UNF is constantly growing, and its look and feel changes every semester. Of course, most of its students have heard of every building or location, but not everyone has visited all of the different locations, and not everyone knows where to find it. So, here’s an alphabetical guide – well, fitting in the more difficult alphabet letters provided more of a stretch – to your university.
A
The UNF Arena, which you’ll find to the right during a walk out to Lot 18, houses the equipment students used in the now-demolished Dottie Dorian Fitness Center. Inside, racquetball courts wait for use – don’t forget those goggles. In recent memory, rock pianist Ben Folds, airplane-gazer B.o.B and fluffy funnyman Gabriel Iglesias have performed in the venue.
B
Thirsty for something a bit stronger than that energy drink from Outtakes? The Boathouse, located in the Student Union West building, carries beers – and, oddly enough, even Smirnoff Ice – perfect for catchin’ a break after a day’s worth of class. The brews may sound exciting, but the Boathouse is foremost an eatery. It serves traditional American cuisine at a slightly more expensive rate than you may see below it in the food court.
C
With the construction of the Student Union came the UNF Amphitheater, which has since dubbed a Coxwell before its name. The grassy venue hosts major events, but also relaxing sun-basking in between quizzes and reading assignments. Fewer folks use it than use the Green, so it’s perfect for a getaway. Comedian Jim Breuer and Florida-bred rockers We the Kings have performed at the venue.
D
Sure, this guide mentions the Boathouse, Outtakes and Quiznos, but there are other places for dining that didn’t fit into a single letter. Near the Library, you’ll find Starbucks, which offers all the coffee and pastries you’d find off campus. The seated area comes equipped with many outlets, so it’s a perfect place to plop down your computer and get to work – or scroll through the endless abyss that is Tumblr.
E
Everyone who’s ever had a class in Building 50 needed to do some extra searching before they located it successfully. The UNF Science and Engineering building hides behind Building 39. If you walk the strip that starts all the way over near the Osprey Cove, you’ll find this building to your right just before you reach the Arena Parking Lot.
F
Always well air-conditioned, the Fine Arts Center main hallway provides large, comfortable couches for lounging. From there, possibilities include reading, browsing the Internet or listening to the faint singing and instrument-bellowing seeping from the hallways. This building also houses the art and design department, which you can walk through to reach the photo and ceramics labs. It’s not a bad decision, either — the live sound vibrations make the halls feel like New Orleans’ streets.
G
Often disregarded since the Student Union’s construction, the Green provides a sit-able area for relaxation and gathering within reasonable distance to many buildings. Pop over to Starbucks or Freshen’s for a cold – or warm – drink and chill out for a couple seconds. The Green offers great people-watching opportunities, too, as the hula-hoopers, corn-holers and circles of pipe smokers flock to the grassy graze.
H
Soccer games and track and field meets all go down at Hodges Stadium. Since UNF lacks a football team, this stadium only contains one-sided stands, which overlook students in the walk to and from Lot 18. The track meets Olympic standards, and its burnt-orange glow reflects during any soccer match.
I
Maybe you’re interested in study abroad – or you call your study abroad university UNF. The International Center in the Student Union provides a go-to place for all information about different cultures outside of Jacksonville. The center hosts various events in promotion of different countries UNF students represent and helps students plan semesters abroad.
J
Nestled in the back of the John E. Mathews Jr. Computer Science Building’s second floor stands a computer lab. Why not take advantage of the computers here, which are usually less-populated than the ones in the Library? You won’t be sad with your decision to try out a different atmosphere. Plus, the lab isn’t too far away from Outtakes, the Green and the Fine Arts Center’s parking garage.
K
Students can take advantage of many unique sporting outings, among them kayaking and canoeing. Right near Parking Service, the Robert W. Loftin Nature Trails surround Lake Oneida. As well as kayaks, UNF students can check out backpacks, canoes, coolers, sleeping bags, stoves and tents for any outdoor adventure in which they choose to partake. Just make sure to get there between 1-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The best bit: it’s free.
L
Probably the top “what?”-factor amenity at UNF, the lazy river pushes Osprey Fountains residents through a circular course perfect for downtime and weekends. But the Fountains offers more than just the lazy river — the five-story building comes complete with a game room, two fitness rooms and a grill, Ozzie’s. And if residents would rather pull themselves, a short lap pool sits adjacent to the lazy river.
