Getting to know Gainesville
Gainesville is a place to call home for so many people... Home for 4 years that is. I was used to visiting Gainesville throughout my life because my parents both met and graduated from the University of Florida. Like I said in my last post I really considered this place a second home before I actually got here. Although I love my hometown Miami, I am really fond of this place and everything it has to offer.
I think it is a difficult transition at first but here are some things I've learned about Gainesville to help you get familiar with the area.
Fact 1: Although officially known as Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, UF's 83,000-seat football facility is more familiarly known as "the Swamp." This name for the stadium is attributed to Steve Spurrier, head football coach from 1990-2001 and a former Gator quarterback who won the 1966 Heisman Trophy.
Fact 2: Gainesville has been home to several famous people... My favorite is music legend Tom Petty. Several others include baseball player Roger Maris, newsman Forrest Sawyer, SNL comedian Darrell Hammond, poet Robert Frost, TV personality Bob Vila, and actors Buddy Ebsen and Faye Dunaway. Also someone else I consider famous Tim Tebow played football at UF and comes to visit pretty often.
Fact 3: We have a lot of fun football chants!
2 bits, 4 bits, 6 bits a dollar, all for the Gators get up and holler!
Fact 4: GATORADE was invented here. How cool is that! It was here that Dr. Robert Cade, a UF professor, created Gatorade. Another fun fact is that my dad actually had him as an instructor during his time at UF. Gatorade was designed to ward off the effects of dehydration during football games, the beverage helps balance sugar and sodium levels in the body.
Fact 5: UF first opened in 1906 with just over 100 students. The college now enrolls over 50,000 students and the campus is about 2,000 acres.
Fact 6: A lot of famous artists and bands (Tom Petty again) originated in Gainesville. I actually had the chance to meet and interview Don Felder from The Eagles last year and it was the coolest thing ever. Others include Stephen Stills, The Motels, Less Than Jake, Vanderslice, Sister Hazel, and For Squirrels.
Fact 6: The Florida Museum of Natural History is the state’s official natural history museum. It was founded in 1891 and relocated to the University of Florida campus in 1906.
Fact 7: Alligators, birds, and other wildlife can be seen in Gainesville at the Lake Alice wildlife area, which is on the University of Florida campus. There are also two bat houses near Lake Alice as well!
Fact 8: A serial killer, Danny Rollings came through the Gainesville area during the 1990s and murdered five students.
Fact 9: The Independent Florida Alligator, the daily student newspaper at the University of Florida, is the largest student-run newspaper in the United States. I am a contributor writer for the Alligator! It's so fun to see my name published from time to time.
Fact 10: There are a lot of natural springs that you can checkout! Including Devil's Den!
I think it is a difficult transition at first but here are some things I've learned about Gainesville to help you get familiar with the area.
Fact 1: Although officially known as Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, UF's 83,000-seat football facility is more familiarly known as "the Swamp." This name for the stadium is attributed to Steve Spurrier, head football coach from 1990-2001 and a former Gator quarterback who won the 1966 Heisman Trophy.
Fact 2: Gainesville has been home to several famous people... My favorite is music legend Tom Petty. Several others include baseball player Roger Maris, newsman Forrest Sawyer, SNL comedian Darrell Hammond, poet Robert Frost, TV personality Bob Vila, and actors Buddy Ebsen and Faye Dunaway. Also someone else I consider famous Tim Tebow played football at UF and comes to visit pretty often.
Fact 3: We have a lot of fun football chants!
2 bits, 4 bits, 6 bits a dollar, all for the Gators get up and holler!
Fact 4: GATORADE was invented here. How cool is that! It was here that Dr. Robert Cade, a UF professor, created Gatorade. Another fun fact is that my dad actually had him as an instructor during his time at UF. Gatorade was designed to ward off the effects of dehydration during football games, the beverage helps balance sugar and sodium levels in the body.
Fact 5: UF first opened in 1906 with just over 100 students. The college now enrolls over 50,000 students and the campus is about 2,000 acres.
Fact 6: A lot of famous artists and bands (Tom Petty again) originated in Gainesville. I actually had the chance to meet and interview Don Felder from The Eagles last year and it was the coolest thing ever. Others include Stephen Stills, The Motels, Less Than Jake, Vanderslice, Sister Hazel, and For Squirrels.
Fact 6: The Florida Museum of Natural History is the state’s official natural history museum. It was founded in 1891 and relocated to the University of Florida campus in 1906.
Fact 7: Alligators, birds, and other wildlife can be seen in Gainesville at the Lake Alice wildlife area, which is on the University of Florida campus. There are also two bat houses near Lake Alice as well!
Fact 8: A serial killer, Danny Rollings came through the Gainesville area during the 1990s and murdered five students.
Fact 9: The Independent Florida Alligator, the daily student newspaper at the University of Florida, is the largest student-run newspaper in the United States. I am a contributor writer for the Alligator! It's so fun to see my name published from time to time.
Fact 10: There are a lot of natural springs that you can checkout! Including Devil's Den!
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