Preparing for Grad School Exams
Michelle Balaun2021-05-07T13:14:16-04:00More exams, the fun keeps going! It may seem like you just finished studying for the ACTs and SATs and left for college. Time sure does fly when homewor [...]
Make the Call to Admissions to Get Answers
Michelle Balaun2020-04-29T15:02:49-04:00If You're Worried, Then Call... Sometime later in February, the UF Admissions department sends out with their acceptance letters. My older daughter, my [...]
Student Accessibility Services
Michelle Balaun2019-12-19T13:33:14-05:00Accessibility Accommodations for all students. My daughter has several friends that require special accessibility accommodations for their disability; s [...]
Parking at UF – It’s Not As Easy As It Sounds!
Michelle Balaun2019-12-19T13:42:06-05:00Get 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 Balaun2019-12-19T16:33:34-05:00Transferring 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 [...]
Finding a Roommate at The Swamp!
Michelle Balaun2019-12-19T13:35:01-05:00Adjusting to shared living with a roommate. When I got into the University of Florida, my biggest dream came true. I had envisioned my four years at The [...]
It’s All About the Delivery, get it now!
Michelle Balaun2020-09-15T12:50:24-04:00Delivery is the way To Go! Taking time away from studying to eat a meal sometimes feels impossible. Your student's choice can often mean the difference [...]
Sorting Out College Life – A Guide to Laundry
Michelle Balaun2020-07-20T11:38:31-04:00Laundry, the worst chore ever! I spent my daughter’s senior year of high school teaching her how to do laundry. I even tried using enticements (aka brib [...]
An Insider’s Guide to Campus Dorm Living at UF
Michelle Balaun2020-06-04T16:55:32-04:00Campus Living -- We have the inside scoop! For sure, start your process by reading about the dorms and where you should live on campus on the UF Housing [...]
The Innovation Academy Explained
Michelle Balaun2021-08-31T14:47:51-04:00All the Questions Answered: Innovation Academy So you just got into the University of Florida— what an exciting day! How vividly I still remember the da [...]
Technology Needs for UF Students
Michelle Balaun2020-08-18T03:24:37-04:00HaveUHeard that Microsoft Office 365 technology is free? No need to clean your glasses! It says exactly what you thought it did: Free technology for all [...]
21 and Oh So Fun, Here is where to celebrate!
Michelle Balaun2020-09-29T13:51:05-04:00An official adult now! Have fun! As do many students, my daughter turned 21 in the fall of her junior year at UF. There's a fun UF tradition where many [...]
More Veggies if you please! Here are our pleasing choices.
Michelle Balaun2020-11-05T12:07:29-05:00Vegan-Vegetarian Dining, love veggies. When my older daughter left for UF, she was a carnivore. In fact, one of her last meals at home was her dad’s ste [...]
Choosing or Changing Your Major
Michelle Balaun2020-09-18T01:13:30-04:00You can change your mind and your major! The University of Florida offers a million-gazillion (okay, a multitude of) degrees. How is your student suppos [...]
What Not to Bring with You to College
Michelle Balaun2020-04-28T11:03:09-04:00You really don't need that at college! If you haven’t started shopping for your incoming college freshman yet, whether for things for their dorm or clot [...]
Managing the Gap, when they are in between
Michelle Balaun2020-06-26T13:16:51-04:00It's Gap Time...Where Will They Live? Although it feels like you just moved your students into their dorms, you now have to move them out. The worst par [...]
Transferring to UF
Michelle Balaun2020-06-10T19:35:06-04:00Better late than never...Transferring to the Orange and Blue Many students leave for college unsure of what they'll find. Some ultimately realize when t [...]
Birthright Israel – Hillel and the trip of a lifetime!
Michelle Balaun2021-01-14T16:20:14-05:00Young 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. Man [...]
I’m Not Your Maid, but here is a solution
Michelle Balaun2020-09-04T15:16:26-04:00Cleaning Maid Services Needed? I never thought I would be saying this, but sometimes it is actually a good idea to hire a cleaning service for your stud [...]
Dropping A Class
Michelle Balaun2020-09-20T15:09:24-04:00Dropping the Subject Will it be okay when you think dropping a class is the best choice? When my daughter was a junior, she decided to take a very heavy [...]
Dress for Success and be ready for Adulting!
Michelle Balaun2020-08-18T14:48:18-04:00Time to look the part! As they get closer to graduation, one of the greatest changes our students are about to experience is the need to abandon their s [...]
Trouble in Paradise
Michelle Balaun2020-10-20T11:50:18-04:00Your student got in trouble... Is your student having trouble? In trouble? Are they having problems with a roommate, an apartment lease, underage drinki [...]
Career Showcase
Michelle Balaun2020-08-06T20:41:17-04:00A Student Perspective Sometimes the thought of choosing a career is scary. Attending a career showcase is important for all students no matter what year [...]
Finding an Internship at college
Michelle Balaun2020-08-31T16:36:48-04:00Best way to prepare for a job! What better way to learn about a prospective field or career than through an internship? I am a big believer in internshi [...]
Spring Sports are fun in the sports!
