Over the years there have been only a few times that I, as a parent, have felt the need to call the campus to resolve an issue. Generally, I try to get my kids to handle it themselves. However, knowing where to call for whatever the issue can be daunting. For instance, when said student accrued a certain amount of parking tickets and was having a difficult time paying them online, she called the Transportation and Parking Office to figure it out. More information and other reasons you may have to contact this office are below.

Another example: When a friend had reason to believe her son may have been being hazed by his fraternity during rush, she got in touch with the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life.  850-644-9574. The director email ccgraham@fsu.edu

Fortunately, that situation was managed, but her next step was to call the President’s office.

John Thraser is the President of Florida State University. His office is located at 211 Westcott Building Tallahassee, FL 32306-1470.

Email: president@fsu.edu
Phone: 850-644-1085

We realize finding the right place to call isn’t always simple so we have listed several of the offices and what they are used for to make your navigation simpler. Many of our blogs address issues that you may be looking for guidance about too so we have linked some of those too.

University Health Services

Other than routine appointments, they offer Nursing Triage and a Priority Clinic on the first floor for urgent situations that need immediate attention.

In order to make an appointment, which is required, they can be reached at 850-644-4567

For general information: 850-644-6230  Note: If your student has not filled out forms prior to your call; they will not release any information about your student.

See our blog Sick at School.

Dean of Students

Located at University Center A, Suite 4100, 282 Champions Way Tallahassee, FL 32306.
Phone: 850-644-2428

Specifically looking to talk to administration, Dr. Victoria Dobiyanski can be reached in office A4113; at the same number.

Financial Aid Office

Students can go here to request information about financial aid, scholarships, withdrawal, outreach events, CARE programs, work-study, and general questions.

Phone: 850-644-0539
Address: Suite 4400A University Center, Tallahassee, FL 32306-2430.

FSU ODL Technical Support

For students who are having technical difficulties with Canvas and its surrounding technologies, this is the place to get in touch with. Call 850-644-8004. If you need a response in less than two hours, this is the way to do it. Real people/support rather than a computer or automated response. If a student is in no rush and wants to meet face to face then they can schedule an appointment and they are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Located in the University Center C, Suite C3500. Their address is 296 Champions Way, Tallahassee, Florida 32306.

Here is our blog on Technology Services at FSU and one on Computer and Phone Repair.

University Housing

Students who are having a computer, internet, or cable issues or want to submit a housing facilities repair request can reach housing via this number, Phone: 850-644-2860. They are located at 109 Askew Student Life Building Florida State University Tallahassee, FL 32306.

Here is our Insider’s Guide to Living On Campus.

Questions about your meal plan?

Student Disability Resource Center

874 Traditions Way 108 Student Services Building Tallahassee, FL 32306.
Phone: 850-644-9566

Read more on Student Accessibility Services

Transportation and Parking Services

If your vehicle gets towed from FSU’s property, then the student will want to contact the Transportation office at 850-644-5278. After 5:00 pm, contact FSU Police Department at 850-644-1234. If a student receives a citation, they can be paid in person or by mail at Student Business Services University Center at A-1500 Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-2394.

Go here to appeal citations. If it is denied at the first stage, students can go before the Transportation Violation Appeals Board to state their personal case. To schedule a hearing before the Appeals Board; you have to fill out the Transportation Violations Appeals Board Form and email it to the TVAB Coordinator at TVAB@fsu.edu.

Tallahassee Florida Police Department

If a student sees and wants to report suspicious persons, incidents, and unsafe conditions, they can report it to TPD at 850-644-1234. If an emergency occurs, dial 911.

Office of Human Resources

They are the first point of contact for questions regarding employment, benefits, compensation, payroll, employee/labor relations, and classification.

Phone: 850-644-6035
Located at 282 Champions Way A6200 University Center Tallahassee, Florida 32306

Because dealing with stress can sometimes require a little extra help:

FSU Counseling Center

The University Counseling Center has 20 full-time psychologists, social workers, and mental health counselors and more.  850-644-8255. In case of a mental health emergency after regular business hours and/or on weekends, please call our after-hours hotline at 850-644-8255. To see a counselor, students can visit their center on the second floor of Askew Student Life Center, Suite 201 between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm.

There is also a 24-hour Crisis Help Line:

211 – from a local landline
224-6333 – from a local cell phone
1-877-211-7005 – Toll-Free

Here is our blog on the Stress of College.

Victim Advocate Program

If students or someone they care about that has been a victim of a crime confidential support is available and they can talk with someone about their options. Located at University Center A, Suite 4100, Tallahassee, FL 32306-2440. Victim Advocate services are available 24 hours a day, including holidays. To reach a confidential advocate day or night call: 850-644-7161

Safety Escort:

S.A.F.E. Connection (Student Alert Force Escort Connection) is a free service provided to FSU Students and promotes awareness of the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol. The service is currently limited to the FSU campus. Questions and concerns: email safeconnection@fsu.edu, general information, call 850-644-1234. Travel around campus is available nightly, 7 days a week, from 7:00 pm – 2:30 am when classes are in session. Call 850-644-SAFE (7233) if you need a ride.

