Finals Are A Bear – Send A Care Package!
Michelle Balaun2018-10-17T12:02:22+00:00Send Help Now! Final exams can be some of the biggest stressors for your student. I typically do not get to speak to my daughter during exam weeks. My c [...]
Midterm Blues Care Package
Michelle Balaun2018-10-16T15:49:13+00:00Surprise Them With a Box of Love! Midterm and final exams can be some of the biggest stressors for your student. I typically do not get to speak to my d [...]
Interning in New York City
Michelle Balaun2018-10-17T10:55:32+00:00Who doesn’t want to live in New York City? Ok, I am a little partial. I am a born and bred New Yorker, living in S. Florida for 25 plus years, and I sti [...]
Florida Prepaid
Michelle Balaun2018-10-15T12:34:28+00:00What Does It Pay For? Many of us who have lived in Florida, planned for our students’ education by taking advantage of the Florida Prepaid program. The [...]
Get on the Bus
Michelle Balaun2018-09-17T16:54:40+00:00A Guide to Gainesville’s Bus System Getting to and from campus can be stressful-worrying about arriving to class on time with Gainesville morning and ev [...]
Where to Pregame at UF
Michelle Balaun2018-08-29T08:26:29+00:00All Part of the Gameday Football Tradition Football season is upon us and other than making sure you will be properly attired in orange and blue and hav [...]
GAP Year
Michelle Balaun2018-08-07T14:44:10+00:00Should Your Student Take a Year Off Before Graduate School? I remember when I started graduate school and on the first day of class, we were assigned to [...]
Teaching Them to Budget
Michelle Balaun2018-08-07T14:13:02+00:00My Best Advice as a Parent Three times the charm. Well, I suppose that isn’t fair; all three of my kids are charming and adorable. The difference is tha [...]
Money, Money, Money
Michelle Balaun2018-08-02T16:35:06+00:00When Will Financial Aid Disburse? The time has come to pay for your college costs and panic sets in. I remember receiving my tuition statement for my d [...]
Food for Thought
Michelle Balaun2018-08-02T16:37:22+00:00No Student Hungry Much like the national campaign No Kid Hungry®, there are many students at colleges throughout the United States that are barely getti [...]
Types of Student Loans
Michelle Balaun2018-08-02T16:35:07+00:00What are your options? When I attended school back in 1979, my Dad had four of us in college at the same time. It was through student loans that my pare [...]
Santa Fe First
Michelle Balaun2018-08-05T12:10:24+00:00Then Transfer to UF Some students may not be ready for a big university, but want the excitement that goes along with it. For this reason, many students [...]
The David Project
Michelle Balaun2018-08-02T16:45:32+00:00Israel, however, is not just for Jews It’s true that Birthright is a fabulous (and free) program for Jewish individuals from 18 to 28 to visit Israel. I [...]
First Time Student Loan Borrower?
Michelle Balaun2018-08-02T16:35:07+00:00You'll Need to Do This. What is Entrance Counseling? In July of 2016, the U.S. Department of Education made it a requirement that, in order to have stud [...]
Volunteering Turns Your Compassion into Action
Michelle Balaun2018-08-05T11:16:54+00:00Volunteering with passion is key. From personal experience, I have found that those who volunteer with a passion and find purpose in their work, have a [...]
Preparing for Grad School Exams
Michelle Balaun2018-08-02T16:40:21+00:00The fun keeps going! It may seem like you just finished studying for the ACT/SAT’s and left for college, but before you know it, graduation will be loo [...]
Make the Call to Admissions
Michelle Balaun2018-08-02T16:35:08+00:00If You're Worried Then Call... Typically, on the second Friday in February, UF comes out with their acceptance letters. My older daughter, my niece and [...]
Parking at UF – It’s Not As Easy As It Sounds!
Michelle Balaun2018-08-05T12:10:24+00:00Get that last spot! You sent them to college with a car and they are grateful. However, although it will make a weekly Publix run easier, no one really [...]
How to Transition as a Transfer Student
Michelle Balaun2018-08-02T16:38:57+00:00Transferring to a new college can be both daunting and exciting. I transferred to the University of Florida as a junior after completing my AA degree fr [...]
It’s All About the Delivery
Michelle Balaun2018-09-13T15:00:56+00:00There's a knock at the door! Taking time away from studying can be the difference between dinner or a bag of chips and a soda. Sometimes it pays to tu [...]
What to Get Dad on a Limited Budget
Michelle Balaun2018-08-02T16:38:26+00:00Don't Forget About Deal Old Dad! My sister and I are daddy’s girls but not in the way you would think. We grew up playing sports and having him as our [...]
Sorting Out College Life – A Guide to Laundry, Dry Cleaning & Alterations
Michelle Balaun2018-08-02T16:35:09+00:00The worst chore ever! I spent my daughter’s senior year of high school teaching her how to do laundry. I even tried using enticements (money) for each [...]
An Insider’s Guide to Living on Campus at UF
Michelle Balaun2018-08-05T12:10:24+00:00We have the inside scoop on places to live! You can certainly read about the dorms and where to live on campus on the UF Housing and Residence Educatio [...]