Michelle Balaun2020-05-14T16:11:21-04:00There is always more than football! Spring may not feature the iconic collegiate sport of football, but there are tons of other sports to enjoy! (Don't [...]
Favorite Apartment Rentals
Michelle Balaun2023-05-08T15:57:58-04:00Favorite Apartment Rentals Here are some great tips about our favorite apartment rentals. In my case, neither of my daughters stayed in the dorms beyond [...]
Roommates and Residential Life
Michelle Balaun2020-06-26T14:52:35-04:00Learning to Live With Roommates... I'll never forget my first visit to Preview with my elder daughter. The UF advisor leading one session asked for a sh [...]
Working While in College
Michelle Balaun2020-11-10T13:02:16-05:00Working or Not Working, That is the Question. Some students have to work to pay for college. Some consider their school work their only job and are fort [...]
Searching for Scholarships – Find Your Way
Michelle Balaun2020-08-19T20:01:51-04:00Searching for Scholarships Congratulations on Your Child Being Accepted! Now that that’s settled, the idea of actually paying for college looms. Hopefu [...]
They’ve Been Accepted, Now What?
Michelle Balaun2020-06-09T16:37:30-04:00They've Been Accepted Congratulations Class of 2024… YOU'VE BEEN ACCEPTED! It IS great to be a Florida Gator for so many reasons. You can all now take t [...]
Spring Break
Michelle Balaun2020-04-30T12:42:36-04:00Letting Off Steam before Finals Mention Spring Break to most parents and immediate visions of lawless partying comes to mind. I get it. I grew up in For [...]
Computer and Phone Repair
Michelle Balaun2020-09-20T12:50:53-04:00Computer 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 [...]
Study? The Best Places to Study at UF
Michelle Balaun2020-09-18T00:29:26-04:00Best Places to Study at UF My daughter, like every other college student, has her own way of studying. She does not like to study in a group but prefers [...]
The Best Apps For Students
Michelle Balaun2020-11-10T13:02:44-05:00UF 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 eith [...]
Beauty and the Beast
Michelle Balaun2021-06-10T14:57:30-04:00Beauty and the Beast It's not just for fairy tales. Getting that beauty treatment makes her happy. As the mother of girls (one who's a performer), I kno [...]
Just Desserts! Get Yours, In a Good Way…
Michelle Balaun2020-07-09T18:44:52-04:00Just Desserts! In a good way… "Getting your just desserts." Well, we think it's a better saying than what may have been originally been intended, becaus [...]
Trick or Treat The College Version
Michelle Balaun2020-10-01T21:53:53-04:00Halloween - the most fun time! Trick or Treat Then... As a kid, I would race home from school so my mom could throw together some sort of costume for me [...]
The Stress of College
Michelle Balaun2020-06-01T12:23:24-04:00The Stress of College Stress. It affects all of us, including our kids. Honestly, what do we expect from balancing a full schedule, the welcome distract [...]
Eating on a Budget
Michelle Balaun2020-07-09T16:45:35-04:00Budget Eating Is Possible Keeping your college kid eating while at the same time balancing their food budget is a real challenge. Through the years, I h [...]
Eating Healthy when you are a student
Michelle Balaun2020-07-09T15:40:13-04:00OK to be Eating...Healthy! As with other college campuses, the amount of burger, pizza, and fast-food restaurants at and surrounding the UF campus is a [...]
Sorority Girl
Michelle Balaun2020-09-24T15:40:30-04:00So They’ve Joined a Sorority Congratulations! Your daughter has found a place to call home in Gainesville besides the University itself. Being in a soro [...]
Bright Futures
Michelle Balaun2020-04-28T12:13:12-04:00The Future Is So Bright You'll Need Shades! **SEE END OF BLOG FOR CHANGES EFFECTIVE WITH THE 2020-2021 ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR** Bright Futures has long be [...]
Staying Fit and Keeping Freshman 15 At Bay
Michelle Balaun2020-08-19T11:29:03-04:00Freshman 15, Keeping Fit! Keeping fit matters. It helps mentally as well as physically. The phrase “Freshman 15” has its own claim to fame, actually inf [...]
Places of Worship for Students
Michelle Balaun2020-09-14T11:21:07-04:00Continuing Traditions of Worship Worship can be a fulfilling addition to your college life. For all students, being able to continue to worship, pray, a [...]
Are Your Student’s Valuables Safe – Everything Safe?
Michelle Balaun2020-06-26T15:52:10-04:00How Safe Is Their Stuff? One more thing to worry about: is the stuff safe? Right up there on the anxiety ladder along with the call from my college daug [...]
Graduation at UF
Michelle Balaun2023-12-20T09:57:14-05:00Remember When... Remember when our kids were little and we couldn’t imagine them ever leaving us and going off to college? Now, if you're anything like [...]
Mother-Daughter Time
Michelle Balaun2020-03-19T15:45:04-04:00First-Timer I remember my first mother-daughter weekend in Gainesville. Although it was a sorority event, we did not participate in all of the planned a [...]
U.F. Move.In.Day.
Michelle Balaun2020-07-22T21:26:02-04:00U.F.M.I.D. (Move-In Day) UF’s move-in day is…well…a LOT of work. Wear comfortable clothes and shoes, and be prepared for many trips to the car as well a [...]