If needed, here are the Department Heads for all the colleges:

College of Applied Studies

Dean: Randall Hanna; Associate Deans: Amy Polick, Irvin Clark, (850) 770-2102, rhanna@fsu.edu

College of Arts and Sciences

Dean: Sam Huckaba, Professor, Located in the Dept. of Mathematics Rm. 110A, Longmire, 850-644-4404, shuckaba@fsu.edu

College of Business

Dean: Michael Hartline, 314 RBA, 850-644-4405, mhartline@business.fsu.edu

College of Communication and Information

Dean: Larry Dennis
Location: UCC 4100C, 850-644-9763, larry.dennis@cci.fsu.edu

College of Criminology and Criminal Justice

Dean: Thomas Blomberg, 850.644.7365, tblomberg@fsu.edu

College of Education

Dean: Damon Andrew, 1100 Stone Building,  850-644-6885

College of Engineering

Dean: J. Murray Gibson, 850-410-6636, jmgibson@eng.famu.fsu.edu

College of Fine Arts

Board member: Scott Shamp, 850-644-5244, sshamp@fsu.edu

College of Human Sciences

Dean: Michael Delp
Location: 242J SAN, 850-644-1281, mdelp@fsu.edu

College of Law

Dean: Erin O’Hara O’Connor, Location: Advocacy Center, Room A301, 850-644-3071, eoconnor@law.fsu.edu

College of Medicine

Dean: John P Fogarty, 850-644-1346, john.fogarty@med.fsu.edu

College of Motion Picture Arts

Dean: Reb Braddock,  850-644-0453, rbraddock@film.fsu.edu

College of Music

Dean: Patricia Flowers, Location: HMU 202B, 850-644-4361

College of Nursing

Dean: Judith McFetridge-Durdle, Phone: 850-644-6844,  jdurdle@nursing.fsu.edu

College of Social Sciences and Public Policy

Dean: Tim Chapin, 850-644-6284

College of Social Work

Dean: Jim Clark,  850-644-4751, info@csw.fsu.edu

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Safe, Sane, and happy, is that possible? As colleges are doing their best to come up with ideas as to how to keep our students safe and healthy as they reopen campuses, we can only hope that our students will adhere to those rules when they leave their classrooms. Let’s face it; it is not easy to enforce social distancing among a population that has a tendency to want to gather. Isn’t one of the best parts of college, socializing?

We realize we can’t replace a good frat party or tailgate, but there are alternatives to fun near campus and, since outdoor fun appears to be the safest alternative these days, we have come up with open-air ideas. Given that we are living under such unprecedented circumstances; we always recommend double-checking on hours, etc. before heading out as activities may be modified or limit the number of persons in each party.

Parks

• Dorothy B. Oven Park – Enjoy acres of gardens filled with azaleas, camellias, palms, and other local florals. With a mixture of paved and unpaved trails, several beautiful bridges, and picnic grounds, this is the ideal place to spend a great day.
• Lafayette Heritage Trail Park –Known for its beautiful unpaved trails that curve around Piney Z Lake. Nature at its finest.
• Landis Green – our beloved Landis Green is still outside and a great meeting place. Bring a towel and gather 6 feet apart.
• Langford Green – in front of Doak and Landis are nice areas to play and relax. (Dogs welcome.)
• Madison Blue Spring – Have you ever gone tubing? Well, it is a blast! A little over an hour from campus, where you can bring your own or purchase a float from a private vendor located within the park May through September weekends only. Don’t bring food, drinks, pets, tobacco, alcohol, or disposable items though.
• San Luis Mission Park –Escape into a lightly wooded countryside. Enjoy hiking around Diego’s Look, fishing on Lake Esther, or just relaxing in the shade in the picnic grounds. You will also find a fenced dog park should you want to bring Fido.
• The Pepper Ranch Preserve and the Bird Rookery Swamp – have beautiful gardens but are also nice for hiking and walking trails.
• Tom Brown Park – Three hiking trails, two bodies of water, and plenty of outdoor activities, this is one of Tallahassee’s largest and most popular parks. 24-hole disc golf, hiking around Lake Leon, or running around beautiful soccer fields.

Restaurants that have outdoor space for dining.

• Andrew’s
• Backwoods Crossing
• Brass Tap Midtown – just put in a new outdoor seating deck; however, much of their live music and activities are temporarily postponed. Keep checking.
• Centrale
• Madison Social

Should you notice that your student is experiencing any type of stress or anxiety from the new rules on campus, there are resources available. Learn more in our blog The Stress Happens to All.

Here’s to a safe and healthy school year for all. Pass on these great tips, tell your friends and like us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Find out more about how to use HaveUHeard as a great resource. Sign up for other great tips at haveuheard.com.

The post How Will Students Stay Safe, Sane and Happy this Fall appeared first on HaveUHeard.com.

I’m not a helicopter parent. Really, I’m not. (Ok, some may disagree.) Regardless, once we have moved our students in and they are ready to embark on a new independent life, we still want to know they are safe at all times. Once the tears have stopped (ours, of course), it becomes easier each time you realize their growing autonomy (this is what we are supposed to want for our children) and happiness. Knowing they are safe is a forever thing. Therefore, it may be helpful to know that FSU has a few very supportive resources available. Their safety really is all that matters.

The FSU Police Department provides SAFE Connection which is available when students need a free, safe escort on or around campus. The emergency Blue Light Trail consists of over 300 strategically placed light poles equipped with emergency speakerphones and strobe lights. In addition, there is the Victim Advocate Program which provides advocacy to victims on or off-campus 24 hours a day. They offer emotional support, instructor notification, referrals, education programming and more. Hopefully, your kids won’t ever need this, but it is good to know it is there.

