UF and College Studying Apps

Remember when you were in college and everything you needed was easily accessible via apps on your phone? No? Well, me either. Our kids, however, do live in this world and there are apps that provide everything from food delivery to tutoring services, not to mention how to create a budget or even the perfect bibliography. Below is a list of the ones I thought most useful. Please forgive me for its length, but there is truly an app for EVERYTHING. How could I narrow it down?

UF Apps

• GatorSafe — I’m starting my list here because the first thing on my list is ALWAYS my child’s safety.  With the  GatorSafe app, students can report a problem silently via text, also attaching pictures, video and audio files if available, and even anonymously. It empowers students to prevent assaults or other incidents before they get out of hand. Its features include being able to view crime around the UF Campus, trigger Mobile BlueLight to send your location, and call UFPD. The app includes a toolbox that contains a flashlight, loud alarm, and the ability to send your location as well as transportation information and links to U Matter, We Care.
• GatorWay – The official app of New Student and Family Programs at UF. You can download guides to various events including GatorGrowl, Family Weekend, Preview, and more. Includes a campus map.
• UFMobile —  Gives students access to UF resources including campus maps, Web courses, ONE UF Mail, the library, dining, shuttle service, emergency information, and more.
• Florida Gators — This new app connects your Ticketmaster account for mobile entry. Users may also securely store their credit card in the app if they desire a cashless experience at concession stands. In addition to tickets and concessions, other in-venue benefits for fans include purchasing #SwampMoments (like video board messages), seat upgrades, and exclusive events; tracking the Florida Football games you’ve attended via the Orange and Blue Fan Journal; and reading the latest Florida Gators news, watching exclusive videos, and viewing gameday information.
• TapRide — This app is tied into SNAP and allows you to request a safe ride. It is UF’s version of Uber at night.
• TransLoc – This app provides real-time bus tracking and location of all RTS vehicles, as well as access announcements that might impact your ride. Download the free app for your device.

College Studying Apps

• AnkiMobile Flashcards — The best app for learning over-time/long-term. It utilizes an algorithm for spaced repetition so that you do not forget the information that you memorized a week prior. It is free on every device except Apple products.
• CamScanner – As its name implies, this allows you to scan docs and save it as .jpeg or PDF. It’s a great resource if you need to email or fax an important document. You can actually upload the saved document through UF Mobile and turn in your assignment. Syncs with your other devices.
• 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. Often you can rent a book for about half the price of a bookstore rental. Students can rent, buy, and sell their books. Chegg also offers assistance with homework and gives access to tutors, at a cost.
• 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 — A free app that pushes 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 App — This app allows you to access any files while on the go, from presentation needs to proof of purchase. It also allows users to take a photo of a document, sign, or other text and use optical character recognition to convert to text that can be edited.
• Grammarly’s mobile keyboard is the personal editor you can take with you wherever you go. It’s considered the best plagiarism checker & proofreader.
• GroupMe – At some point in their college career, your student 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 carry their fair share, it can facilitate communication. It works like a group chat, and because you don’t have to meet up anywhere, everyone in the group saves time and money by making plans and discussing problems via their phones.
• iClicker – Participate in iClicker classroom polls and quizzes with your Apple or Android smartphone.
• iHomework 2 – If your student is really organized, then skip this app. But I know a few that could definitely benefit from it. This free app can keep track of their assignments, deadlines, and tasks, then plan them out over a certain time period.  This just might help them avoid that old cramming-at-the-last-minute stress-out.
• LitCharts – Great for English majors. (Oh, how I wish this existed when I was in school…) This free app helps reinforce comprehension and understanding of literature. Find reviews, summaries, themes, and quotes for hundreds of titles without any in-app ads. Think of it as a portable Spark Notes.
• Mathway – This app is great for college math. It guides students step-by-step to either find the solution or check your work to see if it matches up to theirs.
• Offtime – This app costs $2.99 and is worth it if your student is 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 their Android device, computer (PC or Mac), and all Windows devices. This app allows you to open and save files in Office apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote).
• Quizlet – My kids started using this app in high school, but the good news is this great study tool remains super useful. 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 them 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.  Brainscape is another similar study tool, but Quizlet even has pre-made flashcards on thousands of subjects. Both are free.
• RealCalc Scientific Calculator App — Although I would never have used this, my son — an economics and business major — could have. This app means students don’t have to lug around that fancy scientific calculator because this free app allows them to complete all of their computing right from their mobile device. Keep in mind there might be limitations to its use anytime there are limits set for phone access, like during an exam.
• Slader – Provides step-by-step solutions to questions from the most popular textbooks for math, science, Spanish, history, economics and more. Free, but they also offer a pro subscription for $1.99.
• TopHat — Your professor may have chosen this format for their course, and will typically give you a class code to enter for access to the materials.
• Wolfram/Alpha — While we’re on the subject of computations, Wolfram/Alpha is actually a fancy search engine that can answer questions, perform computations, conduct analysis, and prepare reports. Your student can get help with complicated algebra and calculus equations or find chemistry, engineering, or physics formulas. This app is $2.99.

