF- Jess

Where to find most questions

Hello!

I just wanted to point out to everyone that if you have questions about where you are living, orientation, heath forms...etc (freshman issues) you will most likely be able to find what you need on your SpartanWeb account. If you take a few minutes to make yourself familiar with this system it will be very useful for you now and in the future. If the information is not on SpartanWeb, there definitely will be information on there telling you who you can call for your questions. So please click around on all of the tabs and links and become familiar. There are also links on there you will be using for the next four years, so becoming familiar with everything will definitely benefit you. The academics tab will be the one you want to become most comfortable with but take a look at the whole thing!

Happy clicking!

International Students

Today we have an International student posting for us for the International perspective, here is what he had to say:

Hey Guys,
Some of the students coming in this Fall may be from different countries, as is 10% of our undergraduate population. For many of you , it may be your first time coming to UT and maybe even the US. I know that I encountered this situation a year ago, and I hope that my experiences can help you all.
First:
Make sure before you leave your home country, you have all of your immigration documents in order as you could be asked for any of them on entry into the US. Have your I-20, I-904, and your personal financial statements handy. You will be asked for your I-20 at almost every security checkpoint. Once your in America make sure you fill out your Customs form and US Border Protection Forms properly to avoid delays. Keep your I-94 form SAFELY once you get it back from the Passport Control Officer. Have some University contacts and local contacts handy in case you need to contact someone when you get here. Also carry some US $ in cash to use at airports and use other services when you get here.
Second:
International students have a separate orientation period before they join in with the regular orientation. On arrival you will need to park in Thomas Parking Garage if you have a car, and head over to Plant Hall. There you will meet your international admissions counsellors. They will give you a schedule for your orientation and then you will be directed to a check in. Once you are officially checked in you receive your ID card, laundry card and your keys so you can stay on campus that night! The University has Bank of America on campus to sign up students for local bank accounts if they require it. I personally recommend having a local bank account. It eliminates high fees on foreign cards and funds are available more quickly. The University also has a cell phone provider on campus, where students can sign up for a cell phone plan (which is cheaper than Pay-As-You-Go) and you can get a free phone too! Once your done with the entire check in process, you are free to go around campus and move in before anyone else gets here!
Check out our other blog posts for shopping tips and what to bring. Remember you get everything here for cheaper, so there is no need to pay excess baggage!

See you guys here real soon!

Banking on Campus

Good afternoon!

I've been at work since 8:00 and the # 1 question for the day was:
What bank do we have on campus?

We use Bank of America ATMs. We have two ATMs on campus, one in the Vaughn lobby and one in the Stadium Center lobby. The Vaughn lobby ATM is the newer version of the Bank of America ATMs and it has the capability of depositing and withdrawing cash and checks. If you are a student without a car this ATM is a real asset because you do not have to go to the bank for these simple types of transactions. If you do need to go to the bank however, there is a Bank of America within walking distance from the school.
I signed up for the Campus Edge checking and love the Keep the Change program....

That's it for today!

Shopping and moving in once you arrive in Tampa!

On the subject of shopping for your dorm room I also wanted to point out a few of the options for moving your belongings in. About 60% of our undergraduate students live out of state, 30% in the state of Florida, and 10% Internationally; that being said for the majority of UT it is quite a challenge figuring out how you will get all of these new items down to Florida. From my experience as a student and seeing how other families do it through the admissions office I have learned a few tricks:

• If you do not live in the state: 1) Buy all of your new dorm items down here. We have a Wal-Mart, Target, and Ikea within 15 minutes of the campus. It saves the hassle of hauling everything down with you, plus you can see the room before purchasing anything. 2) Send some of the smaller items to campus via mail one week before school starts, address it 401 W Kennedy Blvd Box # Tampa Fl 33606 3) If you are bringing a car down, pack your car completely full and put it on a train. In the past this has been a cheaper option than driving your car down, plus you don't have to pay extra to bring anything on your flight.
• If you do live in the state: 1) Buy Buy Buy anytime you want :) that's what I did, I am from Florida. My dad wasn't so happy because we then had to rent a large van to haul it all over but it is easier doing this from in the state than driving long distances. 2) You can also wait and purchase all of your items once you get here.
• If you are an International student: 1) I would wait for everything once you get here. Just watch your luggage weight, I know some international students who get charged a lot every time they go home because their luggage weighs so much. We have two GREAT malls within 15 minutes of school if you want to do all of your shopping once you are in Tampa. Also for International students you need to make sure you have all of your documents with you (VISA, Passport, I-20). Keep copies and the originals in your carry on and not in your luggage you are checking in! This is very important. There will be a current UT International student posting tomorrow on topics for International Students. She will be addressing all of the issues she came across while moving in!