For me, while I miss my daughter immensely, I am also confident that I have given her the tools to succeed. They are going to experiment; perhaps staying out late or eating unhealthy foods, drinking and so forth. FSU offers yet another safety net if you have concerns that your student is having difficulty adjusting to life on his or her own. Nole Central has Coping Through College to help incoming and current Florida State students cope with college. Whether they are stressed out, lonely, overwhelmed, nervous, or homesick there is someone there to help.  Their overall goal is to give FSU a welcoming and friendly atmosphere. They offer many activities from yoga to speed dating to campus walks; oh and dogs (studies have shown that dogs help students deal with stress and anxiety); literally something for everyone. The bottom line, FSU is an enormous institution and programs like the ones above offer a safety net should students be in need. Bookmark them, and be sure your student is aware of each; then sit back and wait for the eye roll, but know you did your duty.

I also recommend getting your student’s roommates and/or a close friend’s contact information. There is nothing worse than not being able to find your daughter/son; and although it may be as simple as a) he forgot to charge his phone, b) she fell asleep at the sorority house or c) lost her phone under a pile of laundry and is so busy studying she didn’t realize it was gone. (Do not laugh; I have lived through all three.) This being said, remind your son/daughter of the obvious (to us) to not walk anywhere alone (particularly at night) or put themselves in dangerous situations. As any campus police will tell you, crime is always based on the opportunity so if you remove the opportunity, in most instances, you can exist safely on campus.

Safety Alerts

The university sends out alerts to the student for all criminal activity, as well as impending severe weather. I know some parents who subscribe to this service, but I would strongly encourage you to make sure your student subscribes to the service as they are the ones living there. If you choose to receive the notifications as well, realize now they may leave you feeling worried and helpless.

I would also make certain you have your student’s Find My Phone login information. They may resist, but perhaps you can make a promise not to abuse its benefits in order to make them less resistant. You can also explain how should they go missing (see a, b, and c above), a cell phone allows the police or anyone else to track your student’s recent activity. Of course, if the phone is shut down it has no service, but it will give the most recent usage. If that doesn’t convince them, threaten to not pay the phone bill (which of course would defeat the purpose, but it works.) I can’t tell you how many times I have heard stories about children who couldn’t be reached for hours at a time, putting the parents into a major tailspin, only to find their son/daughter simply forgot to tell his/her roommate he/she was sleeping somewhere else. Avoid this situation at all costs and remind your kids to always contact someone (roommate, suitemate, BFF) of their whereabouts, especially if they are not going to be sleeping in the room. Sure, sometimes it is not planned, but social media is so prevalent that there are no reasons to not let someone else know their whereabouts.

Additional information for FSU can be found below (go ahead and bookmark them in advance)
Florida State University Web pages
FSU
FSU Alert
FSU Emergency

FSU  Emergency Hotline
1-850- 644-INFO
Follow FSU Alert on Twitter or Facebook
If you want to receive a direct SMS text message, send a text message to 40404 saying “Follow”

An Uncomfortable Discussion…

All universities are open campuses many with beautiful, sprawling foliage, brick buildings, open spaces. FSU is an absolutely amazing campus like many college campuses. Being a college town, it does attract some undesirable persons. Your students should always be aware of their surroundings. We live in scary times as witnessed by the recent school shooting in Parkland, Florida (where all my children graduated from and where I live). Sadly, students, today prepare for what is called a Code Red or active shooter. Every college has a plan. To read FSU’s plan, click here.

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FSU and College Studying Apps

Remember when you were in college and everything was easily accessible via apps on your phone? No? Well, me either. Our kids, however, do live in this world and there are literally apps that provide things like food delivery, tutoring services, or finding a parking spot.  Below are some I thought were most useful. Forgive me if it is a little too long, but truly there is something for everything and it was hard to narrow down.

As well, on Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 7 to 9 pm at Strozier library, students can get one-on-one consultations to help create an individualized plan based on their needs, with continuous technical support. Students can download and test new apps with guidance to find what works best for them.

• FSU Guardian – I am listing this first because we always want to know our kids are safe.  It is a free, personal safety service valid to FSU students that rapidly provides information about an individual to FSU police during an emergency. Students set a safety timer when heading to an unfamiliar location, meeting someone he or she does not know or any other situation in which he or she would like someone to check-in. If their timer expires and their guardians see they have not yet arrived, they will be notified, so students need to be sure to deactivate it once they are safe. One of the best apps for peace of mind.
• myFSU – is the official mobile app for FSU. It gives students convenient access to campus news, a mobile version of Blackboard, campus maps that help navigate campus, dining locations and hours, a directory of FSU faculty, and more. It is free of charge.
• FSU Tranz – It is great if your student has a car. Believe me, it helps when students are rushing to class and can’t find a parking spot (I assure you those parking tickets can add up.) This free parking app shows how many spaces are available at that moment in all the on-campus parking garages. It even includes a map with each garage labeled. Students should check the app before heading to campus so they aren’t attempting to use it while driving.
• SeminoleSAFE – a collaboration of campus entities including FSU Police, Emergency Management, Dean of Students, University Health Services, Student Counseling Center, Environmental Health & Safety, Housing, Athletics, and more.
• Spear It Rewards – Students earn points by checking into events or connecting to various social media accounts via this app. Later they can redeem their points for prizes like a NorthFace backpack or a Nike pullover.
• Transloc – Students can view where the on and off-campus buses (there are 7 routes) are and approximately when it will arrive from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. It also provides announcements regarding service interruptions and the Nite Nole route (10:30 p.m. to 3 a.m.).