Shopping Guide for New Students
Michelle Balaun2018-08-23T15:40:44+00:00The Top 7 Categories of What They Need! Back to school-college is the second biggest consumer spending season right behind winter holiday season. Parent [...]
The Innovation Academy Explained
Michelle Balaun2018-08-05T12:10:24+00:00All the Questions you have about the Innovation Academy Answered. So you just got into the University of Florida— what an exciting day! I still remember [...]
Technology Needs for UF Students
Michelle Balaun2018-08-02T16:35:10+00:00HaveUHeard that Microsoft Office 365 is free? Yes! Free technology for all enrolled UF Students. Click here for information about downloading. Students [...]
21 and Oh So Fun
Michelle Balaun2018-08-15T12:30:41+00:00An official adult now! My daughter turned 21 in October of her junior year at UF as do many students. At UF, many girls who turn 21 have what is called [...]
More Veggies Please
Michelle Balaun2018-08-02T16:35:10+00:00Vegan-Vegetarian Dining. When my older daughter left for UF, she was a carnivore; in fact, one of her last meals at home was her dad’s steak dinner with [...]
What Not to Bring to College
Michelle Balaun2018-08-02T16:41:07+00:00You really don't need that! If you haven’t started shopping for your incoming freshman yet, whether for things for their dorm or clothes; well, then, w [...]
Managing the Gap
Michelle Balaun2018-08-05T12:10:24+00:00Where Will They Live? Although it feels like you just moved your students into their dorms, you now have to move them out. The worst part, aside from th [...]
Transferring to UF
Michelle Balaun2018-08-02T16:38:58+00:00Better late than never. Some students leave for college unsure of what to find and realize when they get there it is not the place for them. Perhaps to [...]
Birthright Israel – Hillel
Michelle Balaun2018-08-05T12:10:24+00:00Young Jewish students trip. Birthright Israel is the gift of a free, 10-day trip to Israel designed for young adults of Jewish heritage, aged 18–32. M [...]
I’m Not Your Maid
Michelle Balaun2018-09-30T12:30:15+00:00Cleaning Services Needed? I never thought I would be saying this, but sometimes it is a good idea to hire a cleaning service for your students’ apartmen [...]
Dropping A Class
Michelle Balaun2018-08-28T13:42:22+00:00Here's how to do it right. Drop Deadline November 19th Withdrawal with 25% Refund (W assigned to all Fall courses) is September 14th Dropping the Subje [...]
Dress for Success
Michelle Balaun2018-08-02T16:36:08+00:00Time to look the part! As they get closer to graduation, one of the greatest changes our students are about to experience is abandoning their shorts, t [...]
Trouble in Paradise
Michelle Balaun2018-08-02T16:39:30+00:00Your Student got in trouble, now what? Is your student having trouble or in trouble? Are they having problems with a roommate, an apartment lease, under [...]
Valentine’s Day Gift Guide
Michelle Balaun2018-08-02T16:35:11+00:00Sent With Love As far back as I can remember we always celebrated Valentine’s Day; not in the religious sense; it was a tradition I grew up with and con [...]
Career Showcase
Michelle Balaun2018-09-15T08:49:34+00:00A Student Perspective Sometimes the thought of choosing a career is scary. Attending career showcase is important for all students no matter what year b [...]
Finding an Internship
Michelle Balaun2018-08-05T12:10:25+00:00Best way to prepare for a job! What better way to learn about a prospective field or career than to do an internship? Obviously, I am a big believer in [...]
Spring Sports
Michelle Balaun2018-08-02T16:38:27+00:00There is always more than football! Spring may not have football games but there are tons of other sports to enjoy! When people think of UF sports, the [...]
Favorite Apartment Rentals
Michelle Balaun2018-10-05T16:52:18+00:00Favorite Apartment Rentals Here are some great tips about our favorite apartment rentals. With both of my daughters, I have two, not one stayed in the d [...]
Roommates and Residential Life
Michelle Balaun2018-08-02T16:37:23+00:00Roommates and Residential Life For many students entering college, this may be their first time away from home for an extended period of time. While dor [...]
Working While in College
Michelle Balaun2018-08-02T16:40:21+00:00Some students have to work to pay for college, some consider their school work their only job and fortunately don’t have to find work outside their stud [...]
Searching for Scholarships – Find Your Way
Michelle Balaun2018-08-02T16:36:09+00:00Searching for Scholarships We invested in Florida Pre-paid for our daughters and encouraged them to get as much as they could from Bright Futures Schola [...]
They’ve Been Accepted
Michelle Balaun2018-10-12T16:14:54+00:00They've Been Accepted Congratulations Class of 2023… It is great to be a Florida Gator for so many reasons. You can now take that sigh of relief that a [...]
Spring Break
Michelle Balaun2018-08-05T11:35:50+00:00Spring Break Mention Spring Break to most parents and immediate visions of lawless partying comes to mind. I get it. I grew up in Fort Lauderdale, the o [...]
Computer and Phone Repair
Michelle Balaun2018-08-05T11:35:50+00:00Computer and Phone Repair My daughters have dropped their phones more times than I care to admit (or they care to share); so much so that even the insu [...]
The Best Apps For Students
Michelle Balaun2018-08-02T16:40:21+00:00UF 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 kid [...]