Restaurant & Entertainment Apps

• BitBite – An app developed by a Gator that touts itself as the best way to find things to do and eat near you, then rewards you via a point system.
• 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
• GCM (Gift Certificates & More) – Just enter your location into the app (“Gainesville, FL”) and it will show all of the local restaurants that participate with GCM. Many places do offer $5 off a meal or more, depending on the restaurant! Additionally, this app is not limited to restaurants — you’ll find movie theaters, clothing stores, and services such as cleaners and movers that have redeemable gift certificates.
• 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. It also allows you to order food (Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, etc.) on campus without waiting in line, and they run specials if you sign up for their emails.
• Fandango NOW – A streaming service offering movie rentals. Yay, study break time!
• Hooked Deals – Another Food & Drink App available in college towns including Gainesville. It works similar to GCM.
• Instacart – For faster shopping and easier checkout, get the Instacart app and have groceries, etc. delivered from most of the same places as Shipt. Their service also includes CVS and Whole Foods.
• Pocket Points – I love this app! It literally incentivizes students to keep their phones off or 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 participating restaurants (e.g. Big Lou’s NY Style Pizzeria, Hungry Howie’s, Dominoes) as well as local and online businesses (Office Depot). There are even Two Point Tuesdays (which is great since my daughter has three classes on Tuesdays).
• Postmates – A large on-demand delivery and pickup platform, the Postmates app gives you access to delivery of anything from anywhere. Similar to Uber, Postmates couriers receive an order for your food, groceries, or whatever you need, then deliver it to your doorstep. Need another charger? Party supplies? Postmates will get it to you within the hour.
• Seamless – a Super easy way to order food for delivery or takeout, and you can cash in on their Perks, too. Their very likable motto: “Whatever you’re in the mood for, wherever you’re in the mood for it, you’ve got it.” Can there be a life app like that?
• 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.
• UberEATS — So they don’t have to stop studying to go pick up dinner? Another food and drink app, UberEATS brings the food directly to them.
• Zupp (formerly Party Tutor) – My daughter uses this one often. Zupp touts itself for being just a tap away from the best events and experiences happening around campus. It’s designed to facilitate access for college students to explore local specials and deals at nearby restaurants, apartments, bars, and local businesses.
• For music, many students recommend Apple Music (offering a student discount), Spotify, and Pandora.

Money, Finances & Getting Around

• CashApp –  Similar to Venmo, it’s another mobile payment service to transfer money immediately. This app has a feature that gives $5 dollars to the person who invites a friend to use the app along with $5 dollars to the new user.
• Mint – My son is a big fan of this one. We all know that 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. This free money manager and financial tracker app are from the makers of TurboTax.
• TransLoc – This app allows you to track RTS bus transit. It provides real-time transit tracking, arrival predictions, and proximity alerts, and can check bus times and routes.
• Venmo – I am mentioning this because I think it is so easy to use, but your students probably have it already. TBH, my kids are the ones that introduced me to it! Venmo allows students to pay each other back for anything purchased on their behalf. That includes their share of the electric bill, half the groceries, half the Uber ride…and so on.
  Come to think of it, your students should also have the Uber app (and an account) so they never get stuck walking home alone after dark. If they prefer, they can also use Lyft, which works the same way as Uber. And make sure they know and practice the safety rules for using those apps: riding in a group, trip tracking and sharing, and “What’s my name?” to note a few.
• Target – The Target (Cartwheel) app has saved me so much money. I don’t 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 to the app. 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” for Dog services. Its services are affordable and the walkers are all thoroughly vetted. Upon signing up, Wag will send you a free lockbox to safely leave your key for the walkers. Wag offers dog-walking, dog-sitting, and dog boarding.

