Gator Softball

Between football, basketball, and baseball, fans sometimes forget about Florida's top-notch softball program. Gator softball has had some remarkable seasons in recent years, including four College World Series appearances in the past five years. Even though I have been here for four years, I regret to say that I have never been to a women's softball game... until now. I finally found my way to Pressly Stadium to watch the Gators take on none other than the Florida State Seminoles. I will admit that the free t-shirt giveaway had a big part in luring me to the game, but there was such a huge turnout that I missed the free shirts. Turns out, Gator softball has a HUGE following and these ladies did not disappoint their fans. This game went into extra-innings and ended with a walk-off grand slam, giving the Gators a 7-3 victory over their in-state rivals. Although this was my first Gator softball game, I don't think it will be my last. If you're a softball or baseball fan, or even just an all-around Gator fan, this tradition will not let you down!

Gator Gymnastics

Whether or not you're a gymnastics fan, you have got to check out a Gator Gymnastics meet! And after all the hype surrounding the "Fierce Five" at the 2012 London Olympics, the sport of gymnastics probably has a huge influx of fans this season.

The Gator gymnasts are currently ranked Number TWO in the nation, and have a good chance of winning it all this year. The team even has a pair of Olympic athletes helping the Gators beat out the competition.

Students and families alike love watching these girls execute their high flying tricks, and incredible balancing acts. There's also usually great freebies at the meets like shirts or in our case, free pizza! As a little heads up for when you do decide to finally go to a gymnastics meet, make sure you pay very close attention to the Gator girls' floor routines- they like to incorporate the audience and a famous Gator tradition.

I'm Back!

Undergrad Graduation- 2012!

So I know it base been over a year since I last posted about the wonderful traditions that the University of Florida has to offer, and I must apologize. I got a little caught up with senior projects, graduation festivities, and applying to graduate school. But I am very happy to say that I am still a Gator!

Since last August, I have been in grad school here at UF and working hard towards another UF diploma- a Master's in Public Relations! Don't worry, I have still been taking part in countless UF traditions and will continue sharing my stories. However grad school is very different from undergrad, so please forgive me if I take a little bit longer between posts. Not only is graduate school a lot more work, it's A LOT more expensive!

Fortunately, I've been spending a lot of time research scholarships and my next post will be an essay I wrote for a very prestigious scholarship- the James "Rhio" O'Connor Memorial Scholarship. It truly is an inspiring story so I hope you all read it and enjoy!

More Blogs Worth Checking Out

Aside from being a sports junkie, I can gladly say I LOVE food (who doesn’t). Therefore, I thoroughly enjoyed several blogs from my fellow classmates. Juliza Monterroso combines two of her loves (fashion and food) to create a creative, fun, and entertaining blog. I loved the sweet treats on her blogs and her post about daquris instantly put me in the mood to just lay by the pool and sip on one of these refreshing drinks. Gillian Finklea then shows us that eating delicious food doesn’t have to mean gaining a whole new jean size. I really want to try the detox diet she mentions, my body definitely deserves an apology for some of the stuff I eat. Another blog I found extremely interesting and fun was Maria Tridas’ blog on local places around Gainesville. I’ve been trying to make it a point in the last few months to eat soley at local places unique to Gainesville. I want to take advantage of all the hidden treasures around us as oppose to continuously going to the same chain restaurants that can be found in every city in America. Her page is basically a road map to all the local places worth trying around town, almost like a personal Urbanspoon. Just talking about these blogs is making me work up an appetite, but sadly I have nothing in my refrigerator or pantry that sounds appealing. 

there's only one MICHELLE SECADES

So it’s time to take a timeout from all the traditions and get to know a little more about me. However, I’m not going to write all about my professional background and telecomm experience. But for those of you interested in my education, experience and honors (future employers perhaps)… please take the time to review my resume.

Favorite Movie: Armageddon

Favorite Chick Flick: Titanic (yes, it’s a separate category)

Favorite Vacation Spot: Siesta Key, Sarasota 

Favorite 90s Band: NSYNC

Chocolate or Vanilla: CHOCOLATE

Pepsi or Coke: Coke

Summer or Winter: Summer (I’m from Florida!)

Moment that changed my life: Becoming a big sister... TWICE!

Random Fact: Voted "Most School Spirit" of my senior class in High School 

What I can't live without... The people I love

For more information on myself and the purpose of this blog, be sure to check out my very first blog post. 

Got Jobs?

It's hard to believe that graduation is only a month and a half away. It's such a bittersweet feeling to know that you're almost done with all the classes, assignments, projects and exams, but at the same time, you will be leaving so many friends who have become family in the past four years. Students may also feel rushed to accomplish everything on their college bucket list- including the countless UF traditions. But this time also reminds us of the short-coming "Real World." Job applications are on nearly every senior's mind these days. Luckily, I will be attending grad school next year so I can put the job searching off for a bit. However, I have am still applying for summer jobs and internships so I've had to keep my resume up-to-date. I'm hoping that all the connections I've made through internships will benefit me once I finish my Master's. But until then, I'm looking forward to enjoying my last few weeks as an undergrad here at UF.

