January, 2002

John Iannone, ed.,
Graduate Assistant

Inside this Issue

Apartment Safety
Free Bus Service to our Communities
Back to School
New Recreation Center at UCF
So You Didn't Clean the Fridge...

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So you want to keep your stuff?

No, we’re not going to take your stuff, but there have been a few burglaries in our communities recently, and you should know how to protect yourself and your belongings.

First things first, security has been stepped up to meet these new concerns. You know we’ve had Orange County Officers here on courtesy duty overnights for a while. Now there are more officers on duty. Over the holidays, we had UCF Police patrolling the property regularly, and now that we’re back on a normal school schedule, Orange County Sheriffs will patrol during the days.

Residence life is your first line of defense - we patrol the property from 5pm to 8am every day.
Anytime, day or night, you can always call us or the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for concerns you may have. And in emergencies always dial 911.

But remember, prevention is the best medicine. Here are some tips:

Don’t become a target. Avoid keeping blinds open, don’t show off your stuff. Even playing your music loud lets potential burglars know you have a nice stereo for them to take!

Keep them guessing. Burglars don’t want to be caught and they don’t want resistance. Don’t let them know when you’re not home. Keeping a light on, and not always parking your car in the same spot are a couple ways not to let them catch on to your routine.

Stay Safe. Arm your alarm system when you are and are not home. Call your phase office for the code to your system if you don’t know it. Keep your room door locked at night and when you leave as an additional barrier, and remember that you have a panic button in your room. Use it if necessary, and always escape if possible.

Keep your community safe. The safety of everyone depends on each person keeping their eyes and ears open. If you see something suspicious, don’t hesitate to call your area office and report it. We’ll check it out, and call the police if the situation needs further attention.

Remember that nobody can prevent all crime, but with a few simple steps we can all make our community a safer place!

Free bus service to our communities!

Beginning this month, a new shuttle service will run between Knight’s Krossing and the UCF campus. The Knight Rider will run later than the LASER service, running weekdays every half hour from 7:00am to 9:30pm and will drive a direct route from here and back.

Here’s the good part: IT’S FREE!!! That’s right. And here’s the even better part: every time you ride during the month of January, you’re entered into a drawing to receive $100 off March 2002 rent!
There are five stops within the Knight’s Krossing phases, and more on the UCF campus. Look for them or stop in your phase office and ask.

With no worries about parking or traffic, free shuttle service, and a chance to win $100 off your rent, the Knight Rider is sure to make your life easier!

Going back to school isn’t such a hassle if you’re prepared!

To find your way around better, view the campus map before you go!

Visit:
www.ucf.edu/campusmap

Or, visit the website of your school. Most have online maps!

Being organized is the key to staying stress-free. Don’t hesitate to invest a few dollars in a calendar, a binder with dividers, or anything else to help you stay on track!

Be sure to mark the important dates for the whole semester on your calendar and keep it up to date!

Back to school...

No matter which college you attend, here are some tips to make your first week back a little easier!

Parking: Remember parking is always more difficult in the first few weeks at every school. Usually it’s almost impossible to find a parking space after 9am on UCF’s campus. Make sure you arrive at least a half an hour before your class, carpool or take the bus if possible, and remember to get your parking permit - getting a ticket is a real downer among the stress of new classes!

Get your books! All the bookstores are jammed during the days. To enjoy a shorter wait at the registers, come in before 9 in the morning or after 6 at night. Always save your receipts and don’t open the shrinkwrap on new books until you’ve brought the book to class and are sure it’s the right one! You can’t return a book if that wrapping is gone. We know you just can’t wait to tear into that new book (ha), but be patient, and you’ll save a lot of hassle if you picked up the wrong one!

Make Friends! When exams come around, when you’ve missed some notes, or when you forgot what’s due tomorrow, calling a classmate can usually solve the problems at hand and give you a study partner so you both ace the test! During the first days of classes, don’t be shy! Talk to the people around you, or get up and walk around while you’re all waiting for the professor. Make sure to exchange phone numbers and email addresses and try to enlist as many people as you can - the more the better when it comes to study groups later in the semester. And remember, this isn’t a cheesy pick-up routine. If you’re not sincere, people will get the hint and leave you out of the loop. Be real, be yourself, and don’t be afraid of introducing yourself. Your new friends will be glad you had the courage to say ‘hi’!

Know your Professors! When the end of the semester comes and your professor is looking at the grade books, they’ll be a lot kinder in their grading if they can picture your face. Introduce yourself, ask questions in class, and be attentive.

One More Thing… Be prepared! Bring a notepad and a pen for the first days. Get a haircut and dress nicely, and make sure you know where your classes are! Make a great first impression and the rest of the semester will be cake!

Whether you’re a UCF student or not, you’ll benefit from the new center opening because our communities have the equipment from the original UCF gym!

New Recreation Center opens at UCF!

The brand-new Recreation and Wellness Center opens its doors on January 4th! This facility replaces the gym in the Student Resource Center, and provides indoor tennis courts, free-weights and workout equipment, along with lots of great aerobics and workout instruction. Use of the center is free to UCF students. Faculty and Staff can join for a fee.

But what if you’re not a UCF student? Here’s the good news: College Park (Knight’s Krossing and Knight’s Court) already has the equipment from the original gymnasium for our workout rooms!

Our workout rooms now offer new equipment and treadmills, along with freeweights - a first for our communities! Whether you’re a UCF student or not, you’ll benefit from the new recreation center opening at UCF!

Check out http://rec.ucf.edu for more information!

Here are a few tips if your apartment has become a health hazard!

So you didn't clean the fridge...

Maybe you didn’t clean the fridge or take out the trash before you left for the holidays, and you came back to a stinky apartment. Here are some tips on cleaning up so you don’t get sick!

After you’ve removed the offending food from the refrigerator, make a paste of baking soda and water and scrub the inside. Then rinse and leave a fresh box on a shelf to absorb any odors that remain.

Lysol spray works excellently on dry garbage cans. If food leaked inside, dilute a small amount of bleach or laundry soap with warm water, wet a cleaning cloth with the solution (an old sock will do), and wipe.

Remember that bad smells will linger in your carpet, air conditioning system, and the air in the apartment. Finish the job with deodorizing sprays for the air, carpet deodorizers or baking soda (then vacuum) for the rug, a jar of potpourri in front of the a/c intake, and opening the windows - fresh air can do wonders for getting rid of that stinky smell! Good Luck!