Moving In
Michelle Balaun2020-06-10T13:58:00-04:00All the Tips and Tricks to Make Moving Easy Once your student has been given their move-in date and dorm or residence assignment, the process of handlin [...]
Eating Healthy at college
Michelle Balaun2020-06-12T11:33:31-04:00Eating healthy, not an easy feat! It can be hard to eat healthy when at college. While on-campus dining offers healthy options, sometimes having the opt [...]
Trouble in Paradise
Michelle Balaun2020-05-05T09:31:48-04:00Trouble, It Happens… Is your student having trouble or in trouble? Are they having problems with a roommate, an apartment lease, underage drinking, acad [...]
Moving Out
Michelle Balaun2020-11-11T10:41:44-05:00Is Moving Out Harder? For some, the process of moving in is easier than moving out. When your student moves in, they neatly pack their items in a suitca [...]
21 And Oh So Fun!
Michelle Balaun2020-10-26T16:52:41-04:00You’ve waited 21 years for this fun! As each year ticked off, you waited for the fun of being 'legal'! Anyone over 21 in Jacksonville will know about th [...]
Nature vs. Nurture
Michelle Balaun2020-09-10T12:34:41-04:00So Much More Than You Think Thinking back to when my daughter went to orientation at UNF, we never imagined that Jacksonville had much nature to explore [...]
Need Advice?
Michelle Balaun2020-06-05T14:29:01-04:00Advice Guide to Getting An Advising Appointment Usually, the busiest time of a semester is when students need to create their schedules for the followin [...]
Off-Campus Living
Michelle Balaun2020-06-05T14:16:19-04:00Economical to Extravagant Off-Campus Your child moves into their dorm in August and everyone is so excited…new friends, new space and everything is goin [...]
Having a Car at College
Michelle Balaun2020-06-04T10:56:10-04:00Can You Get By Without a Car? Whether to let your student bring a car to campus will probably lead to many conversations. In order to try to have a stud [...]
You Really Do Want More Veggies!
Michelle Balaun2020-11-05T12:11:48-05:00More Veggies Please - Vegetarian/Vegan Dining With our country’s focus on health and healthy eating, college students are growing up used to “making bet [...]
Mother Daughter Time
Michelle Balaun2020-06-04T10:49:38-04:00There is Nothing Like It! One of my favorite things to do with my kids is spending one on one time with them. Typically speaking, my daughter always wa [...]
Food for Thought, Is Everyone Fed?
Michelle Balaun2020-07-01T15:02:52-04:00No Student Goes Hungry Much like the national campaign No Kid Hungry®, there are many students at colleges throughout the United States that are barely [...]
Where Will They Live – Managing the Gap
Michelle Balaun2020-07-16T11:54:57-04:00Managing the Gap Did you know there was a time gap? Although it feels like you just moved your students into their dorms, you now have to move them out. [...]
First Time Loan Borrower
Michelle Balaun2020-07-09T12:10:34-04:00You’ll Need to Do This for a Loan What is the Entrance Counseling? In July of 2016, the U.S. Department of Education made it a requirement that, in orde [...]
Volunteering Turns Your Compassion Into Action
Michelle Balaun2020-09-02T16:01:03-04:00Volunteering with passion is key. From personal experience, I have found that volunteering can feed the soul. It can provide something that is missing [...]
How to Choose or Change Majors
Michelle Balaun2020-06-02T09:27:12-04:00Feels Like A Really Big Decision! Considering the University of North Florida offers a multitude of degrees; how is one to choose? Most students begin c [...]
Best Coffee Shops at UNF
Michelle Balaun2020-09-30T10:26:29-04:00Coffee, Cup of Joe, a Cuppa, Java Caffeine is king for most college students and, while generally the most economically savvy way of getting it is makin [...]
Orient Yourself, What You Need For Orientation
Michelle Balaun2020-02-27T14:14:50-05:00A Guide to Orientation Congratulations! Your child has been accepted to UNF! This is such a wonderful time in your child’s life and the start of the n [...]
Spring Break, Fun Times
Michelle Balaun2020-05-27T17:10:02-04:00Letting Off Steam Before Finals Spring Break...just the words conjure up so many different feelings, memories, and emotions. Some of the memories are f [...]
Transfer to UNF
Michelle Balaun2020-04-29T11:25:58-04:00You Can Change Your Mind and Transfer It is not uncommon for students to start at one university and find that it is not the place for them or to begin [...]
Money, Money, Money
Michelle Balaun2020-08-18T12:41:56-04:00When Will Financial Aid Disburse? Or, Show Me The Money! The time has come to pay for your college costs and panic sets in. I have three kids and each e [...]
UNF Care, How to Adjust to a New Life
Michelle Balaun2020-04-29T11:17:04-04:00Transition Can Be an Adjustment, We Care Moving to college is a huge adjustment for many students. Some students don’t know where to start when they are [...]
Parking at UNF
Michelle Balaun2020-05-29T16:03:40-04:00Get the Last Spot! When getting ready to send your student off to UNF, the decision of should they bring their car to school, and then what to do with i [...]
Technology Needs for UNF Students
Michelle Balaun2020-08-18T13:58:19-04:00Here is What You Get For Free! HaveUHeard that Microsoft Office 365 is free for all enrolled UNF students? And it’s free for up to five devices. That is [...]