Paynes Prairie

The past few weeks have had some interesting nights for stargazers. First, there were amazing Northern Lights that could be seen throughout the Northern part of North America, and last week I was able to spot Mars and Venus in close proximity at night. Although I was able to see the planets, the stars weren’t so easy to spot because of all the lights in my neighborhood back home. However, Gainesville has one of the most beautiful stargazing spots I’ve ever seen- Paynes Prairie. Although, it’s recently been in the news for all the fog and brushfires which caused an awful car accident on the Interstate, Paynes Prairie offers beautiful sights for students and families at the University of Florida. Just about 10 minutes South of campus, it’s a great place to go camping, ride your bike, or simply hang out with nature. I’ve had picnics in the park with my dance team and we had a great time looking for the wild animals in the area. And at night, the entire sky is filled with countless stars- honestly it’s breathtaking. I strongly suggest everyone take the time while they’re at UF to do something out of the ordinary and spend the day (or night) at Paynes Prairie.

Picture Courtesy of paynesprairie.net

Florida Baseball... Gainesville's Favorite Pastime

With all the hype surround March Madness this time of year, some may forget about another sport I hold near and dear to my heart… baseball! Thankfully that’s not the case at the University of Florida. The Gator’s baseball team is ranked NUMBER ONE in the nation and has been filling the stadium at every game this season. And this week they took on Florida State in the annual “Sunshine State Showdown” and came out victorious with a 9-2 win over the Noles (not surprised). Florida’s baseball team has always been a power-house when it comes to college baseball- making it to the NCAA National Championships for the past three seasons. And what’s great about the baseball games is that Gator fans of all ages can sit together and cheer on their beloved player. From babies who can’t even walk, to older couples well-into retirement, everyone can share a passion for Gator Baseball.

On a side note, the Florida Men’s Basketball team takes on Virginia tomorrow afternoon in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. 

UF Extreme Dance Co... Making Our Own Traditions

As you can probably tell throughout my blog, I believe that being a apart of the University of Florida means being a part of traditions that have lasted lifetimes. And we don't just stick to traditions known by the entire Gator Nation, we create traditions along the way. One of my personal traditions has been dancing with Extreme Dance Company every semester. We are a student organization on campus partially funded through the University of Florida Student Government. Every semester we have a show where all our friends and family can see what we've been working so hard on all semester. We also have sneak previews of these routines at events such as Dance Marathon. I initially joined Extreme because I missed dancing-having danced since the age of three, it's a hard hobby to give up. But eventually these girls became my family and I look forward to going to practice and getting a break from school. Honestly, joining extreme was one of the best traditions I could have ever started and I'm really going to miss dancing on stage with them after graduation.

If you're interested in joining Extreme, you can follow us on Twitter. We take people of all dance backgrounds, and even if you have no dance background we'll be happy to help. And as we always say... Extreme Love!

Level A backstage at our Spring 2011 Show

... I Work Out

One thing I've noticed throughout my time at UF is how dedicated people are to working out. Personally, Inever really went to a gym before college because I was a dancer in high school and we have our own workout routines aside from daily practice. But even I have fallen victim to workout mania in college (I would much prefer that then the notorius "Freshman Fifteen"). With multiple gyms and a huge campus to run around, it's hard not to stay in shape. But I think one of the coolest ways to stay fit is running stadiums in "The Swamp." Although it's definitely one of the more exhausting workouts, I strongly suggest everyone do it before they graduate. I made it a point to have it on my college bucket list and I felt so accomplished when I finally ran up and down those countless bleachers. At any time on any given day, you'll probably find people running stadiums. It's also neat just to think that a place that's filled with 90,000 screaming Gator fans on Saturdays can be your own personal gym during the week. Added bonus... you'll probably spot an athlete or two while working on your fitness.

Would You Like Fries With That?

So if you’ve walked around campus, I’m sure you’ve noticed that there are a few things that may catch your attention or look out of place. Perhaps some of the most noticeable items are the giant French Fries outside of the Marston Science Library. I’m not sure if there’s an actual name for the huge artwork but ask anyone to point you towards the French Fries and they’ll know exactly what you’re talking about. I remember my first time coming across the over-sized yellow beams I was definitely caught off guard. But now, they seem to blend in with the setting. I’m pretty sure I’ve almost bumped into them a few times while trying to walk and text at the same time (something I don’t recommend doing on campus, especially with all the buses and bikers). But before I become completely immune to the giant fries, I asked my roommate to take a picture of me with the beloved landmark. Primarily to add it to my list of UF traditions, but it also served as a distraction from all the studying I was about to do in the library.

Florida Basketball... Fantastic!

Football isn’t the only big sport at UF, attending a spring sport is another Florida tradition. I attended this weekend’s men’s basketball game against Mississippi State, and what a game! The bulldogs came in ranked No. 18 and were sure to put up a fight against the Gators. But our boys played hard all afternoon and came out with a 69-57 victory in the O’Dome. I was surprised to see that there was such a huge turnout considering the game was at 1:30 in the afternoon, but it just goes to show you that you can’t mess with the Gator Nation.

FLORIDA/Georgia Weekend!!

When football season comes around, there’s no denying the excitement in and around “The Swamp” is unlike any other place in the Southeast. But the craziness of Gator football isn’t strictly confined to Gainesville. Perhaps one of the greatest Florida games takes place in Jacksonville during Florida/Georgia weekend- aka “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.” This was my second year in a row going to Jacksonville and the experience gets better every time. It’s a non-stop party throughout the city all weekend long. Although we lost the game, it was still an unbelievable feeling to be in the stadium with thousands of screaming fans and seeing the crowd split down the middle – half blue/orange, half red/black. I strongly believe that EVERYONE needs to experience Florida/Georgia weekend before they graduate from UF. It certainly lives up to its reputation as “The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.”

(I took this picture at the 2011 game and although it looks like a beautiful and sunny day, it was absolutely freezing by the end of the game.)

University of Florida- The Best of The Best