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 [...]
Auxiliary Fees for Classes
Michelle Balaun2020-09-30T12:13:12-04:00HaveUHeard of These Fees for Online Classes? There is no denying that college tuition, in and of itself, is a huge expense; however, on top of the cost, [...]
Being Thrifty
Michelle Balaun2020-07-17T14:34:34-04:00When You Need to Stay on Budget, Be Thrifty! Being a college student, it can be stressful to be thrifty and stay on budget throughout the semester. Ther [...]
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 [...]
My Student Made Honor Roll
Michelle Balaun2020-07-08T10:45:28-04:00Honor Roll Pride Some parents believe in rewarding hard work-honor roll, with money or gifts, I happen to not be one of those parents. I always tell my [...]
Sorority Girl – The Inside Scoop
Michelle Balaun2020-09-24T15:39:46-04:00It’s More Than Parties, Sorority Life. Congratulations if your daughter has joined a sorority! Joining a sorority was one of the best decisions I made [...]
Get on the Bus
Michelle Balaun2020-06-17T15:16:36-04:00A Guide to UNF’s Bus System Getting to and from campus or around campus at UNF can be a little stressful, however, UNF’s Bus system Osprey Connector can [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Taking the Campus Tour
Michelle Balaun2020-11-05T11:27:37-05:00What To Do On Tour! Touring college campuses is so important before your student decides where they want to attend school. Some students will tour campu [...]
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 [...]
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. [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Namast’ay at UNF, Your Yoga Connection
Michelle Balaun2020-09-21T18:16:43-04:00Keeping Stress at Bay with Yoga Ahhhhh, one of my favorite things to do, and by far the best way to get my head cleared is to practice yoga. Very few 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 [...]
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 [...]
Dress for Success
Michelle Balaun2020-08-18T15:49:38-04:00Time to Step It Up, Success Is Waiting! As they get closer to graduation, there are many changes that students will have to face. Although it may not b [...]
Eating on a Budget
Michelle Balaun2020-06-29T15:08:23-04:00Teach Them To Budget And The Rest Is Easy Eating on a budget is hard to do at any age. Teaching my three kids how to budget their money was not an easy [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Bright Futures – Shining Bright
Michelle Balaun2020-05-07T15:58:24-04:00The 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 been a grea [...]
High School Graduation Gift Ideas
Michelle Balaun2022-02-15T11:57:19-05:00Get Them Something Practical Yet Fun When my older son graduated from high school, not only did he go to a lot of graduation parties, but he also had a [...]
Graduation Restaurant Reservations
Michelle Balaun2020-10-16T14:56:16-04:00Reservations! The Earlier, The Better! I can’t believe that graduation is right around the corner! UNF's Fall Graduation is in December and is held in t [...]
Finding A Roommate at UNF
Michelle Balaun2020-05-12T12:05:29-04:00First time living with someone you’re not related to! When I went to school, there was no way to find out who my roommate was until the day I got to sch [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Finding An Internship
Michelle Balaun2020-09-03T16:21:31-04:00Learn About Your Options, Find an Internship I have three children; one graduated from FSU, one is a junior at FSU and one is a freshman at UNF. Each on [...]
Working While In College
Michelle Balaun2020-11-10T13:37:38-05:00Who doesn’t need extra money... Some students are working to supplement the allowance that their parents are giving them each week or month and some stu [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Insider’s Guide to Living on Campus
Michelle Balaun2020-06-22T10:50:25-04:00We have the inside scoop on places to live ON-Campus! You can certainly read about the dorms and where to live from UNF’s web page Housing and Residence [...]
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 [...]
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’ [...]
Wakey Wakey- Eggs and Bakey Breakfast
Michelle Balaun2020-07-10T10:26:09-04:00Here are Our Favorites for Breakfast Another Broken Egg Café - Start your day the delicious way with southern-style biscuit beignets, gourmet omelets, a [...]
Dropping a Class
Michelle Balaun2020-09-20T14:58:20-04:00Dropping, When Is it Time? Here are the guidelines you should consider when dropping a class. “I need to drop my Business Calculus class.” Not the best [...]
They’ve Been Accepted
Michelle Balaun2020-02-24T12:15:52-05:00Now, What do You Do? Congratulations Class of 2024… Swoop and Welcome to The Nest!! You can now take that sigh of relief that a decision has been made a [...]
Searching for Scholarships at UNF
jadmin2020-09-08T14:35:31-04:00Congratulations on Your Child Being Accepted! Now that that’s settled, the idea of actually paying for college looms. Hopefully, you have prepared in s [...]
When the Wind Blows a Hurricane is coming!
Michelle Balaun2020-09-01T13:48:42-04:00Being prepared for a Hurricane Having lived in Florida since 1983, I have seen and experienced a lot of hurricane preparedness and fortunately, I have n [...]
What Not to Bring to College
Michelle Balaun2020-05-11T10:22:30-04:00No, you don’t need that! I remember when I first went to college – many, many years ago, I packed my car and my parents’ car full of my clothing, access [...]
What is FAFSA?
Michelle Balaun2020-10-02T10:22:41-04:00First Applicants Find Substantial Assets, FAFSA of course! First Applicants Find Substantial Assets, of course! FAFSA is the national Free Application f [...]