Health, Wellness & Fitness

• Headspace – Perhaps this should have been the first app I wrote about. I use this one, too, because everyone deserves a mental break. The aim of Headspace is to “make meditation accessible to everyone.” It acts like a personal trainer for meditation, taking just ten minutes a day to guide your brain toward developing meditation muscle-memory and mindfulness. They offer a free ten-day trial before enrollment in a year plan. If nothing else, the app is a daily reminder that for ten minutes a day, we all should calm down, breathe, and separate from our stresses and surroundings, while also trying to focus on a deeper level of feeling. (Note: My expansive “we” includes parents here, too, because wouldn’t the world would be a better, calmer place if we all did this?)
• MyFitnessPal – Track your diet and exercise with this app to determine optimal caloric intake and nutrients needed to achieve your fitness goals. Calorie charts, nutrition facts, exercises, and more are included, and the app uses gamification to motivate the user.
• Pillow – Here’s a free app that tracks your sleep. It works as an alarm clock and also gives you an analysis of your sleep. It can be used with Apple Watch as well as the iPhone. Could this be the way to have our students start keeping themselves accountable for how much they sleep? Just pipe dreaming here, I’d wager…
• Calm – Another great source for sleep and meditation. This app also includes music and nature scenes to aid in focus and relaxation, as well.
• Sworkit – Wow! Personalized video workouts that are easy for students to do in their dorm or apartment. They’ll have the ability to choose from pre-built workouts for specific types of exercise that include strength training, yoga, and Pilates. Sworkit offers a helpful FAQ page to get the most out of the app and students can keep track of their progress as they go.
• Wholesome –  Students can use this app to find ratings for healthy recipes they can cook on their own (depending on their living situation). App users can also obtain personalized nutrition information to help identify nutrition gaps and make suggestions for better food choices. This is a perfect app for students who are working to stay healthy and eat the right foods while away at college. (It’s also a great boon for the mother who would like to resign from talking about this till she’s blue in the face.)

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 this list pared to my favorites.

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 daughter’s roommate has linked it to her airpods, computer, iPad, and just about anything that is Bluetooth. It is truly a great app to have if you easily misplace things. (I’ll have to ask if she’s linked it to her car…)
• 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, with word of the day, vocab flashcards, 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! Simply by looking up any store, I can get notification of if I get cashback and how much. Personally, I’ve received almost $1000 back over the last few years! It is also linked with Amazon so if students purchase any textbooks or school supplies on Amazon, making this app a real money saver.
• Rover – If you need a pet sitter while you are away or at classes or you want to become a pet sitter
• Word of the Day – builds vocabulary. I’m a sucker for this one.

Happy App-ing, Y’all!

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One more thing to worry about: is the stuff safe? Right up there on the anxiety ladder along with the call from my college daughter saying that she has lost her phone, keys, student ID, or (fill in the blank), is the call I get when they tell me someone took their cell phone, watch, or other valuable.

Through their tears and wailing about their stolen item, I find myself asking — once again — if they had locked their door. You see, for all the time my daughters have lived in dorms, apartments, sorority houses, and off-campus houses, I have personally and regularly witnessed them forgetting to lock their room doors (and — not usually but sometimes — the front door, too). When I make a mere “Mom mention” about that, I get a sassy response along the lines of “I’m just running down the hall to the bathroom,” or, even better, “Mom, no one would ever take my stuff.” It is exactly this naiveté that has taught them a painful lesson. Sadly, not everyone is good and kind and honest.

To be fair, in my daughter’s situation, her property was not taken by a roommate, but by a visitor to their living space. But, I’m pretty sure all of our students have had or will have visitors in their living space at one time or another. This is exactly why I have always purchased renter’s insurance for them. Most recently, I even purchased a dorm vault. They did not have dorm vaults when my older daughter went to school. We all wish that invention had come along a little sooner, that’s for sure!

Put It In The Vault

My current Gator is going into her junior year, so I’m a little late to the Dorm Vault party. This cleverly designed safe takes up very little space and can be attached to a heavy piece of furniture with either a security cable or a bolt. It is designed specifically to comply with residence hall and apartment lease regulations that do not allow it to be mounted to the wall or bedposts. I was so impressed with the Dorm Vault that I reached out to the Founder/Owner to learn more about his company. He agreed to offer readers of HaveUHeard an exclusive 10% discount. Use code HUH10OFF to receive this exclusive offer and lock things up safe and tight.