More Helpful Apps…

• CamScanner – as its name implies, this allows you to scan docs and save it as .jpeg or PDF. Great if you need to email or fax an important document.
• Canvas – Just like the website, students can instantly access their Canvas courses for free without having to lug around a laptop to keep up with your homework. You can see your grades, submit assignments, send and receive messages, view content, and modules, watch videos, take quizzes, and more.
• Chegg – Highly recommended. Oftentimes you can rent a book for more than half the price that a bookstore is renting it out. Students can rent, buy, and sell their books. They also offer assistance with completing homework and gives access to tutors, at a cost.
• Coursicle – Need to get into a class? Coursicle will notify you as soon as it has an open seat. $4.99 for premium per semester or free if you refer three friends.
• EasyBib by Chegg – With EasyBib Plus, students can use the plagiarism checker to find missing citations, and fix them before submitting their paper. Also, easily catch writing style and grammar errors with easy-to-understand explanations on how to improve their writing for next time. No matter what citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago etc.), EasyBib Plus will help create the right bibliography. Right now, students get a 3-day free trial of the product.
• Evernote – is a free app that takes note-taking to the next level. Students can brainstorm ideas, make to-do lists, take pictures of pages and sketches, organize everything into a notebook format, and share with others or collaborate as a group. The app even has the ability to search handwritten content; so finding your past notes is easy.
• Google Drive – Allows students to collaborate with other students as well as share documents, slides, sheets, and other files for class-wide projects and group study sessions. This is interchangeable with Microsoft’s OneDrive app.
• Grammarly’s mobile keyboard is the personal editor you can take with you wherever you go. Best plagiarism checker & proofreader.
• GroupMe – At some point in their college career they will have to participate in a group project, which means the fate of their grade, depends on working together. While GroupMe can’t force the group slacker, should there be one, to pull their fair share; it can facilitate easier communication. It works like a group chat, but, because you don’t have to meet up anywhere, everyone in the group saves time and money by making plans and discussing problems on their phones.
• iHomework 2 – If your student is really organized then skip this one, but I know a few that could definitely benefit from it. This free app can keep track of their assignments, deadlines, and tasks, and plan them out over a certain time period so they’re not left cramming at the last minute.
• iTunes U- if you use Apple devices, this app is a great study tool. iTunes U gives students access to text and course materials from universities across the world.
• LitCharts – is great for English majors. This free app helps understand literature. Find reviews, summaries, themes, and quotes for hundreds of titles without any in-app ads. Think of it as a portable Cliff Notes.
• Mathway – This app is great for college math. It guides students step-by-step to get the solution or check your work to see if it matches up to theirs. One of my daughter’s well-loved apps
• Although I would never have used it, my son, economics, and business major, may find this one useful. RealCalc Scientific Calculator means students don’t have to lug around that fancy scientific calculator because this free app allows them to complete all of your computing right from your mobile device.
• Offtime – This app costs $2.99 and is worth it if you’re looking to disconnect and avoid distractions in order to focus on homework, or studying. It blocks websites, apps, text messages, phone calls, and other notifications for a set period of time so you don’t get off-topic.
• OneDrive – A Microsoft app that allows students to get and share documents, photos, and other files from your Android device, computer (PC or Mac). It allows you to open and save files in Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote).
• Outlook – allows students to easily access their school email on their phone.
• PhotoMath- Another great app for college math courses. Students can take a picture of the equation and Photomath shows step-by-step directions to solve the equation.
• Quizlet – Quizlet is a free study app that allows the user to take other people’s quizzes or create their own. A user can create multiple-choice, matching, true/false, and open-ended questions and use these in various ways, such as flashcards and games. Students can share their “study sets” with others in their class and even encourage a professor to create one.
• Scholly – One of the fastest-growing apps after appearing on Shark Tank in 2015. This app matches students with scholarships using specific parameters and customized data. The app can even spot scams and weed out scholarships that require you to give your social security number (did we mention, don’t ever do this).
• Scribd- Scribd complies with all the important files and information to the topic a student may be searching for in one place. Students can create a library on the app and compile the notes, documents, and books that correspond to the topic of their research.
• Wolfram/Alpha is actually a fancy search engine that can answer questions, perform computations, conduct analysis, and prepare reports. You can get help with complicated algebra and calculus equations or find chemistry, engineering, or physics formulas. This app is $2.99.

