10 Things I Love About Gainesville
10. Gators pride. Let’s be honest, Gainesville revolves around the University of Florida. I love how the town is so accepting and supportive of the school – it makes me proud to be a Gator.
9. Gainesville has good food ... and I really love food. We have all the awesome chain restaurants like Chili’s and Carrabba’s Italian Grill, but I also like those hole-in-the-wall, original places you can only find here, like Satchel’s Pizza and Café Gardens.
8. There's so much to do for so little money. As a college student on limited means, I take full advantage of what Gainesville has to offer, like free bus rides, outdoor concerts, discounts with my UF ID card – it’s what makes Gainesville such a great college town.
7. UF’s gorgeous historical campus. The gothic-style brick buildings make me feel like I’m attending college in 1860. And I can’t thank the towering trees all over campus enough for keeping me cool in the shade as I walk to class in Florida’s egg-frying heat.
6. You can’t make a top-10 list without mentioning Gators football and basketball. UF is the center of college sports, especially now that we’re national basketball champs and Urban is back for coaching round two. Those Gators boys are hot!
5. Gainesville’s nightlife – it’s 5:00 somewhere, right? C’mon, I’m not an alcoholic, just a 21-year-old college student. Downtown clubs are always hotspots, and midtown bars are great for drink specials any night of the week.
4. That college-town feel. College students are crawling all over. The average age in Gainesville is 26, so it feels like we run this place … at least we think we do.
3. Local bands and local concerts. I love concerts and support the local music scene. With greats like Tom Petty, Sister Hazel and Less Than Jake getting their start in Gainesville, I won’t be surprised if my friends’ bands make it big too.
2. Big names, big boys. Urban Meyer, Billy Donovan, Chris Leak, Joakim Noah, Tim Tebow – can I have your autograph?
1. The reason I’m here: my college education ... no, really. UF easily has one of the top five journalism programs in the country, and it really shows through my passionate professors and challenging courses. More importantly, I’m gaining experience in my career field from The Independent Florida Alligator and, of course, Gainesville Today magazine.G
