<p>hey guys, i have 2 quick questions that i'm sure some people out there can shed some light on. Also, these are probably questions other ppl have as well. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>what are the different type of meal plans available to freshmen? I looked online, and can't find a chart with prices and details of what i'd be getting. If you have a link with specific info, that would be awesome. Also, which meal plan to you suggest?</p></li>
<li><p>i paid my $25 housing fee in oct, and my $200 deposit in feb. Does my hall preference selection affect my "spot in lin" in terms of priority housing? In other words, should i select a hall now, or do i have time to think about it?</p></li>
</ol>
<p>To answer your housing question, it’s best that you make your hall preference now, but starting this year there will be a certain date based on our housing app date that we can use the “room signup” option. From now on, we can use our preferences to basically select the room we want, if it’s available.</p>
<p>Is the food there really not that good? I was thinking about getting a meal plan, and when I visited UF, we ate at the Gator Cafe and I thought the food was pretty good. Is getting declining balance just all around better?
Oh and can you only eat at certain places with a Meal plan?</p>
<p>When you have a meal plan, I believe that you can only eat at the dining halls, but usually with a meal plan you get something like flex bucks that you can use other places. With the declining balance card, you can eat anywhere but I think it costs a little more. I see the meal plan being a huge waste of money for my son - he’s a picky eater. Plus any money left on the declining balance card can be rolled over to the next semester/year where meal plans cannot.</p>
<p>Quite frankly, the food was pretty bad. My two sons and I tried it. It’s tolerable but I predict it will get old fast.</p>
<p>Most students only get the meal plan for summer B and then get sick of the cafeteria food then they go with declining balance from then on. With declining balance, you just put in a certain amount of money and eat anywhere on campus that you want, including the cafeteria. The cafeteria food is a set amount anytime you set foot in there…even if you get a bowl of cereal and juice, you are charged the same amount as people that got a breakfast buffet with the works. Most kids get really sick of the food…today’s taco meat gets recycled tomorrow in the omelettes or in a casserole.</p>
<p>i never understand why people consider declining balance an option at all.</p>
<p>there is NO difference between declining balance and just using a debit card. besides the fact that you can only eat on campus with declining balance.</p>
<p>unless you seriously cannot trust your child to not spend all his lunch money on cocain, strippers, and pokemon cards, DO NOT GET THE DECLINING BALANCE. you’re not going to regret it with your life, but its so completely pointless. setting up a checking account that both the parent and child have access to ensure transparency, if thats the goal, and would permit the student to eat off campus when he wants, or better yet, would allow them to buy groceries every now and then so they dont have to have junk food every meal.</p>
<p>and don’t even get me started with the meal plans. unless you eat there 3 times a day every day for a year, you’re not saving any money. you might as well just pay the $8 to get in the 2-3 times a week you’ll actually want to eat at the dining hall. you’ll be better off.</p>
<p>Meal plan is available for summer and fall. If you are going for summer b, it is a good time to try the meal plan–it is only just over one month and not that expensive. However, most kids like the declining balance much, much better. I LIKE the declining balance as parents or the student can put money in the account for on campus food at a whole bunch places (quiznos, chick fil a, subway, taco bell, papa johns, etc.).I like the convenience of just swiping your gator one card and that is it…no pin, no signing anything, etc. I like having the Gator One VEnding (laundry machines and vending machines in your dorm and all over campus), and Declining balance for food. It is convenient! I like to keep graduation/job money separate in a checking account and money for necessities (i.e. food) on Gator 1.</p>
<p>i know i’m being rather arrogant and overly concerned with what other people do, and i know that its just a comfort thing, but it isn’t more convenient, and it doesn’t make sense. i’ve never signed something or used a pin with my debit card on campus. there is difference whatsoever between the two at the point of sale. i have, however, been in situations where, because so much money was commited to declining balance (long story, but you get screwed hard when you switch from a meal plan to declining balance) that i didn’t have enough money to eat off campus when friends wanted to and it sucked. my mistake, but i certainly wish that i was never on declining balance in the first place.</p>
<p>if you’re doing this already, just ignore me. theres no reason to change habits. i’m speaking towards new students: its pointless.</p>
<p>though i will second the notion of doing it over summer if you can. i was so psyched for my meal plan the first week, then i realized it was a waste of money because i never ate there. i DO know people who took advantage of it, but not many, and one ate like 4000 calories a day. summer B is definitely a good time to get it out of your system or find out that you really like it. if you sign up in the fall and change your mind, you’re on the hook for the next semester too (aka, when you sign up in the fall, you’re commiting about $3000 to them for the year, which you cant get back unless you graduate or withdraw. this explains my bitterness).</p>