Now once you get here, these are some of the things you should bring that will make the move in 100% easier!

• A HAND DOLLY/HAND CART- whatever you would prefer to call it, it is a necessity. Luckily my dad is a very handy guy and every year I have a great dolly to cart all of my belongings from the car to the room. And each year we have other families asking us where we got it or telling us they wish they had thought to bring one. The dorms might not always have available parking near by when you move in, so you may be bringing your stuff from a few parking lots away. AND its August in Florida so its definitely not going to be cold out! As a freshman you do get to move in early and you have the O-Team helping you move all of your stuff in, but it is still pure mayhem with all of the freshman trying to unload and check in.
• Wear comfortable clothing, and comfortable shoes. I still laugh every time I see students and their families moving in while wearing nice clothing. You will be sweaty, trust me..as long as you plan for it, it won't be so bad!
• The first day you move in I suggest bringing in cleaning supplies before you move in a lot of your belongings. They clean the rooms over the summer, but it can still be a little dusty. This is all personal preference but my roommate and I both like cleaning the rooms ourselves.
• Bring a pretty well stocked tool box/kit. You will need most of the basics to put things together and get settled. A hammer will be your best friend while trying to get your bed in place.

I think that's it for now! Again if you have any questions please feel free to comment and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!

Have a great Wednesday!

What should I bring to my dorm?

I have been receiving call after call in our office regarding the “check list” students should use before they head to UTampa. I remember coming in my freshman year and being completely clueless! I have lived on campus for three years, going on four and have definitely learned a lot! Here are a few of my suggestions from my person experience:
Your dorm room is going to be your everything, it will be your bedroom, your bathroom, your office, your kitchen, your living room, your study lounge, the place you hang out with friends…etc… you get my point. Your freshman year you will most likely be living in a suite style dorm (one room with 2 or 3 people connected to another room by a bathroom). You are going to want to make your room feel as homey as possible and you are going to want to make it as personal as possible, especially when you are missing home.

First and foremost, spend a little bit of time on purchasing items for your bed. You are going to spend a lot of time sleeping, studying, and lounging on your bed. You will want:
· A mattress cover
· At least one topper for your bed
o Feather beds are the best but any foam type works (the more padding the better)
· At least one set (its better to have two or more for laundry day) of TWIN-XLONG sheets. All of our beds are TWIN-XLONG no matter what dorm you are in.
· A comforter that won’t show dirt that will hopefully last you for a few years. I like getting a bigger size than twin so it will hang over the sides and cover up what is stored under your bed.
o Also make sure it is warm…I guarantee your roommate is going to want to keep the room colder than you want it
o A lot of girls use duvets because they can change the look year to year if they want.
· Any thing to make your bed higher
o They usually sell these items at most Wal-Marts, Targets, Bed Bath and Beyonds etc… the block type things to put under the legs of your bed to add height.
o I promise you you’ll want to put as much as you can under your bed
o If you get your bed really high (mine is VERY high) you’ll want to buy a step stool to help you get on your bed.

The next area you should really put effort into is storage. Storage in dorm rooms can be tricky but if you are creative and plan ahead you should be ok:
· Tupperware stackable storage bins for under your bed
o Use for things you rarely use but have to bring
o I would buy more than you think you’ll need, if you don't use them just return them. 
o Buy all different sizes for tight spaces
· Plastic drawers, 3 or more drawers are the best
o Use for anything from socks to kitchen items to office supplies
o These also fit under your bed if you loft your bed up to the highest rung
· Shoe racks for the closet. The hanging shoe racks don’t seem to work as well as the free standing ones.
· Hanging shelves (they are usually made out of some sort of material)
o I use one of my skinnier hanging shelves (I think its meant for shoes) to store my bathing suits, head bands, scarves, and hats
· A hanging rod to add extra room for hanging your clothes. I found mine at Bed Bath and Beyond…the official name is a "double hanging closet rod"
· A hanger for your towels that goes over your door. I have two, one for inside the bathroom and one for outside the closet door
· 3-M easy removable hooks for the walls. Make sure you get the one that says it won’t tear off paint. They work great, and if you follow the instructions they won’t ruin your wall.

