USF Writing Community Server

About me

dannyv1717 — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:19:00 GMT

For the past 22 years of my life I have been learning and changing every single day. Learning is a lifelong process that will never end. I consider myself as a very unique person that is perceived the wrong way many of times. My whole life I have always been an outgoing person that likes to socialize and be around people. I would much rather be interacting with people than reading a book or watching a movie. Athletics has always played a big role in my life, because being around sports was how I was raised with my family. My two older brothers were always tuff on me and made me a competitive person. I still till this day like to compete in everything I do, from video games to playing recreational sports I always am competitive. I do not like being mad or in bad moods I like to have a good time and joke and laugh as much as possible. When people are negative it really annoys me.
I think people perceive me as funny and outgoing, but I also think that people who do not really know me think I can be cocky. I think this comes because I don’t really care what other people think to much and I don’t try to impress people. If a person gets to know me they will see that I am not this way, but it’s usually me joking around. If I had to go back and change things I don’t think I would. I know I have made many mistakes in my life but I believe that they all happen for a reason.

My Florida Experience

gsykes — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:11:00 GMT

For most people, their opinion of living in Florida is either all love or all hate. They either enjoy warm weather year round or hate the lack of a white Christmas. Or they run from earthquakes, tornadoes and other disasters only to then deal with hurricanes and their negative connotations. When discussing my Florida experience, I reference certain recreational activities, such as fishing, and the beaches, as reasons why I enjoy living in Florida. I have lived in Florida for 18 years; my whole life, and sometimes I ponder living somewhere else, but the idea of dark, gray skies in the winter in other places makes me happy where I reside presently. A common stereotype against Floridians relates to their age. Most people from other states believe that Florida is populated entirely by retirees and snowbirds who live here to escape their original lives. This is an unfair conclusion, of course the warm climate will attract people who don't want to deal with cold weather, which coincidently include the elderly. On that note, I enjoy living in Florida and I always will. I enjoy the cities, the people, and the climate, better than any other city I've ever visited. Florida will always shape who I am; I'm going to be the guy wearing shorts in December, while other cities are sporting layers upon layers of winterwear. I'm the guy who like fishing year round, and not having to cover and chip ice off my swimming pool. I'm the guy who loves Florida and its many aspects.

Florida Expierience

gili kopan — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:57:00 GMT

Blog 1

I’m a transplant to Florida I moved here from St.louis threeweeks ago. I decided on Floridabecause it was warm and seemed like an exciting place, with a lot to do. When I arrived in Tampa I felt comfortablehere. I knew people fromorientation so right away I was always do something. After a while I started really missing my friends. Even though Tampa is pretty has a beachand a lot of clubs I feel empty with out my friends and wish they werehere. Wednesday in my compositionone class my teacher asked, “if we could move anywhere where would it be?” I thought about the question andrealized it isn’t about where you are it’s about who is there with you. I’m struggling with the decision of transferringor staying here. Even though Floridais the ideal state to live in it is so lonely without your loved ones.

ashley - my florida experience

akrobin2 — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:56:00 GMT

I have lived in Tampa,Florida for almost two weeks and coming all the way from New Jersey, this experience has been a complete culture shock to me. When I tell people I am from New Jersey their immidiet reaction is “why would you choose USF?” Honestly, I suppose it was to get away and experience a totally different lifestyle, and that is exactly what I am doing. Since I have been here, I have been meeting great friends and enjoying the hot weather, which is what I expected to do. However, I have been trying very hard to adjust to some of the things that are completely different, such as pumping gas. That is a horrible experience for someone who is used to having theirs pumped for them their entire life. My roommates are awesome, I am really close with two of them and we do pretty much everything together. Both of them are a lot like my old friends from home, so I clicked with them instantly. Overall, I have been loving the atmosphere of the school and it is a pretty much a picturesque college life for me.