Equally important is having renter’s insurance. If you read your student’s undergraduate housing agreement, Article 5, Miscellaneous, 5.2, you’ll see that the University is not liable for loss of or damage to Student’s personal property kept in Student’s assigned Space or on or about any of Department’s facilities. For dorms,  your homeowner’s policy will most likely cover 10% of the total personal property or up to $1,000. This means an item costing over $1,000 will not be fully covered.

For off-campus apartments, renter’s insurance may even be required, especially in the newer luxury apartments. What I like about having renter’s insurance is that it covers personal property and is not limited to the mandated liability insurance. You can check with your homeowner’s insurance policy to see if it already covers your student or if they offer it as a an additional option.

Shopping for Safety

I shopped around, checked with some friends, and here’s what I found out about the renter’s insurance companies that many students are using:

National Student Services, Inc.  800-256-6774

Gallagher (aka College Student Insurance)  888-411-4911

Security First (which is a Florida Renter’s Insurance company)  877-900-3974

Nationwide  877-669-6877

Allstate

Progressive

State Farm

Geico

GradGuard

Stillwater Insurance

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UF is a melting pot with diverse people from different backgrounds and beliefs. No matter who you are, UF makes sure that you feel comfortable expressing who you are. While this is great for most students, this certainly strikes up the issue of controversial speakers. UF applies something called the Campus Free Expression Act. This act is a law for public universities and colleges in Florida that allows these universities to allow visitors to freely speak in outside areas around campus. UF has been a campus that has always promoted free speech by every person: an employee, a student, invited and uninvited speakers. As long as these visitors do not materially disrupt any scheduled or reserved activities on campus. This means they are not allowed to ruin another person’s expressive rights. The fact that this act prohibits visitors from materially disrupting other activities adds a bit of protection for UF’s students and faculty.

Being a fourth-year at the University of Florida, I have experienced the turmoil that select controversial speakers have created in the past, most notably, white supremacist, Richard Spencer. Students, parents, and professors alike were utterly shocked when the University of Florida announced that Richard Spencer could speak, despite his disturbing and hateful message. To be very clear, the University of Florida did not invite him, and in fact, it is against the First Amendment for a public university such as UF to deny an individual wishing to exercise his or her freedom of speech.

Accent Speakers Bureau is the student-government UF club in charge of bringing most speakers to UF and they normally focus on inviting individuals who have pertinent, creative, and inspiring content such as education, minority rights, creating a business, how to secure a job, investment success, etc. They bring people such as Hasan Minhaj, Kenan Thompson (from SNL), Chelsea Handler, Kevin O’Leary, etc.

The Phillips Center (our auditorium) can get rented out to people and the university has a limited say in who is allowed or disallowed. Before Richard Spencer arrived at UF, the University of Florida did everything they could to stop him from coming, but they were unable because he rented the space and it was out of the university’s control.

There are a few areas on campus that are “free speech zones” and UF cannot control who can and cannot use that space to freely campaign his or her ideology. Radical reformative individuals will utilize the free speech areas and the university has no control over their content and how they choose to present it, however, there are always police in the area in case anything escalates. If there is any form of harassment or unwarranted inappropriate behavior, people or groups can be banned from campus together including the free speech zones.

For information on UF’s position when it comes to Free Speech and Controversial Speakers, click here.

What if your student wants to protest or demonstrate peacefully? Parents, and some students, have asked the UF Career Center as to whether this may affect their future employment opportunities or admission to graduate school. UF and many national associations share their statements about standing up for what a student believes in by participating in protests.

Stella J. Fedele, UF Intern

Note from our UF mom: Prior to this incident, a 24-year old man wearing a swastika armband stood in Turlington Plaza. While he said nothing, many parents and students were alarmed that this individual (he was not a student, staff member or a faculty member) was not removed. Hundreds of students turned up in protest but because of the aforementioned Campus Free Expression Act, he was allowed to express his First Amendment rights and could not be legally removed from this public area. Many Jewish students took offense to his presence and proceeded to chant and yell. While tensions escalated, I myself spoke to my Jewish daughter explaining that I would prefer she stay away from that area. While she did understand the legal rationale as to why he was allowed to stand in a public spot on campus, it was still very upsetting to her that this was happening at UF.

