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University of Florida - Local Atmosphere - College ProwlerCollege Prowler3.85

Local Atmosphere

B+
Where does this grade come from?View all Local Atmosphere rankingsReview this school to add your opinion

Comparable Schools' Local Atmosphere Grades:

Quick Stats

Fun Local Trivia
  1. Gainesville has been named Florida's most livable city and is generally ranked among the nation's top places to live.
  2. Gainesville is where the band Sister Hazel got started. The members named their group after a nun who worked at St. Francis House, a homeless shelter in downtown Gainesville.
  3. Gatorade was invented in Gainesville in 1965, when a team of scientists was searching for a beverage that would help prevent dehydration. The researchers tested it out on the Gator football team, which suffered fewer heat-related problems than it had in the past (when you find out what it feels like at the bottom of the stadium in September, you'll understand why that was so impressive).
  4. Several movies have been filmed here, including "Parenthood" (1989) with Steve Martin, which was filmed partly on UF's campus, and "Doc Hollywood" (1991), starring Michael J. Fox.
Notable Natives
  • Less Than Jake – band
  • Tom Petty – rock musician
  • Joaquin Phoenix – actor
  • River Phoenix – actor
  • Sister Hazel – band
  • Maya Rudolph – comedienne from "Saturday Night Live"
Points of Interest
  • Devil’s Millhopper
  • Florida Museum of Natural History
  • Gainesville-Hawthorne State Rail-Trail
  • Ginnie and Ichetucknee Springs
  • Harn Museum of Art
  • Kanapaha Botanical Gardens
  • Lake Wauburg
  • Paynes Prairie State Preserve

Student Author OverviewWhat's This?

Gainesville has frequently been voted one of the best college towns in America. Headquarters of "the Gator Nation," Gainesville bleeds orange and blue from every street corner, from local pizza joints to college bars. Gainesville is the University of Florida, and the University of Florida is Gainesville. Take a stroll down University Avenue, a street that is frequently lined with thousands of students after a national championship win, to fully experience UF culture. Don’t ever attempt to return to Gainesville on a Saturday during a home football game—the exit ramps are backed up for miles. Gainesville is a small town with a big heart. Everyone has pride in the school, and you’ll notice that as soon as you step foot in the heart of the Gator Nation.

Of course, this town resembles neither New York City nor the backwoods of Alaska, so if you’re looking for the extremes in population, setting, or events that go with those kinds of places, Gainesville may not be the ideal location for you. However, if you’re willing to settle in just a bit, you can have the wondrous pleasure of hearing the Boston Pops Orchestra play your school fight song in the O’Connell Center on campus and go buffalo- and alligator-watching at Paynes Prairie the next day.

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Florida Student ReviewsWhat's This?

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Local Atmosphere at University of Florida

Triek15

'16

Aerospace and Aeronautical Engineering

5.0
A+

So Much to Do

At the university of Florida there is always something going on. There is never a down moment and it is really easy to find something to do every night and day that you will enjoy.

Jan 08, 2012

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Local Atmosphere at University of Florida

YukLane7

'15

Health Care

4.6
A

Always Open

Gainesville is a small place. But there's plenty of stores and restaurants nearby. One of the best part in Gainesville is that if you are ever hungry, there's always a place open. For instance, Tropical Smoothie is 24 hours and has great smoothies and food. Also there is 420 Menchies where it opens at 4:20pm, but closes at 4:20 am. In addition, the mall is small but its a good place to shop. The local people there are really nice and treat you like if you were at home. Overall, there's always a place to hang and eat at any time of the day.

Jan 05, 2012

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Local Atmosphere at University of Florida

eurjane

'15

Nutrition Sciences

3.5
B

Very Easy to Get Around

Gainesville RTS makes it so easy to get around town. However, it is a bit limited and there are many of the same things. Many events occur on-campus and the gyms are great, so I find myself hanging out with people on-campus or in their apartments that are a bus ride away. It is a bit expensive to go out but the atmosphere is friendly since everyone is a Gator fan !

Dec 23, 2011

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Student Survey Poll ResultsWhat's This?

Rate the local atmosphere on the following topics

What is the local atmosphere like at your school?

What is the proximity to other universities? Is there much interaction?

Can you see yourself living here after graduation?

Facts

Shopping Centers
  • Butler Plaza
  • Oaks Mall
Major Sports Teams
  • Jacksonville Jaguars: NFL
  • Orlando Magic: NBA
  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers: NFL
  • Tampa Bay Lightning: NHL
City Web Sites
Distances to Nearest Major Cities
  • Jacksonville, Fla.: : 1 hour, 30 minutes
  • Miami: : 5 hours
  • Orlando, Fla.: : 2 hours

Movie TheatersWhat's This?

Regal Gainesville 14
3101 SW 35th Blvd.
Gainesville
(352) 336-0408

Regal Royal Park 16
3702 W. University Ave.
Gainesville
(352) 373-4277

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Most Recent Student Author

College Prowler guides are in the hands of students throughout the entire process. Because you can't make student-written guides without the students, we have students at each campus who write, edit, and survey their peers for every guide that we publish. Thanks to our most recent student author at UF

Name: Chris Kirschner

Hometown: Bronx, NY

Major: Journalism

Grad Year: 2014

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