I am yet to become involved in any groups or clubs because I have so much to adjust to with school and the new lifestyle of a floridian. I am a very active person though, and plan to rush for a sorority in the spring. I may also consider some other groups because I am used to being involved from high school. I feel that I am doing well and will get along great down here. However, I was born and raised in Jersey so I know that some of my views and ways of doing things will never change to be like some of the natives here. I do love Florida and am extreamly excited to have this opportunity, it will be very interesting to see where the next four years take me, I can not wait!

Kia's Florida Experience =]

tbell213 — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 06:16:00 GMT

Throughout my life I had to move around a lot because my parents were in the military. I don’t consider myself a true Floridian because I’ve only lived here for two years. . When my parents told me we were moving here I opposed it at first. I thought about all the people I met. My friends and family that I was so used to seeing would be left behind. The thought of that made me real sad.

Now that I’ve lived here for a couple of year’s I’m happy to be here because I live close to a lot of beaches and this is a great vacation spot. I like the fact that it stays hot here year around but I do miss the cooler seasons that they have up north.

I feel that Florida has a reputation of being a vacation spot, kind of laid back, beaches and retired people. I think that the reputation is great because before I moved down here I loved visiting Florida for those same reasons.

As of right now I think Florida defines where I live and not who I am. I’ve only lived here for two years so I don’t think I can really say I’m a true Floridian. To me this is just a place I live and go to college and maybe one day I might call it home.

My Florida Experience

tbell213 — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 06:10:00 GMT

Throughout my life I had to move around a lot because my parents were in the military. I don’t consider myself a true Floridian because I’ve only lived here for two years. When my parents told me we were moving here I opposed it at first. I thought about all the people I met. My friends and family that I was so used to seeing would be left behind. The thought of that made me real sad.

Florida Experience, Can it shape a personal identity?

Crystal Sallee — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 05:21:00 GMT

When I think about my identity and who I am a large factor that goes into it is my community and surroundings. Where you grow up and the society that you live in contribute largely to the development of you as a human being. Although my birth cirtificate may say Ohio, I consider myself to be a floridian. I have lived the majority of my life here and this is "my" town, I know everything about it. I can truely say that growing up in Florida for me has been the best experience.

Honestly, Florida has made me into the well rounded and humble girl that I am today. Yeah, it sounds weird.. How can a state shape the person you grow up to be? But think about it, you develope by watching the people around you and how they handle themselves and you see the different things that society finds socially acceptable. Growing up anywhere else might have a different impact on a person, other places have different things that are of social norms. We might not agree with all the pratices that we encounter but the ones that I have run across in my short 18 years in florida to me have been completely acceptable and above the norm.

When many think about florida they go with the preconcieved notion of "old people" but thats not all that florida has going for it. Its such a diverse state, people come from all over the globe to visit florida or better yet to visit the florida hot spots: Disney World, South Beach, The Everglades, and of course all the other wonderful sites we have. By growing up in a tourist run state, it really gives a child and a maturing adolesent the oppurtunity to view other cultures and to see what is actually out in the world around them. This aspect affects growing minds alot, allowing them to be more culturaly aware and also allowing them to really appriciate where they live and the things that they have.

Yeah it sounds sort of cliche' but I just dont really understand how anyone can have a complaint about living in Florida, okay there are alot of elderly people, get over it.. People get old everywhere so there is no way around that. Maybe they do come here to retire but look at all the oppurtunities it has given the people of Florida. With the elderly comes more knowledge and intelect then anyone could even imagine. Yeah we also have those typical stereotypes, um we are crazy drivers but I mean we have places to go and people to see. You dont see floridians complaining about the way they drive, and yes we have more months out of the year devoted to hurricanes then any other but there are natural disaters everywhere. Maybe we do go a little crazy with the hurricane warrnings but we are getting prepared, ya know?

It doesnt matter where you go there are going to be flaws everywhere, people just have to learn to accept them and look for the best in all the aspects of life. Whether its in Florida or another state. Fortunately for me it was here! How could anyone have complaints about the beautiful sunny weather and the gourgeous beaches, the warm water and all the summer time activities that most states dont get to enjoy.