Restaurants & Entertainment

• Audible: College can be very busy and many students don’t have time to sit down and read a book for pleasure. Audible allows students to listen to audiobooks on the go. It has entertainment, information, and educational programming. Students can join Audible for a discounted price of $9.95 a month when they verify their student status. They will get three titles every month as well as audio-guided workouts and the opportunity to exchange an audiobook for free.
• DoorDash – This is the same concept as UberEats.  They have an easy app that guides you through your order.  They have also launched Project Dash. This initiative helps tackle food waste and hunger in the local communities that they serve.
• EatStreet – online and mobile food ordering and delivery service provider
• Fandango NOW – Another streaming service offering movie rentals.
• GoPuff – A convenience store delivery app. Delivery is $1.95. Order anytime; delivery is very fast.
• Groupon: This is a great app that provides discounts for various things in the area for students to do when they are not studying or going to class. Some examples of what you can find on the app include, escape rooms, shows, fitness classes, and even nightclubs for older students.
• GrubHub – Simply browse menus, pick what you want, and submit your order.  Local suggestions are great and most deliveries are around $3. They run specials if you sign up for their emails, so get that setup.
• Hooked Deals – Hooked can help students find exclusive, real-time specials from restaurants near campus. The thing is; the deals typically the last one to three hours, so they need to be ready to scurry on over. Once there, they show the cashier that they got hooked and enjoy.
• Ibotta – is another cash back app that is simple and convenient for students. By taking a photo of your receipts and they will match items you bought to offers that are available for points on the app and give you cashback.
• Insomnia Cookies – As though being able to order and have cookies delivered until 3 am is not enough; they can also earn loyalty points when they order through the app (even if they plan to pick the cookies up). The only glitch may be that sometimes they may be short a driver, so be sure to check first if delivery is what you were hoping for.
• Instacart – For faster shopping and easier checkout, get the app and have groceries, etc. delivered from most of the same places as Shipt, but also includes CVS and Whole Foods.
• Pocket Points – I love this one. It literally incentivizes students to keep their phones out of sight during class. They just open the app, lock their phone, and earn points for the time it is off. Later they can trade the points for discounts at certain restaurants (ie: Muscle Maker Grill, Pita Pit, Dominoes) and local and online businesses (FSU Bookstore, Sperry). There is even Double Point Tuesday (which is great since my daughter has three classes on Tuesdays.)
• Postmates – Another great food-related app like UberEATS. This allows students to deliver food and goods similar to Ubereats. Postmates also has the option for students to have items such as groceries delivered from places such as Winn-Dixie and CVS.
• Seamless – delivery from just about any restaurant
• Shipt – Get 2 weeks free and $15 off your first order on deliveries from stores like Publix, Costco, Target, and ABC Fine Wines & Spirits. Let their shoppers do what your student doesn’t have time to.
• Yelp – Always students to find the best places to eat, drink, shop, and have fun. You can also read reviews that other people have written as well as write your own review.
• Zupp (formerly Party Tutor – Allows students to explore local specials and deals for nearby restaurants, apartments, bars, and local businesses. My daughter is a big fan of this one. You can enjoy exclusive rewards at everyone’s favorite bars and restaurants; it’s just $4.99/mo. Download it on your mobile device.
• And when you need coffee, download Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks to pay for your purchase and earn rewards.
• For music, many students recommend Spotify and Pandora.

Money, Finances & Getting Around

Come to think of it, your students should also have the Uber app (and an account) so they never get stuck walking home late at night alone. If they prefer, they can also use Lyft which works the same way as Uber. And probably UberEATS too, so they don’t have to stop studying to go pick up dinner. UberEATS brings the food directly to them.

• Dosh – is a smartphone app that gives you cash back every time you make a purchase at participating outlets using your credit card. It automatically sends a small percentage of cashback without coupons, scanning of receipts, or promo codes.
• JoyRun – is not only a delivery service app but a future job! This app delivers just about anything. Joyrunners (people like you, your friends, and their friends) bring you whatever you request. It works for every restaurant. There are no minimums, surge pricing, or overpriced delivery fee. You simply request a run from whatever you’re craving and a Joyrunner will bring the food to you. Payment is done through the app. They also notify you if someone in your area is perhaps going to Chipotle and you can put in your order with theirs.
• Mint – My son is a big fan of this one. Managing money while in college can be a struggle. Mint is a budgeting app that helps students keep track of their finances, as well as help them understand where they can make some budget cuts of their own.
• Starbucks App – Upload funds to your Starbucks card on your app and go cashless. The more you order, the more points you receive, and rewards you can redeem on free food and coffee. *Rewards cannot be redeemed at any FSU Starbucks but the cashless cards are all accepted.
• Venmo – I am mentioning this because I think it is so easy to use, but your students probably have it already. My kids are the ones that introduced me to it. Venmo allows students to pay each other back for anything their friends may have paid for them; their share of the electric bill, half the groceries, that drink at Potbelly’s, half the Uber ride…and so on.
• Park Mobile – is an application where you can pay for parking on your phone and add time from any destination you are, instead of dealing with the hassle of using a meter.

Health, Wellness & Fitness Apps

• Headspace – Maybe this should have been the first one I wrote about. I use this one too because everyone deserves a mental break. For students who want to improve their mental health, not just maintain it, the Headspace app is the perfect place to start. It acts like a personal trainer for meditation, taking just ten minutes a day to guide your brain toward developing meditation muscle-memory. They offer a ten-day trial. If nothing else, the app is a daily reminder that for ten minutes a day, we all should calm down, breathe, dislocate from any stresses and surroundings, and try to focus on how we feeling on a deeper level. (Note: I included parents here too, because, well, the world would be a better place if we all did this.)
• MyFitnessPal – tracks diet and exercise to determine optimal caloric intake and nutrients for the users’ goals. Calorie charts, nutrition facts, exercise, and more.
• Calm – a great source to learn to meditate, techniques for sleep, and stress reduction. (There is presently a Groupon for a discount on this app.)