Sports
Michelle Balaun2020-05-07T16:00:46-04:00Are U an Osprey? Unlike almost any other Florida university, UNF does not have a football team. To some this may seem like a major disappointment; howe [...]
Great Grad Gigs
Michelle Balaun2020-10-02T14:44:30-04:00Great Gigs That May Pay for Tuition Finally, you're a grad, but you need a little side gig to help with costs. In the Florida university system, there a [...]
Places of Worship for Students
Michelle Balaun2020-09-10T18:09:06-04:00Continuing Traditions Whether you are away from home as a first-year freshman or a fourth-year senior, it is always comforting to know that you can carr [...]
Restaurants
Michelle Balaun2020-06-24T12:32:48-04:00Great Places to Eat! Like any college town, there are literally hundreds of dining options from fast food to fast-casual, from family-style to fine dini [...]
Are Your Student’s Valuables Safe?
Michelle Balaun2020-04-30T14:53:21-04:00Keep Them Safe As we were preparing my daughter for college, one of the most popular subjects discussed on my UNF parent's Facebook page was safety. I’ [...]
Safety Matters
Michelle Balaun2020-04-30T14:52:29-04:00How To Handle The Fact You Are Not There I am a neurotic mother, yes, I admit it! When my older sons left for school, I realized that I no longer had th [...]
The Stress of College
Michelle Balaun2020-06-01T12:30:20-04:00Stress, It Happens to All of Us One of my biggest worries when my kids left for college, was would they be able to handle the stress of college life. Th [...]
Staying Fit
Michelle Balaun2020-08-19T11:06:09-04:00Keeping Fit Counts! Freshman 15? No way! Keep fit! We have all heard about the dreaded freshman 15 pounds that is so easy to gain the first year away at [...]
Rushing Her Way
Michelle Balaun2020-08-25T11:02:02-04:00Sorority Low-Down When my daughter was accepted to UNF she was thrilled! She starting talking about where she would live, who her roommate would be and [...]
Just Desserts!
Michelle Balaun2020-04-30T14:44:53-04:00Who Wants Dessert, Is My Favorite Sentence! Seriously?! My favorite meal of the day is dessert. When my kids were little, many times I would give them [...]
Campus Resources for Students of Color
Michelle Balaun2020-07-24T14:25:44-04:00Campus Guide to Resources for Mulitcultural Students Campus diversity amongst students has grown considerably over the years and most colleges acknowled [...]
It’s All about the Delivery and Ease
Michelle Balaun2020-09-15T13:03:53-04:00There’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 turn [...]
Making the Most of Summer B
Michelle Balaun2020-05-18T20:08:07-04:00It Can Be The Best Season Ever! (Unfortunately Summer B at UNF will be remote for 2020. Please see our blog on Distance Learning to help with any trans [...]
Rushing His Way – Frats
Michelle Balaun2020-05-16T18:15:57-04:00What Is the Rushing Real Story? So many times, we think about a fraternity and think of the movie Animal House. The brothers are living in a house that [...]
Preparing for Graduate School Exams UNF
Michelle Balaun2021-05-07T13:08:21-04:00Just Keep Going... Deciding to go to graduate school is a major decision for a lot of students. Having a master’s degree is a great way for students to [...]
Spring Sports at UNF
Michelle Balaun2020-05-07T15:52:46-04:00So Many Sports, So Little Time As most students and parents know, UNF does not have a football team. So the usual hubbub and spirit surrounding footbal [...]
Birthright Israel
Michelle Balaun2021-01-14T16:24:28-05:00Young Jewish Adults Israel Trip What exactly is Birthright Israel? Birthright began in 1999 with a bold idea—offering a free, life-changing trip to Isr [...]
Is A Grade A Really An A?
Michelle Balaun2020-05-18T20:03:20-04:00Those Pluses and Minuses Do Count! Get the Right Grade. Getting good grades in school really does matter. The grade you are given will have an effect on [...]
Homecoming for all Osprey’s
Michelle Balaun2020-09-17T17:22:32-04:00Calling All Ospreys...it's Nest Fest! Homecoming has a lot of meaning for college sports teams and it is always a special event and the homecoming at UN [...]
Student Accessibility Service
Michelle Balaun2020-05-18T20:01:22-04:00Consideration for Providing Accessibility for Everyone For students with a disability, UNF takes great care in providing resources for their students, w [...]
Roommates and Residential Life
Michelle Balaun2020-05-18T19:56:10-04:00First Time Living With Someone You’re Not Related To! For many students entering college, this may be their first time away from home for an extended pe [...]
Beauty and The Beast
Michelle Balaun2021-06-10T14:52:00-04:00Is That How Your Favorite Fairy Tale Begins? When planning for school, we often think of all the essentials, dorm room decorations, meal plans, registra [...]
Controversial Speakers
Michelle Balaun2020-05-18T19:55:03-04:00Is Free Expression Controversial? UNF has definitely had its fair share of public speakers coming on campus and preaching to those who pass by. While it [...]
What You Should Do Before Heading to UNF
Michelle Balaun2020-06-11T12:24:59-04:00Before you leave… Before you leave to take your kid to college, there are a few items you will want to take care of that are extremely important. Most c [...]