My perspective on my overall experience as a so called floridian so far is that it has been absolutely amazing but I dont feel that there is very much hope for the future in Florida to continue to be as great as it has in the past years. With the way the government is running and the way the economy is going right now there really isnt alot in store for us, the tourist activity is slowing down due to the increased cost of living and for us in the south we get hit hard by that. It impacts what we had as a working economy, less tourists means less money circulating within the state itself. Also with the off shore drilling Floridas future is in a slump. Who is going to want to come visit this summer wonderland when there are these terrible wells being drilled right off the coast? No one! Even residents dont want to see the state that they have so much pride in diminish under these off shore excursions that we will soon be taking part in.

I dont know, I feel very strongly that Florida has shaped my identity, taught me great values, and has shown me how much people appriciate there homeland by simply letting me experience the diverese popluation and the diverse culture. From that I have become way more knowledgable and intellectual about events that I probably would have never had a chance to look at if I had still been ghrowing up back home in the little town on the outskirts of Ohio. But Im so worried about the future and how Florida; with less tourists and less residents coming to reside, is going to be impacted.

Are the identities of the up coming and future generations going to be lost in translation? Think about how the community can ensure that these generations gain the most out of there floridaian experience...

My Florida Experience

Rachel Freedman — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 05:19:00 GMT

I have lived in Florida for all 18 years of my life and I have no problem with the state I live in. Many people view it with a negative perspective and quickly classify its inhabitants under one of two categories: retirees or those who were born and raised here and enjoy the repeated day to day lifestyle.

In reality Florida is a subsequently diverse state and I recognize this on a daily basis. It is nice to grow up in a place where you are able to interact with many people of different races and cultures and everyone is treated as an equal. Where I have grown up everybody is extremely socially accepted and gets along with one another. Everybody is really close and do their best to reach out and lend a helping hand whenever needed. You are able to make friends wherever you go and generosity and kindness are key traits given by most everyone you meet. It is great to grow up in a place so diverse and it gives you a sense of equality and acceptance of others who may not be exactly like you. I have definitely been shaped by those around me and the kind of people you see wherever you go are able to influence you to want to be a better person.

Another problem people seem to have with Florida is that the only good thing it has to offer for vacationers is Disney World and then its time to pack your bags up and leave. In reality there is much more here to do than you would imagine. You just have to keep an open mind and be willing to change something ordinary into something much more interesting and thrilling and also know where all the hot spots are. Besides the popular beaches there are many public pools you can attend with your friends and have amazing barbeques to go with it. As a kid it was always a blast to go pool hopping or enjoy the warm summer days by playing in the sprinklers. That was all I needed to have a good time, even though there were many other options such as going canoeing down the local river with your friends. My parents never had to worry about anything happening to me and always knew where we were and we always had a pair of watchful eyes over us to make sure we were safe at all times. The beaches are amazing and if you like to surf or jet ski you could spend hours out on the water and not get tired of it at all. There are plenty of shopping centers with all of the best clothing stores and technology is always at its peak and we are able to live in a much modernized society. The population is pretty large which I see as a plus. This is because in my high school I was able to meet so many different kids and have many close friendships with all the kids in my class.

I personally have never regretted growing up in Florida. If I had the choice to move away or stay here, I would want to stay here. Florida has everything I would need or want and I would love to raise my children in such a great environment and have them experience the same kindness and friendiness given off by the citizens in our community. Going on vacations is nice, but no matter where I am I always get home sick and am longing for my great life back in Florida. Yes, the weather may be hot during some months of the year, but those are the best days to cool off in the ocean and have that amazing summer tan!(and natural, too!) We have our cold season too and those days are just as fun because you get to have bon fires in the fields with all of your friends and just enjoy relaxing with your family. Florida is really a great place to live if you give it a chance and keep an open mind!