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We know you care too! Now you have your college student moved in and they are ready to embark on a new independent life. As a parent, even if you are not a helicopter parent, it may be difficult to drive off. For me personally, while I miss my daughter immensely, I am also confident that I have given her the tools to succeed. The leash was loosened back in high school allowing her to make adult decisions while I was still around to offer my guidance. They are going to experiment perhaps staying out late or eating unhealthy foods, drinking and so forth. UF offers many safety nets if you have concerns that your student is having difficulty adjusting to life on their own. One of their newest initiatives is the U Matter We Care© campaign. The premise behind this initiative is that it is impossible for a large institution to know when someone needs help; therefore, it encourages basic kindness and helpfulness by offering the tools everyone needs to assist students in distress or contact those at the university who are specially trained to help.

U Matter, We Care© is an umbrella for care-related programs and resources for students and employees. The initiative includes a program to train people to recognize the signs of distress and to provide help. It also includes a website of care-related resources, as well as a centralized phone number 352-294-CARE (352-294-2273) and email address for those seeking help or wanting to help others.

Help for All

It includes links to report bias incidents, sexual violence, hazing, medical amnesty, self-help, substance abuse, and suicide prevention.  Click here for the main link for assistance.  Not only should you bookmark it in the event you suspect your student is experiencing any of these signs of distress but your student should bookmark it as well. It includes reporting forms for dangerous students, disruptive students and troubled students as well.

U Matter We Care ©

Bottom line, UF is an enormous institution and programs such as the U Matter, We Care© initiative offers a safety net should students and/or any other caring person chooses to get involved. The first recommendation is to make sure you have their roommates’ contact information or a close friend.

Some of the specific discussions I had with my daughter before she left, while obvious, included always being with a friend and not putting themselves in a dangerous situation. 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. That means never walking home alone, especially at night. As much as we would all like to believe that college towns are safe, there will always be criminals who take advantage of this general thought process. The university sends out alerts to the student for all criminal activity. I know some parents who subscribe to this service, but I would strongly encourage you to make sure your student subscribes as they are the ones living there. If you subscribe, you will only drive yourself crazy with worry for every alert sent out.

I would also make certain you have your student’s Find My Phone log in information. How I positioned it to my daughter was that if god forbid she went missing, a cell phone allows the police or anyone else to find out your student’s recent activity. I explained she could email it to me or give it to her sister, as long as I had it in an emergency. Of course, if the phone is shut down it does no service but it will give the most recent usage.

I have good friends who just sent their twin daughters off to college, the only children they have. One of her daughters went out and decided to sleep at another friend’s dorm. Unfortunately, her phone was dead. Her suitemate who doesn’t know her very well contacted another friend. Since neither one of them had heard from her, her one friend told her mom who proceeded to rush over early in the morning to the parents’ house and tell them, while they shouldn’t worry, their daughter was MIA. This set off a whole chain of events with the parents sick with fear that their daughter had been injured, attacked, and even worse. It was too soon to contact the police but the parents were ready to jump in their car and head up to the campus. The mom left her daughter a message on Facebook to call home and she did shortly. Meanwhile, the house was already filled with friends ready to spring into action. Her daughter explained that her phone had died and she slept at another friend’s dorm room. The lesson to be taken is that your students, whether they are close with their suitemate or not, should let them know 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 is no reason to not let someone else know their whereabouts.

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Many students, my daughters included, bring cars to UF.  They like the freedom of being able to go to the store, drive home, run errands and not have to rely on public transportation. Honestly, between their parking tickets, dings, scratches and dents, I am not a big fan but I do understand their perspective. But… car problems. It is why, after seeing new dents every time my daughter came home from school, that I no longer repair the dents. Oil changes, tire balance, and rotation, fixing something important that isn’t working is another story. I have bought tires for my daughter’s car at Walmart Auto Center after researching the type of tires she needed but for scheduled maintenance, I do have her take her car to the dealership. They are probably a little pricier than taking it to a specific auto shop but they do send us coupons.

My daughter does have a roadside service plan. It lets me breathe easier at night. We recommend having Roadside assistance with either AAA or another reputable company. Check with your auto insurance company as you may have roadside assistance or be able to add it on.