These are useful and fun too…

• Student Beans will give them discounts for food & drink, fashion, tech and mobile, health & beauty, travel, study, and more.
• BenchPrep – GMAT, GRE and LSAT preparation
• Couch to 5k – helps you train to run a 5k. I actually used this once. It works!
• Duolingo – Great app for language-learning.
• FandangoNOW – streaming services offering movie rentals
• FindMyHeadphones -This app is AWESOME. It can find any Bluetooth device. My roommate has linked her airpods, computer, iPad, just about anything that is Bluetooth. It is a great app to have if you easily misplace things!
• Fiverr – an online marketplace for freelance services. Students can find or list services to find help or work.
• Hummingbird – An affordable App started by FSU students. Put in a request for anything from housekeeping to dog-walking to hardware needs.
• Magoosh– GRE prep app- word of the idea etc
• ParkByApp – An app that allows you to upload a debit or credit card and pay for metered parking. It also allows you to extend your parking time from your phone without having to revisit the meter. This app is applicable in College Town metered parking and additional metered parking on campus.
• Rakuten (formerly known as Ebates) – If you like to online shop, but hate spending money then you may get hooked to this app. I use it more on my desktop, but you can make an account to get cashback on so many online stores! I simply look up any store and it will give me a notification if I get cash back and how much I may get back. I personally have received almost $1000 back over the last few years! It is also accepted with Amazon so if students purchase any textbooks or school supplies on Amazon then this app is highly recommended.
• Target – The Target (Cartwheel) app has saved me so much money. I do not need to buy anything through the app, I simply click “cartwheel offers” and it shows me every coupon that is currently available. I can save as many coupons as I want and when I am ready to go to the store and buy my products, I show them the app barcode and it takes all the coupons at once.
• Wag – A Dog-Walking app. Think “Uber” but for Dog services. Affordable and the walkers are all thoroughly vetted. Upon signing up, Wag will send you a free lockbox for your key to leave for walkers. Wag offers dog-walking, dog-sitting, and dog boarding.
• Word of the Day- builds vocabulary. I like this one too.

It’s a wonder we ever made it through school without some of these. There are even more; fitness apps, language translators, and so on, but at the risk of overwhelming you (scroll back to Headspace if I have); I tried to keep my list to only my favorites.

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College can be challenging for all students which is why finding ways to make connections with others who identify similarly can make a big difference. The American College Health Association estimates that at least 10% of college students identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans, asexual, pansexual, or questioning. Although LGBTQ PRIDE is becoming more prevalent, the LGBTQ community often face additional pressures or concerns.

FSU and its surrounding community offer resources and information to both help LGBTQ students navigate the college environment and make connections in a group setting. The first stop would be the Pride Student Union, an LGBTQ+ student-run organization advocating for, empowering, and providing community spaces for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and, queer people in Tallahassee. They are located in the Agency Space on the fourth floor of the Thagard Building while the Union is under construction. For more information, email psu.director@gmail.com.

Ways to get involved:

Students can work on The Public Relations Committee creating content to circulate on Pride Student Union’s various social media pages. For more information, contact fsuprideprcoordinator@gmail.com.

• Pride volunteers work in shifts to keep our LGBTQ+ Resource Center, aka the Pride Center, clean and safe. Volunteers give tours to visitors and ensure that all guidelines are maintained. Volunteer applications open at the beginning of each semester. Contact psu.centerdirector@gmail.com.
• The Resource Committee collects, assembles, and distributes LGBTQ+ information to the Tallahassee community. Contact psu.externalaffairs@gmail.com.
• Events Committee assists in running Pride’s events smoothly and professionally. Contact membership.psu@gmail.com.
• Political Action Committee engages in political activism to advance LGBTQ+ rights on and off-campus.
• FSU often runs Identity Nights; student-facilitated conversations for different identity groups within the LGBTQ+ community. Groups generally meet bi-weekly. If you are interested in joining an Identity Night or learning more, email the Center Director at psu.centerdirector@gmail.com.

Campus Organizations and Resources:

• QTIPOC – (Queer, Trans, Intersex People of Color) is dedicated to creating safe and inviting spaces for queer, trans, and intersex people of color in the Tallahassee community.
• Gender Odyssey is dedicated to the advancement, education, growth, and unity of transgender and gender non-conforming students at Florida State University.
• LGBTheology is a student organization dedicated to creating safe space for self-identified queer, trans people, and allies in the Tally community and conversing on religion & spirituality, to freely practice and find community.
• Allies & Safe Zones is an ally development program to promote acceptance and support of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Pansexual, and Two-Spirit-identifying (LGBTQ+) people. Allies & Safe Zones is coordinated through Student Governance and Advocacy and is offered regularly to the campus community. The program is open to all, regardless of orientation, identity, or expression. For more info email: safezone@admin.fsu.edu
• Pride-U Fellows Program is a two-semester long LGBTQ+ leadership and empowerment program. Participants meet weekly to develop solutions to issues facing the LGBTQ+ community. Applications are released at the start of each Fall semester.
• SGA Diversity & Inclusion Institute is an 8-week program held in the Spring Semester where participants are challenged to gain knowledge about how to support fellow students with various identities to create a more united campus.