Who am I? chris perry

btownboy9 — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 01:58:00 GMT

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}

Hmm… well if I was to write auto biography on myself explaining who I am I would first have to think of who I was. 8 pounds 10 ounces, a tongue that could not move more than 2 millimeters off the bottom of my mouth, and ears that could pick up satellite signals 200 miles away I was born. When I came into this earth on July 22, 1990 in Tampa General Hospital I was born with a speech impediment. My tongue was literally tied to the bottom of my mouth. The doctors were saying I would never be able to speak correctly and that I would have to take special classes throughout elementary school, middle school, and high school because I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the other children. Well obviously they were wrong. At the age of 4 I went into surgery and it changed the rest of my life. From that point on I was able to speak and learn things I was never able to learn. I grew up taking gifted and honors classes throughout grade school giving me a strong sense of confidence in life. This confidence that grew over the years made me believe I knew every ins and outs of life and that I could do everything I put my mind into. This feeling is really what made me the person I am today. I am an independent person, a person that wakes up every morning thinking of what he needs to do for himself without ever thinking of what someone needs to do for him.

Who am I ?

btownboy9 — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 01:53:00 GMT

My Florida Expirience

Circa0429 — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 01:23:00 GMT

Originally, I hail from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. And moving to Florida is one of the best decisions that my parents made. I love the sun, the hot summer days, and the beach filled coasts! I honestly don't think that my being a Floridian really gives much of a reputation. Perhaps it would give the other person ideas to what I enjoy doing such as going to the beach because of the weather that Florida receives. When I meet someone from out of state, the impression that I get from where they come from only lingers for the first week I know them and then on they are just any ordinary person. If anything I like that people get the impression that Florida means sunny beach days and perfect weather. To me the reputation that I receive from Florida is fine with me, I don't want to ensnare myself with thinking what image people attach to my being a resident of Florida. I think its a great place to live.

Rendezvous

Boobslover — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 01:14:00 GMT

I see puffy, white clouds floating through my room, but they're coming from your mouth. I smell green fields swaying in the warm air, but they were in your hands and in your puffs. It doesn't matter to me, it's just nice to have you around finally. The wise says you need sleep to be efficient in life. But for the past 2 years we've been proving that's a fucking lie. Just like you told me coffee and alcohol is all I need. Like your heart, your brain is naive. My place has become your refuge. Where you can eat, bathe, and rest. And you've become my best ***. I want to kiss you, but I hate that your breath smells of ***.

My Florida Experience

anowell0213 — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:48:00 GMT

My experience in Florida, even though I have only lived in the state for three weeks, has been a time of adjusting. I am not only adjusting to college life and classes, but I am also adjusting to living so far away from my parents in Delaware and living on my own. I am also learning to manage my time because I am not only a student at USF, I am also an athlete.

There are many things that I like and dislike about living in Florida. I love that in Florida it is almost always hot. I love being in warm weather, but I think it is very weird that Florida does not have four seasons. I know that I'm going to love it when my parents call me and tell me that its freezing back at home. I also love that in Florida there are so many beaches because I love spending time on the beach relaxing and reading a good book. One thing that I dislike about Florida is the humidity. The humidity makes you feel sticky as soon as you walk outside.

The various reputations that Florida is known for are definitely what I pictured before I moved to Florida. I think of beaches, oranges, palm trees, and elderly people who come to live in Florida after they retire, and those reputations are very true.

I definitely believe that Florida factors into my identity now because I am starting a new chapter of my life here.