Here is a list of places to go for tires, oil changes and  auto repairs (dents, windshield repair)

Auto Dealers

Acura David Gainesville Acura. 3435 N. Main Street. 352-248-2557

Audi – 1920 N. Main Street. 888-925-4345

BMW – 2853 North Main Street. Service/Parts: (352) 376-4551

Buick/GMC- 2101 N Main Street. Service: 352-507-4478

Chevrolet – 2600 N Main Street (352) 519-4131

Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Ram – 3000 N Main Street. (352) 372-4343

Ford – 3333 N. Main Street. Service 866-465-3637

Honda – 3801 N. Main Street. Service – 352-261-5545

Hyundai – 3111 N. Main Street.. (352) 372-4251

Kia – 3345 N. Main Street. 877-887-9020

Mazda – 2700 N. Main Street. 352-372-8433

Mitsubishi – 2110 N. Main Street. 877-972-4456

Nissan – 3915 N. Main Street (352-505-8760

Suburu – 4025 N Main Street. 352-872-5113

Toyota – 2985 N. Main Street. 352-224-3430

Volkswagon- 3737 N. Main Street. 352-578-2554

Autobody Repair

Auto ER
2383 SW Archer Rd, Gainesville, FL 32608
(352) 372-2232

Ahren’s Auto
604 SE 2nd St., Gainesville, FL 32601
352-378-5710

All-Star Automotive
706 NW 13th Street
Gainesville, FL 32601
352-378-5832

Automotive Super Sports Collision
3001 NE 21st Way, Gainesville, FL 32609
(352) 379-9111

Buchholz Paint & Autobody, Inc
2618 NE 19th Dr, Gainesville, FL 32609
(352) 373-5482

Caliber Collision
1601 NW 55th Pl, Gainesville, FL 32653
(352) 338-3544

Carrsmith
2205 SW 13th St, Gainesville, FL 32608
352-378-7830

City Auto Repair, Inc
4488 NW 6th Street, Gainesville, FL 32609
352-377-0383

Computa Tune
3200 SW 34 St, Gainesville, FL 32608
352-375-0233

Dad’s Auto Repair
2014 NE 23 Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32609
352-727-7849

Discount Tire

3003 SW 34th Street

Gainesville, FL 32608

352-491-2812

Firestone Complete Auto Care
3744 SW Archer Road
Gainesville, FL 32608

Fisher’s Auto Repair, Inc.
311 NE 33 Ave.,Gainesville, FL 32609
352-376-7201

Gerber Collision and Glass
101 NE 33 Ave, Gainesville, FL 32609
(352) 372-6258

Maaco Collision Repair & Auto Painting
3222 N Main St, Gainesville, FL 32609
(352) 231-8562

Max’s Paint & Body Shop
2314 NE 19th Dr, Gainesville, FL 32609
(352) 377-0525

Tomlinson Motor Company
3580 N. Main St., Gainesville, FL 32609
352-372-0313

Tires Plus Tires Plus has two locations in Gainesville.
605 NW 8th Avenue- (352) 888-4211
3302 NW 13th Street – (352) 745-3868

Tire Kingdom
3950 W. Newberry Road
Gainesville, FL 32607
(352) 371-1771

University Collision Center Inc
2700 NW 74th Pl, Gainesville, FL 32653
(352) 336-2273

Walmart Auto Center
2900 SW 42nd Street
352-371-3171

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UF takes safety very seriously. Technology has changed the landscape of how they impart information to students through texts and emails, and social media platforms. There are also options available for students to use to get around the campus. For one, students can follow UF Alert on Twitter. Parents can follow as well but it may be overwhelming to get an alert for every activity when you are hundreds, if not thousands of miles away. I follow the alerts during Hurricane warnings/watches and other serious events and then unfollow. You can go ahead and bookmark in advance.

University of Florida Web pages
www.ufl.edu
www.ufalert.ufl.edu
www.emergency.ufl.edu
UF Emergency Hotline
1-866-UF FACTS
Follow UF Alert on Twitter

It’s a SNAP!

The Student Nighttime Auxiliary Patrol (SNAP) is a free, nightly, campus safety and transportation service sponsored by UF Student Government, Student Traffic Court and the University of Florida Police Department. SNAP provides a point-to-point vehicular escort service. All SNAP employees are University of Florida students who have passed a stringent background check, 15 passenger van training, and a driving test. In addition, SNAP employees must also maintain an academic standard to remain employed. Employees are equipped with a police radio, picture ID, and flashlights. SNAP communications and activities are monitored by the University of Florida Police Department. The SNAP program is overseen by the University of Florida Police Department Community Services Division and a designated SNAP Police Coordinator, who is a sworn police officer.

There are two ways to request a SNAP escort. The preferred method is by downloading the TapRide SNAP app, which is free and available to download from either the Google Play Store or on iTunes App Store by searching for TapRide. Once you download the app, please choose the “University of Florida SNAP” location and log in with your Gatorlink account.

For additional information and hours of operation for SNAP, click here.