Desk Area:
· A printer (printing is free in the computer labs on campus but it is always a safe bet to have one in your room for last minute jobs)
o Printer paper
· A laptop (Mac or PC)
o A desktop is not going to be as efficient
· A three ring hole punch
· A stapler
· Tape
· Super glue (I don’t know why I but I always need super glue)
· Enough loose leaf notebook paper because it is the one thing you’ll always need a lot of
· An extra desk lamp (the one attached to the desks are usually not bright enough)
· A bulletin board
o Tacks
· Lots of pens and pencils
· Something to organize all of your junk in your drawers
· I have always used a desktop organizer than can hold a binder and papers for each class, 4 to 5 slots keep all of my classes organized

Bathroom Area:
· A bathmat for in front of your shower and in front of your sink
· Spend the extra money to buy a good shower organizer. The ones that go floor to ceiling that are made with a tension rod are great if they are good quality.
o I promise you when you are showering and the whole thing falls on top of you because you bought the cheap one you’ll be sorry.
· A toothbrush holder with multiple toothbrush slots
· Cleaning supplies (even though there is a cleaning service that comes once a week, you will always find yourself wanting to clean your room when they aren’t coming for another week. Plus the cleaning service only cleans your bathroom area):
o Clorox wipes, they solve everything
o A broom and dust pan
- I use a small Dirt Devil to vacuum up my broom piles and anything else in the room (THIS IS A MUST HAVE)
o A mop if you are ambitious
o A mild floor cleaner (the floors are waxed and some cleaners will strip the wax)
o A good sponge and all purpose cleaner for the sink and toilet area

All other important items:
· A dark colored (so it won’t show the dirt) area rug for the floors.
· A floor lamp
o The best ones have 2 or 3 heads on them which add a lot of light
o Don’t get the ones with the colored shades…you’ll be sick of them by the end of your first year
· At least one extra blanket or comforter for when you have friends stay over
o They will be annoyed when they have to sleep on the floor without a blanket (I’ve been there)
· At least one TV
o TV cable long enough to reach around the room (who knows where the outlet will be)
o A cable splitter if you have more than one TV in the room
· A DVD player
· An alarm clock loud enough to wake you up
· A mini fridge
· A microwave (you might get by without one but I loved having mine in the room)
· A few plates, cups, utensils…etc
· A curtain for the window
o Use a tension rod to hang it
· A phone to plug into the local phone line
o Its not a huge deal to have one but it is nice to have an extension to your room
· A stool
· A small fan
· A laundry basket
o Buy one made of plastic that has wheels.
o The mesh ones aren’t that great
o THEY MUST HAVE WHEELS if you don’t want to drag your laundry all the way to the laundry room
· Laundry detergent and dryer sheets
· Extension cords GALORE!
o My personal favorite is the squid, it has like 6 different outlets but they are all bendable so you can use them in all different directions.
o A surge protector for your laptop, printer and any other electronics. (We are the capitol of lightening, you don’t want anything to get ruined during a big storm)
· Painters tape or 3-M easy to remove double sided tape to hang things
o Its won’t pull the paint off of your wall
· A Thumb Drive, junk drive, external hard drive…whatever you’d like to call it…get one
o We have free printing so you can save your work onto the thumb drive and then bring it to the computer lab, plug it into the computer, and print out your saved work
o A larger extrernal hard drive is a smart investment as well because if your laptop crashes you could easily lose all of your school work, music, pictures etc… BE SAFE AND BACK IT UP!


That is all I have for you for now! If I think of anything else I will post it. Again remember this is for those of you living in a SUITE STYLE dorm. If you are living in a different dorm style and have questions feel free to ask me! And just remember, you’ll need anything you use at home, just get it in a smaller version and plan for how you’ll store it.

HAPPY DORM SHOPPING!

Welcome to UTampa Admission's New Blog

Coming into a college or university for the first time is a very bitter sweet experience. The excitement and the anxiety seem to sit in the back of your mind day in and day out. What do I bring? Am I going to meet people? How do I know where I’m supposed to go or what I’m supposed to do? Every year thousands of new students face this life changing experience when their first semester of college rolls around. Well…I am here to help. My name is Jess English and I am a senior at the University of Tampa. I work in our admissions office and assist prospective and admitted students throughout their admissions process. I was approached by one of our admissions counselors about writing a blog. She asked me to talk about various topics I thought would be helpful to anyone coming into UT for the first time. You may be coming into UT as a freshman, or you may be coming in as a transfer student, but either way the UT experience is all new to you. I am going to be posting topics throughout the week on topics such as: advice for a new student, my experience throughout my four years at UT, day to day events going on around campus etc…
I hope this blog is helpful and would appreciate any feed back or suggestions!
Have a great rest of your summer and I hope to see you around campus soon!