Today

JPoulos — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:31:00 GMT

Today is Thursday. It was a good day. I had one class in the morning and then the rest of the day off. Usually, on Thursdays, I come back to my Cypress apartment after class and then I have lunch with friends before I get started on homework. The first part of today was just like any other Thursday. However, after doing some homework, I decided that I should knock off some of the chores on my "To-Do List". So the first thing on my "To-Do List" was to get a Florida driver's license. I tried to call the local DDL (Department of Driver's License) to make an appointment, because I know how those place are: always slow and busy, have to wait for hours. I tried multiple times to reach the office, but the phone just kept ringing. So I decided to just show up and hope for the best. I brought my friend Kelsey along for the ride to keep me company. We walked in the DDL building only to notice a room full of customers and a line stretching the length of the building. We automatically wanted to leave, but instead I insisted we stay to get it done and over with. After waiting for about 30 minutes, my name was called and I got my new license. After that we were going to go to International Plaza (a mall in Tampa) to get my phone fixed at the Apple store and walk the mall. Unfortunately, due to the long wait at the DDL, it was later than we had hoped it would be and Kelsey had to go home. So I decided to go to the mall alone and take some personal time. I was surprised at how quickly I got to the mall and how easy the drive was. Once I got to the mall I entered through Nordstrom and looked around a little. I soon realized, being the poor college student that I am, that I could not afford anything in sight. Though, it was nice to just look around at the stuff that I will be able to buy someday. So I proceeded into the mall to locate the Apple store to get my phone repaired. Once I found Apple, I walked in and was greeted by a friendly sales associate. The lady that helped me said that there was about an hour wait and there were 32 people ahead of me with appointments. I was discouraged that they would not be able to fit me in today, but I decided to wait anyway since I drove all the way there. After some thought, I remembered that my cousin used to work at that exact store and recently moved to California. I walked up to the sales girl that helped me when I walked in and asked her if she knew my cousin. Fortunately for me, they used to be best friends and the sales girl loved my cousin and put in a good word for me. Not more than five minutes later, my name was called and I was being helped by a knowledgeable technician. He proceeded to do a series of diagnostic tests on my phone to find out if the problem was mechanical or user created. Thankfully, it was a manufactured problem and I was presented with a brand new phone! I felt overjoyed. I decided to treat myself to dinner in the outdoor plaza followed by Italian Gellato for dessert. It was delicious! It was about 5:15 when I finished up with dinner so I decided to walk the rest of the mall before I left. By the time I left the mall it was around 5:30 and I thought I would hit traffic. I thought right. When I rolled off the entrance ramp onto I275, I noticed the long line of cars at a stand still. After about 5 minutes of waiting the traffic started to move along. Thankfully, I was home in no time without hitting too much rush hour traffic. When I got back to my apartment here at USF I had a snack and poured myself a nice glass of ice water. I sat down at my desk to relax and began to blog about my day.

From The Buckeye State to the Sunshine State

kdemart — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:19:00 GMT

When I received my acceptance letter from USF, I never thought of how different life would be living in Florida. I was just concerned about the school. I visited here many times and I knew it was nothing like Ohio but not until I actually moved here did I realize the difference. First off, I moved from a very small town in Ohio called Poland. It is located in Youngstown. In Poland, everyone knows everyone else’s business. There was no diversity whatsoever and everyone there acted the same. When I came to USF I realized that absolutely everyone was different. It is so refreshing to be around different people. Also a big difference is driving. There are not any U-turns and people actually use turn signals. My first drive to USF was almost scary. I was not used to everyone just cutting in front of everyone else and stopping randomly. Plus, the speed limit on every road is way higher than any road where I am from. Another big difference is obviously the weather. I never realized how hot it is here. I am not complaining about the nice sunny days here, but a break from the humidity would be nice. I am excited for winter here though. It is going to be nice to not have to shovel the driveway before going anywhere. Even though I really miss Ohio, I am excited to start a new chapter of my life here.

My Florida Experience

bhodges — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 00:09:00 GMT

I moved to Florida the summer before 4^th grade. Moving was not a new thing. I was originally born in Oklahoma but moved to Texas when I was about 4. Although I had only lived in two states before Florida, we had moved about every two years within the state. Moving to Florida was very exciting but we would be far from family, which was the hardest part.

I enjoy many things about Florida, the beaches, the water, the weather and so on. Fishing, going out on the boat or anything outdoors can be done, for the most part, all year round. As the weather and hurricanes go, I would much rather have hurricanes than tornados! Unlike tornadoes there is plenty of warning and preparation time in order to stay safe in the storms. We have a general idea of where the storm is headed and when, instead with tornadoes, they happen so fast and there is no time to get much ready. Although I love the sunshine, I do miss snow. I have skied since I was 3, and living in Florida makes it hard to travel where there are decent mountains and slopes. It is also very expensive and time consuming to travel and get the right clothing to wear in the cold.

