7 Reasons on How You Know You’re a Panther

Florida Tech is certainly a unique school; that much is for sure. And it’s not just the school itself that makes us so different. There’s definitely a different caliber of student body at this school, and in order to help explain us a bit, I’ve compiled a list of the top reasons how you know you’re a Florida Tech student!

1. You’re constantly surrounded by people just like you…

Namely, the coolest people you’ll ever meet. Or dorks, to put it bluntly. Never before will you be surrounded by people constantly willing to build blanket forts, able to complete every one of your Star Trek quotes and have nerdy pick-up line wars with you. You’ll find yourself getting sucked into conversations about Big Bang Theory, Doctor Who and Harry Potter with just about everyone. If you’re in a fandom, you’ll find plenty of people to share it with — and that goes for video games as well! Even if nerdy things aren’t your favorite, don’t despair. We’re some pretty diverse smart kids; we’re into sports, theater, music and anything else you can think of. Here at Florida Tech, you’re guaranteed to find your niche.

2. You can’t possibly walk through campus unnoticed.

One of the perks of being at a smaller school is that everyone knows each other. If you ever want to sneak around unnoticed, you’re out of luck. The good news is that even if you’re having a bad day, running into people you know and love always brightens up your life. In fact, it’s also common to run into your fellow students off campus — it’s a close-knit area.

3. You know that buffalo chicken wraps are a religious experience.

One of the biggest traditions (read: LEGENDS) here at Florida Tech is that of the buffalo chicken wrap. These wraps are a staple of the Florida Tech diet, and you can find them just about everywhere. We are so crazy about our buffalo chicken that we even held a dress-up contest last semester to see who could come closest to matching that iconic image. And it doesn’t stop at wraps, either– you can find buffalo chicken put in or on just around any food around these parts. It’s a completely separate food group for us. Once you try it, you’ll wonder just how you ever survived without it.

4. You never need to worry about fixing anything, because you’re surrounded by engineers.

Broken laptop? TV not working? Lights inexplicably not lit? No need to fear! Here at Florida Tech, you’ll probably find yourself within five to 10 feet of an engineer at all times. A lot of them are perfectly willing to help you fix whatever you broke, whether for the first time or the tenth. For some, it’s practically homework. Be careful, though, that you watch the fixing process — make sure that your engineer friend doesn’t start dismantling perfectly good parts!

5. You can count on one hand the number of times you’ve seen the anti-gravity chairs in the library completely unoccupied.

Wait, what? Anti-gravity chairs? That’s right, these fabulous chairs that reside in the library recline until your feet are in the air and you feel almost weightless. Talk about comfort—and quiet, since they’re in the quietest zone of the Evans Library. That’s all the information I’ll give you as to their location, however. If you want to find them, you’ll have to go on a scavenger hunt yourself. Maybe you’ll find some more campus secrets on your little adventure!

6. You know that mac ‘n’ cheese bites from the Rat can be a perfectly good substitute for currency.

At least among friends, that is. Seriously, these Gouda mac ‘n’ cheese bites are incredible– and if you can’t seem to find the cash to pay back a friend, they often make for good bribery. Not that I would know, that is. All joking aside, these things are incredible, and you haven’t lived until you’ve tried them. Be careful not to get too addicted, though, or you’ll find yourself out of FlexCash in the blink of an eye!

And finally, the last reason you know you go to Florida Tech…

7. Your campus’ trolleys multiply and have BABY TROLLEYS!

The trolleys that we got last semester have been kind of like a second campus mascot or pet. Everyone was thrilled at the very-Florida Tech new arrivals at the beginning of this semester. The two new, smaller, adorable trolleys are already racing after their parents on campus. And if anyone has suggestions for names, let me know—up until now, I’ve only heard them called the baby girl and baby boy trolleys! Congrats, big trolleys, on your new arrivals.

From the sweet to the ridiculous, these are some of the things that almost all Florida Tech students can identify with. There are many more things that bind us together, and that’s what makes our campus special. As always, leave a comment if you want to contact me, and GO PANTHERS!