M
Some art and design students got together and put together a mural outside of Buildings 8 and 9 over the summer. Students who were off on grand summer adventures may have missed summer Spinnakers and the sight completely. Go check out the image of a nest and contemplate your time as a UNF student. Also, it’s never a bad idea to support fellow students’ artistic creations.
N
Not every Spinnaker reader finds his or her news from the same location. And not all of your friends and classmates read the Spinnaker, either. Why not point them in the direction of a Spinnaker newspaper stand? The stands are situated all across the campus, and the most popular stand finds its home right inside the Library’s automated doors. You won’t miss it on your way to meet up with your study group.
O
The hotspot for the quickest meals on campus, you’ll find two Outtakes locations on campus. One is near Building 15, and the other one calls the Student Union home. The Fountains and the University Center Outtakes fare, as well. There are always sandwiches, and there’s always soup. The store also stocks energy drinks and coffee – the one near Building 15 serves Dunkin’ Donuts, the Student Union location dishes out Starbucks.
P
The first day’s already passed, so you may be well aware of UNF’s parking situation. Lot 14 will always be full before 9 a.m., and you’re gonna hate that heated walk from Lot 18 to campus, but your parking experience doesn’t have to be so miserable. Few students use Lot 53 at UNF Hall and catch the shuttle in. It’s not embarrassing to catch the shuttle, so make sure of it. And if you have premium and class that starts after 8 a.m., well, you’re just out of luck.
Q
Sure, there’s plenty of food options at UNF, but who would resist Quiznos? The chain in the food court has a history of staying open later than its courtmates, and you can always try to finagle a deal, such as ordering a small sandwich instead of a regular-sized one. Its Sammies and Torpedoes are pretty light on the Osprey 1Card, as well.
R
Entertainment awaits you at the Robinson Theatre. The theater has newer, comfortable seats, and it’s not the worst place to catch amusement at UNF. For Homecoming 2010, the theatre hosted musical-comedian Bo Burnham, who you may know from YouTube or his Comedy Central special. This semester, Movies on the House will screen at the theatre, for all of those indie film lovers out there.
S
This place has it all: the Bookstore, the food court, the campus bank. It’s hard to not stop by the Student Union at some point during the semester because everyone needs books, and everyone needs a quick bite to eat. The Osprey Plaza hosts many events throughout the year, most notably now-weekly Wednesday Market Days where vendors set up shop in the plaza for the day.
T
The Thomas G. Carpenter Library isn’t only useful as a place to study or use the computer. And sure, it houses plenty of reference books and periodicals, but you should also know that you can find DVDs and CDs there, too. Why not take advantage of entertainment for which you already pay and swing by the DVD collection after a night of studying? There’s nothing wrong with watching a good documentary every now and again.
U
The University Center may seem like a place where you never have classes, a place where parking spaces are plenty, but you can’t take advantage of them. However, it’ll still behoove you to be aware of the center. Sometimes, lecturers will visit the campus and speak at night, and sometimes, your professor will assign attending and writing about the event as an extra credit assignment. You can never have too much extra credit.
V
The apartment-style dorms at UNF, the Osprey Village residence halls, come equipped with a kitchen. The apartments are near the Osprey Cove, which failed to make it to the list under its own category, but it’s worth mentioning all the residence halls. The Cove houses two students per room, and its room layout is almost identical to the Landing and the Crossings.
W
A campus with such a focus on nature, UNF situates itself around plenty of water bodies. But with opportunities comes some guidelines. The crew over at UNF Eco-Adventures doesn’t allow any swimming or wildlife harassment in its waters. However, fishing fanatics rejoice because the rules allow catch-and-release fishing on all of UNF’s water bodies, barring live bait and shiners. As mentioned earlier in this list, kayaking and canoeing can take the edge off a busy week.
X
The Osprey Crossings features an atrium where its residents can mingle. The usually cold building houses plenty of freshmen students and is pretty much what the Landing would look like if it were enclosed.
Y
Taking up Buildings W, X and Y, the Osprey Landing is the penultimate resident hall on this list. Its outdoor courtyards and proximity to campus make it ideal for some students.
Z
Dubbed Building Z, the Osprey Hall ages all of the other resident halls at UNF. It’s broken into two wings and provides gender-specific floors, much like you would expect from watching certain old school college movies.
