Finding Classes

You’re not alone if you can’t find your way around campus, and it’s okay to end up late to your first class ever. Eventually, though, and preferably soon, you will need a general understanding of where you want to go everyday and how to get there. Finding your way around isn’t tough after you figure it out and learn a few steps.

It’s okay to be embarrassed about walking around with a campus map. Luckily for you, there are plenty of applications and images that you can download to your phone

Take advantage of these. Digital maps will allow you to know where you are without feeling quite as embarrassed about it. Knowing where you are will ensure that you walk around campus efficiently and safely.

Two great apps are:

Gatorway – the preview app

a. If you download the app used during preview, you can access a campus map which has plenty of popular buildings labelled.

b. This app is great because, as you can see below, the map is interactive and shows you where you are

#1: Use Digital Maps

The Gatorway application is complicated to navigate, but once you find the campus map it is extremely helpful while you're on the run because of the blue blip designating where you are.

2. Florida - the University of Florida official app

a. The Florida app is slightly more difficult to use than the Gatorway app because it’s just a satellite image of the University of Florida and

doesn’tshow you where you are on the map.

b. However, the Florida app allows you to search for and find specific buildings or areas.

i. With the Gatorway app, you need to know where the building is on the map.

Tip: Memorize where you live on the map so that you can easily figure out whether you’re heading North, East, South, or West by comparing the direction you’re walking to the direction that your dorm, apartment, or house is in.

#2: Practice Your Route

You’re definitely not doing something during every second of the day of the weekend. Whether it’s your first few days here and you haven’t even been to a class yet or you’re halfway through the semester and keep walking into the wrong room, practice makes perfect. Keep a few tips in your mind:

Walk around the building before class everyday if you have some extra time to spare. You can either be observant or aimless, so long as you gain a better understanding of the building layout each time.
Rather than just memorizing the map, also try walking to and from classes using the same route that you would throughout the day. If you like to go to the library before your calculus class, then practice going from the library to the building the class is held in. Don’t memorize routes you’ll never use.
Find out where you need to go and how far you need to go before you need to go there, and walk through it until you’re confident. If you’re confident without practicing, then don’t bother – but it will never hurt to walk through it once or twice.
Go out and explore with a friend. It’s always easier to figure something out if you have twice the knowledge. You don’t even have to admit that you’re trying to figure out routes to class. Walking around aimlessly will lead you to find something eventually.

Tip: All classrooms are open during the weekdays, so you can go inside of your class when it’s empty and find out what it looks like. This will prevent walking and then staying in a class that you don’t belong in.

#3: Remember the Building Names and Classroom Numbers

The worst event to occur to a freshman is waking up late in the morning, needing to rush to class, and then forgetting what room number said class is being held in. It’s important that you establish a way to prevent this, and it’s not too difficult to do.

1. Write down the buildings and room numbers in a calendar.

a. Many digital calendars have a section to write down the location. So, if you realize you forget the room number halfway to class, you can

quickly glance down at your phone to see the location.

2. Use the Florida app to look at your schedule in ISIS. It will contain information about your class times, location, and professors. The locations

also have a link to the searchable Florida map showcased above.

The Florida application allows you to access ISIS and look at your class schedule. As you can see on the farthermost right screen, each course includes its room building and number under the Room: subcategory.

#4: Ask For Help In Person

You’re not the only one that’s lost in such a giant university. Even upperclassman sometimes need help finding out where they need to go. If you still can’t figure out where you’re headed, ask somebody!

Try to find somebody who looks older than you. They have probably been here longer and might know more than your freshmen peers.
Feel free to compare what they’re saying to your map. Maybe they’re teaching you a shortcut, and it’ll be nice to see a visual of what they’re explaining. It might help you memorize the route.

As you can see, sometimes Google Maps doesn't give you the optimal route because the site is unaware of entrance locations of different buildings. A student at the university would tell you to take the right hand route if you wanted to head over to Library West from the back of the Hub, shaving off a minute of time compared to Google’s left hand suggestion. Alternative routes are in grey while the optimal route is indicated with blue dots.

Summary

Just remember to look up your route beforehand, practice it, memorize it, and ask for help along the way. Don’t forget to look around for shortcuts either in person or on maps. Utilize any resources you can to find your way around, like upperclassmen or other freshmen in the same classes as you. No matter what, don’t be embarrassed. Embarrassment only causes you to avoid seeking help, and it’s okay for freshmen to need help. All of them do at some point.