How to be a Bull in Downtown St Pete
While the most important aspect when choosing a college to attend is how well it fits a students educational needs and career path, the fact that many are choosing a school in which they will remain for the next four or more years means it must be not only the logical choice but also the desired choice.
After researching and touring various schools, the University of South Florida stood out to me. One benefit of USF is that there are three separate institutions in different locations. They are all quite different but still manage to bring students together for all USF events. The largest campus resides in Tampa and is the most well known. There is also a campus in Sarasota and provides students with a smaller option. Finally, in the middle of these campus's based on size and location, rests the University of South Florida St. Petersburg.
In this article, I'll explain why the St. Pete campus was the obvious choice for me. My experiences so far at this school have confirmed that I made the best possible choice for my education and the ultimate college experience.
Reasons why University of South Florida St. Petersburg is the best school:
1.) It’s on the water. One of the biggest draws to this particular campus is its location. Located in the heart of downtown St. Petersburg, the campus lays water front. Living on campus, my favorite place to be between classes was sitting in a hammock, drinking coffee brewed from the campus coffee shop and watching the airplanes fly overhead to the small airport next door. I also enjoy watching the sailing team take out the practice 420 boats and nearly tipping them over on windy days.
In addition to the beautiful views, the recreation center on campus also offers paddle boards and kayaks to all students and whomever they wished to take.
2.)The St. Pete campus in particular is slightly smaller than your
typical University. This is one aspect that every student who attends the school absolutely loves. Why? It’s so easy to get involved, meet new people and actually get to know them. While the school is big enough that I still see new people every single day, it was quite easy to make friends in the smaller more intimate class sizes, and all of the clubs/activities offered at USFSP. I'm even on a first name basis with the baristas who work in the campus coffee shop! Every time I left my dorm room and walked downstairs something new was happening. Some mornings I would walk down to free food from different clubs set up across campus, various intramural sport competitions, and often times therapy dogs in the library.
Yes there is a puppy club. And yes millennial's need puppies to get through exam week.
3.)Attending this school is not your typical college experience. Downtown St. Pete has much to offer on weekends. A night out on the town is only walking distance from the campus. While downtown is attractive some weekends, most of the time we choose boats before bars. Whether it be for a sunset cruise, night fishing or "Sandbar Sunday" you can always find us out on the water.
Rather than being at a campus in the middle of nowhere, USFSP is surrounded downtown by art such as the Dali Museum and the intricate murals painted all over the city (each year they add new murals on different buildings). St. Pete offers incredible restaurants and tons of coffee shops to explore. Vinoy Park, near the campus, hosts multiple events throughout the year including concerts and festivals. Not to mention it’s a short 10 minute drive from some of the greatest beaches in Florida.