Local Organizations:

• PFLAG-Tallahassee – Parents, Families, Friends, and Allies United with LGBTQ+ People work together to move equality forward.
• Tallahassee PRIDEFEST is an annual celebration designed to promote peace and understanding among diverse cultures, races, creeds, genders, and sexual identities. It is celebrated every April.
• Here are additional support resources in the Tally community.
• The Career Center at FSU wants to assist the LGBTQ+ community with their career decisions while honoring their values and overall identity.
• FSU began adding all-gender restrooms back in 2013 and continues to do so. Each one and the new additions as they appear will be added to this map.
• FSU’s College of Medicine also promotes recognition of identity, dignity, and equality through their Pride in Healthcare.

Students that identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, or queer should not only feel secure that they have a safe environment where they can thrive as a student, but they should also feel confident that there is a community that will welcome them to a place they can make connections. FSU works hard to be sure that happens for all its students by promoting advocacy and education as well as creating opportunities for socialization and support.

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Seems like finding the right update in this unusual time is tricky. I don’t think I have ever used the word unprecedented as much as I have since this pandemic began. Actually, I don’t believe I ever used the word pandemic much either. However; it is real and regardless of what these unprecedented times have brought to you and your family, the fall semester will begin before we know it and it is important that we stay up to date on the latest update and procedures at FSU. At present, FSU will remain online throughout the rest of the summer while administrators are communicating with government officials about necessary safety measures and health protocols for the return to campus. Updates change, well, frankly, like the wind, but here are some important parts.

On-campus COVID-19 testing is available and encouraged. Students can sign up for COVID testing and their results online. Students may also be asked to take a COVID-19 test as part of FSU’s Sentinel Surveillance program, which aims to test a percentage of students monthly to detect when community spread may be increasing. For those students that test positive, Rogers Hall and several other smaller facilities will be used only for the 14-day quarantining of residential students who have tested positive for the virus. Off-campus students will isolate themselves in their apartments/houses.

FSU is starting a COVID-19 Random Testing Program. This is going to consist of students getting randomly chosen to get COVID tested. The testing is not required, but extremely encouraged. Participants will be chosen based on weekly reviews of on-campus activity at FSU. Students living on Florida state campus, students living off-campus in Tallahassee, and faculty and staff can get chosen. COVID testing for this program will be conducted at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center.

General COVID questions can be sent to COVID-19@flhealth.org. The following numbers may be useful as well:

• Department of Health COVID Call Center: 866-404-6300, available 8 am to 5 pm
• Florida Department of Health COVID-19 Call Center: 866-779-6121
• Additional community resources

And then there is the face mask part. Just wear it and encourage others to wear it too so we can just get to the end of this thing. FSU is requiring all students to help by wearing masks and will provide masks to those that do not have one when coming to campus. There are specific directions about mask requirements and sanitizing on page 6 of the COVID 19 Guidelines. We think that if your face covering is a bit more fashionable, it might not feel so awkward, so get a washable and fun one.

There is no doubt that the fall semester will look different starting with the new safety measures FSU has put in place. Students will still be able to participate in organizations, clubs, events, and activities –most virtually and others in-person, and probably outdoors, using proper social distancing. Indoor fitness will be limited in capacity, but there will be virtual fitness options offered as well. As for football and tailgating…. well, it isn’t looking very good, but no decisions have been made yet.

Housing has reduced occupancy, implemented space and amenity restrictions, and increased cleaning and disinfecting. Fall courses are a mix of in-classroom, hybrid and online; select courses and labs, and experiential courses will be face-to-face; however, no face-to-face classes will take place after Thanksgiving. Any classes that do take place in classrooms will only have 25-50% capacity to limit the number of students, faculty, and assistants at any given time. International programs will not be offered this fall. Entry to buildings will be regulated and monitored. The FSUCard is required for entry to all buildings.

Academic advising and support services for students will be available both face-to-face and remotely; intercollegiate athletics, including practices and competitions, will continue and follow NCAA and ACC requirements; and services such as parking, student recreation, student health, and student activities will be available. Fraternity and sorority life will be quite different, but it will still exist. Recruitment will still happen, with some parts done virtually and others with the option to be in person.

You can find or a more detailed look at COVID 19 Guidelines but don’t hesitate to reach out to any of the resources above with any questions. This is too important and we all want to remain safe and healthy and make this a success so we can put the U and P words in our past. You may want to check out some of our other blogs to help get you through these unprecedented times. Yup, there’s that word again.

• How to Succeed in Online and Virtual Classes
• Online Test Taking
• Should my Student Go Back to School This Fall?
• Want to Get Back the Security Deposit
• Dealing With Uncertainty
• Creating Work and Study Home Space

Pass on this update, tell your friends and like us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Find out more about how to use HaveUHeard as a great resource. Sign up for other great tips at haveuheard.com.

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Orientation for incoming freshmen for summer and fall 2020 will look different than the blog below describes. Due to unprecedented times, orientation will be online. Students will receive an email one week prior to their scheduled orientation session, which contains details on how to complete the virtual orientation. After, you will receive an email on the first evening of their orientation session that will outline the academic advising process, which will take place through video chat on Zoom. Once your advising appointment is completed, you will meet with your orientation leader and have the opportunity of meeting with other various groups to meet new people! On the last day of orientation, students will register for classes. In addition, Florida State will offer registration labs that will help students along the way and helps with any issues they may have throughout the course registration process.

