Every university has its quirks, its perks, and its downsides. Nine times out of ten I would have to say that college students know things about their school's campus that not many would notice if they were just visiting for one day. Here are some of the things I have noticed so far about The University of Tampa...

1. The Weather

Move-in day may be rough with the hot, humid, sticky weather and it'll stay that way for the first few weeks until the rainy season hits. Everyday for quite some time it'll go from being a gorgeous day with puffy, white clouds to torrential down pours in minutes and then back to hot and sunny Florida weather. These are the days everyone with afternoon classes hate because that's when it usually rains. Following the rainy season, my personal favorite climate hits which is 70-80 during the day and the cool mid 60s at night. No humidity and the perfect temperature can make anyone smile.

2. The Beach

Whether it's Clearwater, Treasure Island, Davis Island, St. Petes, or Indian Rocks, posting a Snapchat story at the beach in the middle of November will always make some friends in the north or northeast jealous.

3. Laser Team

Everyone knows that laser team isn't just for people with crutches, people who are spooked to walk campus at night by themselves, or people with a ton of grocery bags. They're also there for you when you’re at your worst and need a lazy Wednesday night Starbucks run at 12:30.

4. The Slow Walk

Coming in as a freshman you may not even know where the elevator is in Plant Hall and once you find it, it doesn't mean much to you. Almost everyone knows the pain of having a class on the third or fourth floor of the beautiful, historic building. After reaching your floor, most students opt to take the slow walk to the classroom so it doesn't look like you need an oxygen tank when you walk in.

5. The Grille

The grille is usually reserved for those late night runs after a stressful day of studying and the need for some comfort food or after a fun night out when you get back to campus late and need to eat something. I swear the french fries taste better after midnight, I don't know why.

6. The Hidden Gem

When going to Pandini’s most people will get pasta, salad, or pizza. The la’bretti is not as well known but for some students it may be their go-to meal. What is a la'bretti you ask?! It consists of baked pizza dough (with or without chicken) and a salad of your choice on top of it, folded and eaten like a sandwich. True genius if you ask me.

7. The Gym

The new gym is beautiful. From the workout rooms to the classes, everything's on point, especially the bathrooms. Believe me you need to see them for yourself. When your school makes the gym look that nice you almost feel guilty for not taking advantage of it and going everyday.

8. The Squirrels

The squirrels are always on the hunt for their next snack, and may be a little too friendly, but they never mean any harm. They'll eat almost anything dropped and hang out mainly near garbage cans. They may look a little different from the chunky, bushy tailed squirrels living in the northeast but hey, you gotta admit they're kind of cute.

9.The Grounds

Everyone knows how breath-taking our campus is and how serious we are about our palm trees. Our instagram aesthetics thank The University of Tampa for taking the grounds so seriously and always coming through for a high quality picture of a high quality campus.

10. Passwords

Keeping all our passwords may be difficult but it gets easier as time goes on. Blackboard, health portal, Spartan Web, OrgSync, Outlook, Uber, Grubhub, Dominos- oops went a little off topic but you get the point.

11. The Walmart Walk

Having a neighborhood Walmart so close is truly a blessing to all first-year students stranded without their cars.

12. Hometowns

When asking people where they are from there's a good chance they'll say New York (Long Island in particular) or New Jersey, and Boston is pretty high up on the list too. I think the reason so many come from the Northeast is because we know harsh winters and growing up on the beach, so instinctively many want to go to a beautiful area with a year-round beach.

13. Is that a dolphin?

Seeing dolphins in the Hillsborough River while sitting outside Riverside or strung up in a tree hammock never gets old.

14. The Pool/Library Struggle

Who's idea was it to put the pool right next to the library, like seriously…?

15. Dorm Life

Being in Smiley Hall your first thought is, “This is an average college dorm,” and then you go to other peoples’ rooms that you meet and realize how much potential a dorm room can have. Regardless if Smiley Hall is the oldest, smallest dorm on campus, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, not even Palm Apartments (which are awesome inside). It's like a big family I never knew I needed. Each dorm building has their perks and their downsides like everything else in life!

16. Ybor

An edgy, alternative town perfect for hipsters and non-hipsters alike looking for a good time, and usually the place to be for haircuts, piercings, and first tattoos.

17. Grubhub and Ordering Food

Late night cravings are sadly a thing and sometimes the food is just too accessible to turn down. Good thing the gym is so nice because it makes going to even out those late night snacking a lot easier. Grubhub will be the death of my bank account.

18. New Phone, Who Dis?

“John from calc” “Amy UT” “Brianna's friend Eric” “Jerry- cute guy from chem”, the list goes on and on.

19. Gasparilla

Everyone looks forward to Gasparilla. It’s a huge pirate festival during January or February that is fun for everyone and an excuse to dress up in an awesome costume. It celebrates the myth and legend José Gaspar who was a Spanish pirate in Florida. The parade reaches numbers over 300,000 and it’s the place to be when it is happening.

20. Finding your new home and family away from home

Coming a long way from home is never easy, but going to a place like The University of Tampa can simplify the process of adjusting. It is so warm and inviting in the sunshine state, and there is so much potential to grow and find yourself there, regardless if you are currently attending or thinking about attending The University of Tampa. Take full advantage of all the clubs and amazing things to do for free fun if you're visiting!