- The University of Florida started its spring semester with students returning to campus and facing a chilly morning while bundled up in jackets.
- Several events called the Great Gator Welcome are planned this week to help UF students get connected and involved on campus.
Music, trampling footsteps and bus doors opening were just some of the sounds heard on the University of Florida campus Monday morning, as classes for the spring semester officially kicked off.
While spring courses are beginning, it still felt like winter across UF on Monday morning, with many students bundled up in jackets and sweatshirts. Mainstreet spoke with a handful of these students to get their thoughts on being back on campus and whether they had any resolutions for the new year.
Aleigha Morris was seated on a bench in the Plaza of the Americas, looking at her laptop with her headphones on. The junior, who is majoring in animal science and microbiology, said the first weeks of a semester can be kind of challenging, noting the difficulty of getting back into a routine.
Morris said the spring semester is going to be especially busy for her, as she is taking 19 credits (six classes). Morris said her New Year’s resolution is to pass all her classes and earn a B in Organic Chemistry 2.
Sophie Headrick, a political science junior, was sitting at a picnic table adjacent to UF’s Marston Science Library. Headrick and her boyfriend, Lucas Wilder, had a break in between classes and were eating Chick-fil-A.
Headrick and Wilder shared their enthusiasm for the start of the new semester.
“I woke up like, ‘alright, I’m ready for spring semester,’” Headrick said.
Wilder, a freshman majoring in finance, was ready too.
“I was excited, too,” Wilder said, adding he felt more prepared this semester than last.
Wilder said his New Year’s resolution was to get better grades, while Headrick noted that she wanted to do better at time management.
In addition to her normal class load, Headrick said she is also studying for the LSAT (Law School Admission Test). Headrick said she is hoping to take the exam in June.
With classes resuming this week, several events are planned to help students get connected and involved on campus. These events are part of the week-long Great Gator Welcome.
A full schedule of events can be found here.
Nick Anschultz is a Report for America corps member and writes about education for Mainstreet Daily News. This position is supported by local donations through the Community Catalyst for Local Journalism Fund at the Community Foundation of North Central Florida.