Below is more of what usually happens. However, there is still some pertinent information. Students should also prepare by having the following complete before graduation:

• Complete your Immunization Form and Health History Form and confirm compliance through Online Status Check.
• Complete your mandatory Health Insurance Coverage Verification online.
• Make sure to visit Online Status Check to verify your major, residency status, completion of health history and immunization form, etc.
• Lastly, make sure to check your FSU email regularly for any updates or changes.

If two nights and two days can make your head spin, these might be the two. It’s not a bad thing, of course; it is just the amount of information you and your student will take in at that time that can get a bit overwhelming. I believe my first FSU orientation I spent taking pages of notes, marking things I wanted to talk with my daughter about later and highlighting things I wanted to keep close in case situations came up that may make those notes useful (ie: tutoring, healthcare, safety on campus…. honestly they touch on everything you can imagine and many things you haven’t yet.) Later I learned that parents took pictures of the slides – much easier.

The other memory that stands out, for both my daughter and three years later, my son, was arriving at Degraff Hall for check-in (between 7 – 8:30 pm on the first evening) to find very long lines. It was rather hot and parents stood around waiting for their kids to get checked in and move their stuff to the room they would be staying in for the next two nights. It is mandatory that students stay in the dorm for orientation and it is really a good thing. They learn almost as much there as they do in the break-out sessions.

Time of Their Own

Just so you know, you will not be spending most of those two days with your students; they have their own sessions. You will, however, be reunited when it is time for them to register for classes and possibly for a breakout session.  Try to discuss what classes your student may want to take before orientation as there is very little time to chat when they actually sit down with an advisor for enrollment (at the end of a successful orientation). Remind them that whatever they end up with does not necessarily have to determine what they study for the next four years. This seemed to leave some students in a panic, which in turn if you are anything like me, becomes the parents’ worry as well.

Take the tour and eat lunch, as planned, in the dining room. It will give you a clearer picture of your students when you talk to them months later and can envision where they were and so on. Dress comfortably, bring a sweater (it can get cold in the sessions), bring snacks and drinks (it can get long, and I, for one, like to nibble all day long). Walking shoes are recommended for the tour. Bring an umbrella. It always seems to rain at least once a day in the hot months. Welcome to Florida.

Come Prepared

A great deal of what the students cover will require they have access to their student portal. Make sure they are aware of their passwords, etc. This will be the time to activate their FSUID and create a pin, which will then give them access to their FSU email account. Bring any medical forms, copies of insurance cards, etc. you may need.

Be sure to read our blog on meal plans before you register for one during orientation.

Bank Ready

Set up banking. If your student will be receiving Bright Futures or financial aid, it is much easier to have it direct deposited to a bank account, rather than waiting for a check….that may arrive in their U-box and sit there for weeks over winter break. FSU has a relationship with SunTrust, so this is where any overages or disbursements would go. My kids bank at Bank of America, which is more convenient for our family and has a kiosk on campus, but money can be directly deposited from FSU to BoA or any bank of your choosing. For out-of-state students, it makes more sense to have a Florida bank checking account. If you are unsure, wait until you head home and you can always open one at your local branch. If you are planning on having your student use their FSUCard as a debit card for on and off-campus, they will need to set up a SunTrust checking account. While it is easier for students to not have to carry around an additional debit card (many put it in a stick-on cardholder wallet) if your student is anything like mine and loses their id’s, driver’s license, credit card, you may want to give this a second thought.

Vehicle Registration

Register vehicles in advance. It doesn’t necessarily have to be done at orientation, but it is recommended that if your student is bringing a car/motorcycle/scooter that they register online before school begins. Traditional parking decals are basically a thing of the past, but this does not mean they do not need one. Now they use virtual permits which require that their vehicle license plate must be registered each year. Parking permits are from August 15 to August 15; so if your son/daughter is starting in the summer, you guessed it; he/she has to register before summer and before fall again.

Have you made hotel reservations yet? For information about hotels in the area check out our hotel blog and restaurants. You should probably check out our other blogs as well. They are chock-full of good information.

And, of course, head over to the campus bookstore or an area retail store and start stocking up on Seminole apparel- You are about to spend your student’s next four years growing to love the FSU. Or check out some great Seminole gear at Life is Good, Champions on Display; Fansedge.Fanatics.

For those with fancier taste, check out the Dooney & Bourke collegiate collection. and, check out customized skins for your Nole’s laptop, cell phone, gaming devices, and even their Amazon Echo with customized FSU skin from Skinit. Use code huh25 and you will get 25% off your order (excludes gift cards, e-cards, and shipping)

There are a Starbucks and an Einstein’s just steps away should you need a pick me up at some point in the day. This is not to imply that orientation is boring, but it is long.  Orientation ends at about 1 pm on the second day.

Items to Bring

Your student will want to bring comfortable clothes, a pillow, sheets, a bath towel, shower shoes and a blanket, a jacket or sweater and, of course, their toiletries. Many of the girls bring duffles to hold all of their belongings. I remember getting my daughters a Vera Bradley duffle because that’s what college girls use. They still use it to this day for weekend trips or trips home when they do not need to bring a suitcase.

Click here for more information on FSU orientation. Early registration is strongly recommended (dates fill quickly). Registering for orientation has to be done through the new student’s myFSU portal.

Finally, and this may sound a bit obvious, but students who have older friends at FSU there for summer school will likely try to invite them out. This is not allowed; especially any sort of alcohol consumption. It will be tempting to see what college life will be all about, but it is too big of a chance to take.

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