A Guide to the University of North Alabama

Welcome to Florence! Florence, Alabama is home to the University of North Alabama, a beautiful campus full of every kind of person you can imagine. So, you are fixing to go to college. Wonderful, I hear there's a lot of money in that. I'm sure this is a new and exciting experience for you, whether you've been to college before or not. There are several questions you may be asking yourself, but fear not, for I am here to guide you through your first few days of the college experience.

Day 1: Getting Situated

So I'm sure you've registered for all of your exciting new classes, and can't wait to get to it and get you some learnin. Hold on though, because this is a big campus, with many buildings that are completely different from each other and splayed out across a hilly and confusing landscape. You'll learn it quickly enough, but first let me introduce you to the two major landmarks most people refer to.

The main building, where most of the administration is done, is the Bibb Graves building, located right in front of that huge fountain. I'm sure you've seen it if you've even glanced at the campus before. Bibb Graves is pretty much the unofficial center of campus, and you'll have plenty of fun trekking up and down 3 flights of stairs to get to the history classes all the way up top. The registrar's office is located here, on the first floor, as is the location to pay any bills you want to pay in person. There are a few offices here that some of your teachers might call home, but for the most part you come here for history class and the registrar's office.

Another building of great importance is the Robert M. Gulliott University Center, but nobody has any idea it's really called that, because everyone calls it the GUC. This is the main social area, where students come to eat, talk, and waste time before class. Also located here is the on campus bookstore, where you can buy anything from cigarettes and pencils to deodorant, and of course your textbooks. Right outside the bookstore is the help center, where you get your Mane Card, which serves as both a form of identification and access to any money you put on it for printing or buying lunch. Feel free to bother the ladies there with any silly questions you might have, they're incredibly nice. Right around the corner from that is the mail center, where your very own post box awaits you. Make a habit of checking your box every week, most of it is junk but this is where your refund check and some other important documents are sent.

You should grab a map from the GUC or Bibb Graves, they're in paper form but there is also one in the catalog which you can get at Bibb Graves. Now that you have a map and are oriented, take the time to find your classes so you aren't wandering around like an idiot two minutes before class asking people where Stevens Hall is. You can find those all on your own, you're a college student for god's sakes, you can figure out a map. The campus is big, but not so big you'll get lost. I will tell you that the library is right behind the GUC, that building that people keep going in and out of to write their essays and study and all that silly business. Now go forth and explore the campus, it's quite nice this time of year.

Day 2: School Dynamics

I don't know where you're from, or what you're used to, but it's worth talking about what you're average day will be like at UNA. For a while, you'll probably want to schedule an 8:00 class, because let me tell you: Whoever designed the parking at UNA has a special place in hell reserved for them. Get there early, grab some breakfast, because after about 7:40, trying to find a parking spot is like trying to find gold in a stream. There's always the parking deck, by the dorms, if all else fails. Parking is such a hassle that for the first week or two tardies are rarely counted due to the number of students shuffling in late mumbling about parking. You have been warned.

It's a good idea to schedule an hour or so break between classes, especially if you don't know how far apart they are going to be. This gives you valuable time to finish up homework, get a snack or drink, socialize, or go to the library. I'd suggest doing homework, because there's no way you're going to be able to get yourself to do it once you get back home. The most common complaint is from people who accidentally scheduled their classes too close together or, even worse, too far apart. So take the first few semesters slow to figure out how you like your classes to be scheduled.

Socially, for some reason, people at UNA are pretty shy. I don't know if this is a national problem or a small town problem or what, but you are probably going to have to put some effort into making friends if you aren't from here. Not that people aren't friendly, quite the opposite, you're just going to have to speak up. Don't be shy and have no friends, college without friends is truly hell. The teachers do a good job putting students into groups for just such a reason, and there is usually something going on, be it a club or some sort of event like a hamburger cookout, so get out there and meet some people.

It's worth mentioning the UNA Portal account now. That is the online side of the university, where you can look at your classes, email, financial aid, and lots of other goodies. Make a habit of checking your email, and then click "My Courses" and click on each class to see what is going on in there that you may have missed. Some teachers give tests, assignments, and projects on their class website, so don't forget. Check it every day, at least once, and don't be afraid to email the teachers. Spending some time figuring your way around that is not time wasted. And don't worry, any teachers that use it extensively will explain it in class as well.

After you have finished all your classes for the day, breathe a sigh of relief and make that long trek back to the dorm or your car. Or stop by the GUC and get some lunch. Or do some sort of other social activity. Which brings me to the next day in your magical journey...

Day 3: Off Campus Activities

No matter what your age, there are a few things you can do to entertain yourself in Florence. Just down Court Street, the main road on the south side of the university, there are a few bars that usually have a band playing on the weekends, and will gladly let you in for a cover of some sort, or maybe even just a wristband. These get pretty packed on weekends, so it's a great way to go meet people, or hang out with the people you befriended in class.

If you head east down Tennessee Street, which crosses Court Street, you'll get out of downtown and into the more modern area of Florence. This is where most of the restaurants are located, as well as the mall and movie theater. The movie theater is huge, and usually has all but the smallest movies playing. The mall is also a good place to go wander and waste time, just don't screw with those security guards, they're old and bored. Make a friend who knows the place, or explore with someone else as equally lost as you.

Unfortunately, despite the fact that this is a college town, there's not much else to do but what I mentioned. That's probably the biggest downside of UNA, is the lack of entertainment for college age students. Luckily though, most of us have learned how to have a good time at friend's houses, so get into a group of friends and start learning what they do to entertain themselves. You could always wander back up to the library or GUC and see what's going on there, and if you're lucky someone will have started some sort of impromptu play or music show at that cool amphitheater you've been eyeing since you got here.

Summary

By now you should have a good lay of the land. You know your way from one class to the GUC, then to the library and back to the GUC again for a sandwich just before class. You know how to check your email, how to find something to do when you're bored, and when to show up for optimal parking chances. You probably don't have any of your homework done, and probably don't even know what it is or when it's due, but don't worry, you'll figure that out as well. As far as parting advice, I offer this: Don't start skipping classes. Skipping one class turns into skipping all your classes, which turns into you waking up in the morning and instantly wondering how many more absences you have left. So go forth, learn and prosper and all that wonderful stuff, but most important of all, try and have a little fun while you're doing it.