The reputations that Florida has, educationally, does not bother me as much as it probably should. As long as I know how to study, push myself, and manage my time, I believe it’s possible to accomplish anything. I also do think Florida is a part of who I am and where I live. Oklahoma and Texas are my “hometowns” because those are the places I had most of my childhood, but this past year I have lived in Florida half my life. It is the only place I have been in one place for so long. My home in Florida is where I have had the time to build some of my closest relationships with friends who I consider family. Florida will always be a part of who I am or become no matter where I go in life.

Tourist Season

FluffedMojo — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:51:00 GMT

I like to believe that at one time Florida was beautiful. I like to believe that the condos lining Clearwater Beach were once palm trees, the tourists traps on Alligator Alley actually were alligator homes, and the man-made Disney beaches were once god-made beaches; however, my belief is simply wishful thinking.

While driving to Clearwater Beach, I sit in highly congested traffic for over an hour only to spend another hour looking for an open parking space to place my overpriced beach towel on the littered sand. I was born in Florida and I have lived in the same house my entire life, but I feel like a tourist more and more with every passing year. Yet, I must take part in Florida's tourism ritual simply because there is no other Florida to experience. I feel a big cause of this problem is that the amount of native Floridians is minute compared to the number of people from other states. The amount of New Yorkers in my apartment complex alone makes me wonder if a "Floridian" even exists. I can't think of a single thing that makes me feel distinctly Floridian. Besides my knowledge of the Disney bus system and impeccable tan, what separates myself, a native Floridian, from anybody else? Key Lime Pie?

So I think my Florida experience is simply my lack of an experience. Carl Hiaasen, my favorite author and native Floridian, once stated during a Q&A session that the Florida he grew up with can no longer be seen. I love surf shops and mouse ears as much as any other tourist, but what happens when the appeal is gone? With our country's current economic recession, travel has become something of a commodity. So when the tourists can't afford to flood in, who will fill the condos, spend money at Uncle Al's Gator Shop, or water ski with Mickey?

Florida Forever

lauren24 — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:42:00 GMT

Normal 0

The entire 18 years of my life, I have always lived in the ever so popular Florida. I lived in Miami for 2 or 3 years until hurricane Andrew destroyed my house and I had to move to a little city called Pembroke Pines. I know this may sound a little crazy but if there is anything I like more about Florida it’s the hurricanes. Hurricanes in Florida mean no school, skim boarding on street puddles, big beach waves, no power, which most people don’t like but you can actually see all the stars in the sky when there aren’t lights on around you, and finally spending more time with friends and family. Lots of people spend hours of there time cooped up in there rooms on their computers or in front of their TV’s, its nice to get out when you have to.

To my out of state friends Florida has held the reputation of either “retirement state” or the “vacation state.” They think that’s where all the old people go to settle down. This is kind of a reputation of Florida, but I honestly can say I haven’t seen nearly as many old people around Florida as I have seen young Hispanics. Others say my life is a vacation. When I think about it, and I think about the type of things I do and the type of person I am, it all adds up and seems like one big vacation. I have the beach down the street, its perfect temperature outside, Disney World is right around the corner and I pretty much feel like I’m relaxing everyday in this paradise. I highly doubt I will ever live anywhere else in the world. Overall I would have to say that Florida is the perfect place for me and definitely defines who I am and who I have become as a person.

Florida's For Me

khavelka — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 23:39:00 GMT

Let’s face it Florida is a part of my life. I am a native Floridian and most likely always will continue to live here. You will never find me living out West in a land locked state without any shore lines or sandy beaches to drive to. Seeing palm tree after palm tree lined up along almost every street and seagulls harassing you for your food have become normal scenery for me.

Florida is known as the sunshine state and we all know why. You walk outside for ten minutes and you have already started sweating. Florida’s summer season feels ten degrees hotter because of the humidity and rains every afternoon thanks to hurricanes and tropical storms in the Gulf. Even though sometimes the heat is unbearable I wouldn’t trade it for the Midwest’s tornadoes, or for the North’s blizzards.