Some students do not like waiting for SNAP. I know my daughter and her friends would call an Uber instead of waiting. The most important advice is that students not walk home alone especially late at night. It is far too risky.

An Uncomfortable Discussion …

UF offers a self -defense program for women and for men. My daughters did not take the program although I truly wished they had. It may be worth looking into for your students.

All universities are open campuses many with beautiful, sprawling foliage, brick buildings, open spaces. UF 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 both my daughters 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 UF’s plan, click here.

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Campus diversity among students has grown considerably over the years and most colleges and universities actively acknowledge the need to embrace and honor the many, various minority groups. These colleges have been seeking to create campuses that further an inclusive atmosphere, and UF is no exception. For example, the University of Florida hired its first-ever Chief Diversity Officer in July of 2018, with a plan of building relationships across campus and serving as a resource for everyone.

The plan for the whole Gator community — to gain exposure, expand perceptions and global awareness, and encourage a willingness to collaborate peacefully and freely — starts at the top and continues through many official and student organizations. While there are quite a few national associations, universities often have localized branches that provide the student with a more personalized experience. Each group’s stated mission may differ somewhat, but the overall goal of all these on-campus organizations is to encourage a welcoming space for black students to make connections and feel at home with one another as well as with their Gator community.

Explore the Diversity

Students at UF are supported through varying resources. Some organizations for students of color are sponsored by professional societies, while others focus on diversity, mentoring, networking, or college achievement. There are a growing number of Black and Multicultural Student Groups available for both undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Florida. They range from academic groups to cultural and social groups to advocacy and political groups and more. There are even groups specifically for graduate students. I encourage you to explore all the options to see both what is available and what appeals to you.

Along with the various Gator organizations, clubs, and groups on campus, black students may also be interested in joining one of the sororities or fraternities that are part of the National Pan-Hellenic Council – a national African American (Black) Greek-lettered affiliation. These social organizations provide students with the opportunity to network, volunteer in local communities, receive leadership training, access member-exclusive career boards, and participate in professional training. Their missions and membership requirements vary, but what they stand for is clearly stated so you can discover which ones interest you. That’s not to preclude them from joining any of the sororities or fraternities on campus that are open to all students.

Black Outreach and Involvement

One thing is for sure — it is easy to get involved. The University encourages Black Student Involvement, and opportunities abound for outreach, leadership, and career and cultural development. There is even a Coffee and Culture program that celebrates the narratives and experiences of Black UF Alumni – you can explore your Gator Network over a college-staple cup of java or at a Black UF Community Mixer. The only limits to your involvement are your available time and preference of activity.

Whether offering a forum for communication among diverse students and faculty, helping minority students build strong social networks, serving as an official voice for the black community, searching for scholarships, or simply pursuing a welcoming space among other students of color, you can see that the Gator Nation has a place for you to belong.

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Having grown up in South Florida, I have made it through more than 45 Hurricane seasons. Yikes! But with that much hurricane preparedness under my belt, I can say with great certainty that preparation, not panic, is crucial.

I will admit that some of my personal preparations included being the host of many a Hurricane Party. Family and friends who lived in evacuation zones brought food and supplies along with their evacuating selves. Hurricane parties have not been all that uncommon throughout the years, especially in South Florida. They served as a distraction for our children and, truth be told, for the adults too. The celebration of being prepared together certainly eased the concerns over why we were making those preparations. But 2020 has changed all that although, in some ways, our “hunkering down” has pre-prepped us for the storm season. (Got toilet paper?)

Still, hurricanes — and the potential for a direct hit — are frightening. The 24-hour weather broadcasts do very little to help keep anxiety at bay. After South Florida took significant hits from Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and  Hurricane Wilma in 2005, my neighbors and I all became proficient in a whole new language. Steering winds, cone of uncertainty, El Nino, storm surge, wind shear, and wind gusts are just a drop in the new-lingo bucket.

Preparation, Not Panic

But, when enough time passes with more major Hurricane warnings than hits, even we Floridians become complacent about being prepared. That complacency doesn’t usually extend to those parents who have Gators here from out of state, though. With the first mention of a named storm or hurricane heading towards Florida, the beginnings of (justifiable) panic at an unfamiliar danger sets in. When the local, state, and even national news about a potential storm starts dominating the airwaves well in advance of a storm’s possible arrival, those parents’ concerns go into overdrive. What they don’t know is that their students are busy distracting themselves with Jim Cantore memes!

