Most high school students dream about the college experience. The college student life is idolized because of the increased freedom and independence it brings.

R.A. Kimberly Scott performs a bed check at Beaty Towers. (Max Wolson photo)

   During the summer of 2001, 80 students got a taste of this experience firsthand in the University of Florida's Summer Journalism Institute.
   For some, the six days they spent on campus were a glimpse into a world very different than what they had experienced at home. Others, however, didn't find their time at the university out of the ordinary from their normal routine.
   Katie Cole, a writing student from Coral Gables High School, found that she could be more independent on a college campus. "Here, I spend free time doing whatever I want," Cole said.
   Photography student Max Wolson from Dr. Michael Krop High School said, "There is much more [independence] here than at home. The RA's don't bother you unless you do something really wrong."
   Many students agree that independence is a definite strong point of spending time at a college. There was some "On Your Own" time, as the schedule refers to it, every day to catch a quick nap, chat with friends or just explore the extensive 2,000-acre University of Florida campus.
   SJI life is not all free time, though. Students follow a rigorous schedule of guest speaker lectures and classes. Both help to strengthen journalism skills in general and to focus in on a specific area of study. These specific classes include writing, editing, photography, broadcast and web journalism.
   "Classes here are definitely a lot more laid back and less structured than those at home," said Brian Forster, a writing student from Satellite Beach High School.
   Wolson observed that the smaller class size made learning more one on one and he was allowed to do more hands-on work.
   Cole commented that her college professors introduce concepts in a class format whereas at her high school "you learn as you go." Forster noted that because there is no grading here, students are under less pressure and they have more freedom of assignments.
   Sandra Van Gorden, a writing student from Kolbe Cathedral High School, agreed. "The classes here are not as hard as those at home because they are more laid back," she said.
   Many students found the accommodations of their dorm rooms different from home. Both Wolson and Van Gorden agreed that the dorms were not nearly as nice as home but about what they would have expected on a college campus.
   Cole found it odd to have to share a room. "I always had to share a room with my sister," she said. "Then she moved out and I had my own room. Now I'm back to sharing a room again."
   The university's food is also a new experience for some students. "[The food is] much better than food at my high school," Forster said. Van Gorden disagreed and said that the quality of food at her school cafeteria was slightly better. Wolson found food in high school and at college to be equal. "The only difference is the serving size," he said. "Here, it's all you can eat."
   One thing students could all agree on was how nice it was to have a vacation away from home. Cole summed it up when she said, "I needed a vacation away from home, and what better place to go than a college campus, meeting new people and learning valuable skills?"