I enjoy Florida because it is a very diverse state. I like the many different cultures, backgrounds, and activities that Florida has to offer. The one perk to living in Florida is you’re in driving distance of almost everything. To the South you have the Florida Keys and South Beach, down the road are numerous theme parks and water parks, and towards the panhandle you have Panama City. Although, the one thing I have a hard time enjoying is all the elderly retired people. If you have places to be on a Sunday afternoon, you might as well forget about it. Driving on the roads on a Sunday can be hazardous!

Blog #1

LaraLiz — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 22:08:00 GMT

The transition period from high school to college has been a very difficult one. Every college student experiences true independence and a tremendous amount of growth within themselves. Life becomes very different, more relaxed, yet more serious all at the same time. In addition to the common freshman adjustments, I made the decision of majoring in dance. Juggling long hours of dance in the studio in addition to my general education courses, has made things very busy for me. My priorities have definitely shifted and I have become a lot more mature along the way. I always knew that I had aspirations for a career involving dance. However, it wasn't until I entered college that I realized some of my dreams were unrealistic and I needed to work very hard in order to be successful.

In terms of high school, I was known among my friends as the "worry wart" and mostly very anxious. Since I was younger, I always had been extremely conscientious, honest, and loyal. Along with the ups and downs in my life, I had become very pessimistic, insecure, and self-doubting. As I entered college, I have realized that these negative features have had a large impact on not only my grades but my dancing. Therefore, if there was anything that I could work on and improve within myself, it would be confidence. I believe that confidence is the one quality that can take you anywhere. I would like for people to perceive me as a person that is fun, loving, dedicated, talented, and trustworthy. I definitely think that by dancing and working very hard, I will achieve all of my goals. I believe that recognizing these issues will improve my performance as a dancer and will simultaneously improve the way I look at myself.

Florida Experience

AkeylWehner — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:41:00 GMT

I was born in Ft. Lauderdale, FL, but I only lived here for a few months and then moved around to 3 different places for the last 18 years of my life. I came here from New Jersey, so I don't consider myself a Floridian at this point and time. This isn't my first time back to Florida from since before, I've been here on a few family related occasions, so I've experienced various parts of Florida.

On a whole to me Florida is a very calmly place, everyone does things at their own pace, which as I've observed is usually slow, and that's really all there is too it. I'm accustomed to the hustle and bustle of major cities like New York, and Philadelphia, so the pace here can be very aggravating, but that's only when I'm on the road, but that's not a problem as yet because of my current car-less condition.

I enjoy the nature of the people here, compared to those up north. Where I'm from it's all about minding your business and keeping up a decent "keep-off" facade, so to be here where usually people acknowledge you with a smile or nod of some sort, is an interesting experience, which I'm still getting accustomed to it. Also I enjoy the warm and varying weather condition here. It's great to be away from all the cold, I'll miss the snow, but the on and off rain makes up for it completely. Even the hurricanes are interesting, because I've already lived in an area that's frequently hit with them, so I'm accustomed to it already. Most of though I love how close and nice the beaches are around here, I'm accustomed to boardwalks with nothing but rocky sand and trash water, so an actual beach is a very nice change.

I dislike the humidity, lack of quality shade, and the ack of public transportation, so far that's all.

The reputations in Florida don't bother me at all because I haven't had a problem as a result of any of them and don't consider myself linked to the in anyway, so there just there, in the future they may become a factor or they may not.

Even though I don't consider myself a Floridian, Florida is my birthplace, so being here has a sense of being "home", but aside from that it doesn't factor into my identity.

Is Florida who I am?

rhebda — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:21:00 GMT

I was born in Port Orange, FL, a decent sized town near Daytona Beach. I moved to Oviedo, FL after my parents divorced when I was nine years old. In my spare time I like to surf, paintball, scuba dive, go to the gym, and ride my motorcycle. Somewhat of an adrenaline junkie, I love breaking away from the normality that is my routine life and go on these mini-adventures. It wasn't until I was presented with this blog prompt that I ever considered if the geography that I grew up around ever influenced who I am and what I do.