The level of panic for experienced, in-state residents is directly correlated to the category of the storm being forecast. Floridians seem to look at  Cat 1 with almost an indifference. This may or may not be healthy when contemplating top wind speeds of 95 miles per hour, yet, that’s a Floridian for you. Get to the mention of a Cat 3 storm or higher, however, and nerves start frazzling, palms begin sweating, and everyone goes into advanced preparation mode. (This is when shelves at grocery and hardware stores start looking as if Marie Kondo had her decluttering way with them.) Add the fact that we are not with our kids to face this looming threat of a storm together, and an emotional tsunami begins to swell as well (pun entirely intended).

It was just last year that a Hurricane was threatening much of the state. University officials went into their well-practiced planning mode. After my many years with students on the Gainesville campus, I have no doubt that UF will be there — before, during, and after any storm, or even the threat of one– for all our students.

Important Storm Info

• Hurricane Season officially begins June 1st and ends on December 1st.
• Florida gets weather — be it a bad rain or thunderstorm, a tropical storm, or a full-on hurricane. Just keep in-case-of-power-loss supplies on hand all the time; they won’t go to waste. Include a flashlight and batteries, bottled water (purchased or just bottled yourself), and some non-perishable foods to get through a minimum of three days. Think tuna fish, peanut butter, protein bars, and the like.
• Make sure you stock up on water in advance of a storm. Using your own containers or plastic bags works as well as purchasing bottled water. Freezing some of it will even help the contents of your freezer stay frozen a bit longer if you lose power.

Batteries, Batteries, Batteries

• Fully charge and back up your computers and phones before the storm starts. Have a portable (or solar) charger or charged battery back up for your cell phone. Unplug all entertainment.
• If your student has a vehicle that operates on gasoline, they should fill up. Waiting until the day before a potential storm is due to hit is NOT advisable. The lines are very long and some gas stations actually run out of fuel. Remind them to set the emergency brake when parking their vehicle before taking shelter from the storm. Another note: a full tank of gas can also allow them to run their vehicle long enough to power a cell phone that can’t be recharged when the electricity is out.
• ATMs do not operate when there are electrical outages. If a potential storm is approaching, make sure they take out cash in advance.
• Have a battery-operated radio (and batteries for that radio). You can usually purchase these radios for $10-$20 or so. When we lose power, we have everyone turn off their cell phones to conserve battery life. Each person takes a turn keeping their phone on, and we continue this rotation until all power for all cell phones has been used up. Having a radio allowed us to listen to emergency alerts (for tornado warnings in the area, etc.) without using up our phone charge to hear this information.
• Manual can opener (to open those non-perishable cans of food).
• Have a battery-operated fan (and batteries for that fan). For the days that follow without power, it gets awfully hot inside the house. The fan gives at least a bit of relief.

More Info and Insight…

• When Hurricane Michael caused a momentary concern for Gainesville, I advised my daughter to get a landline telephone (think the corded ones). That advice isn’t as universally helpful as it used to be, because even those who have access to a landline connection are typically serviced by their cable provider. That requires both electricity and intact cell towers. It never hurts, though, to know if a nearby friend or neighbor has a landline in case they have access.
• Campus housing is designated as shelters for campus residents. The university will use other campus facilities on an as-needed basis should off-campus students and emergency staff need it. UF takes every precaution to ensure the safety of their students, including keeping them informed.
• If a storm is approaching Gainesville, please do not advise your student to get on the road and leave if it is the day before — or the day of — the storm. Gainesville will issue evacuation orders with as much advance notice as possible if ever deemed necessary. Clogging up roads is dangerous not only to your student but also to those that are under mandatory evacuation orders. It could leave them all stranded and out in the elements they were trying to escape at the worst possible time.
• Should your student (or you) have other concerns, they should contact umatter@ufl.edu.

And…Important Storm Info Links

Additional information on UF’s storm preparedness can be found below. Go ahead and bookmark them in advance so you have them when and if you need them.

University of Florida web pages:

• UFL
  
• UFalert
  
• emergency
  
• UF Emergency Hotline: 866-UF FACTS
• Follow UF Alert on Twitter
  
• Residence Halls: Tropical Weather and Other Emergency Preparedness
• National Weather Service Briefing Updates

None of us can predict the path of a storm or its potential damage. However, towns and cities centrally located in Florida do not typically take a direct hit. Remember, these storms are coming off the Atlantic or the Gulf.  Depending upon the size of the storm, the damage they inflict can still be felt at quite a distance, so being prepared and informed is the only way to ride one out.

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