If I grew up in another state, I'll use Indiana for this instance, I wouldn't be able to scuba dive, surf, or paintball nearly as much as I can living in Florida. However, not being able to do these specific activities doesn't change the fact that I would still be the fun-loving, action-craving guy that I am. I would find other things to do that give me the same rush in a different setting. All this being said, my answer to the question "Is Florida who I am?" is a definite no.

Blog 1#

kademasse — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:17:00 GMT

I would like to start off saying, this is the second time I have written this same blog. I had originally composed one yesterday, and saved it, but I don't know how to retrieve it back. So, i'm forced to write another one. ( btw, i am mad )

What does it mean to be a Floridian? Personally, being a Floridian, means one thing to me, THE EXTREME HEAT! Seriously, what other state's temperature is in the mid 80s around like 9am?? The heat is horrible here. I wouldn't be surprised if Florida was rank #1 of heat stroke related deaths. Living here for most of my life, I have had about enough of the weather. In my opinion, Florida has some "weird weather." One week, you'll switch on the news and see the weather man, informing you of the high temperatures through out the week, normally around 84-92 degrees.Two weeks later, you switch on the news, the same weather man is standing before you, but this time, he's telling you to bundle up at night, because a cold front is coming in from the northeast. What the hell is that about?? You go from extreme heat, to me wearing like 4 socks and a hoodie at night just to stay warm. THEN, to top it off, just because the Atlantic hates us, here comes a hurricane a brewing, growing stronger and faster as it slowly glides across the Atlantic waters.

Another thing about being a Floridian is tha amount of "profiling" you recieve from out-of-towners. All my cousins up north, always insist that just because I live in Florida, i automatically live on the beach. The closes beach from me is like forty-five minutes away. They always say i'm so lucky that I live in Florida, and that Florida is like "thee heaven of all states," I just shrug my shoulders and tell them yes, i'm very lucky to be showered in enormous amounts of ultraviolet sunrays on a daily bases.

Other than that, I dont mind being a Floridian, as long as someone turns down the suns heat waves.

My Florida Experience

Joeycuev — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:59:00 GMT

"Be envious, be jealous, I live in Florida and you don't." Not many people say that, I do, almost daily. I was born in North Dakota, basically Canada, and its always cold. I dont mean cold as in, brrr chilly, lets turn the heat up. It doesnt get colder during the winter, it gets numb. You dont like the heat? Wear shorts and light colors like everyone else. You dont like the humidity? Get a haircut or move to California you hippy. I love Florida weather, I love that I sweat walking to and from my car, if I get wrinkles from the sun when im fourty five, so what. Florida has this bad reputation about its school system, beaches with stout, speedo-clad men running around, and overpriced theme parks. Yes, we know our school systems need a reform, and we are getting there. Yes, there is a nasty or two strutting about at every beach, but they don't care what you think and are having way more fun than everyone else there. Yes, theme parks price gouge but people are dumb enough to still go. I havent done any research into other state's scholarship programs, but where else can you get 75% of your college tuition paid just for showing up to class in high school? I love this gun shaped state. I'll always consider myself a Floridian until the day I die.

Florida and Me

sramire4 — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:26:00 GMT

I was born in the small town of Ft. Benning, GA and my dad was in the army and even through all the moving we did was thing was always certain. We would DEFINITLY be moving to Florida when my dad retired. About 3 or maybe 4 years ago now we moved to Florida. I LOVE it here. I love the heat, sunshine, and of course the beach. I wouldn’t consider myself a "Floridian" I will always be a Georgia peach in my heart. The only complaint I have about Florida is all the old people. I live off campus in Sun City which is basically old people central. You can’t go over 45 on the 50 mph streets because none of them can put their foot down that far. Being in Florida is definitely starting to become part of who I am. To me 75 is cold and everyday is a beach day. Although being a “Floridian” isn’t part of who I am, living here has definitely begun to rub off on and me and although I cherish my southern roots, Florida is becoming to have a part of the many layers that make up who I am and what I will one day become.