St. Augustine 101

5 Things To Know as a College Student
Compiled by Phillip C. Sunkel IV | psunkel@flagler.edu
Photos by Phillip C. Sunkel IV

Most people who come to Flagler College have been to the school maybe once or twice before they attend classes in St. Augustine.

This leaves many incoming freshmen and transfer students with a lot of unanswered questions.

So the Gargoyle staff has taken the initiative to give students a small insight into the city we call home.

Each member of the Gargoyle editorial staff was asked to write down 5 things that every incoming freshman and transfer student need to know about St. Augustine.

Carrie Pack Chowske- Director of Marketing Communications
1.) You don’t really need a car. Someone is always friendly enough to give you a lift.
2.) Buy rain boots. The streets flood; it’s a 445-year-old city.
3.) Worry less about getting good grades and more about what you’re learning.
4.) Take advantage of all the free stuff offered to you. College is the only place where you will get free Chic-fil-A simply for existing.
5.) Exception to No. 4: Decline all the credit card offers. Keep one card for emergencies, and pay it off every month. It’s the easiest way to build credit and it will help you to live within a budget.

Cal Colgan- Co-Editor-in-Chief
1.) Contrary to popular belief, Lincolnville is not a scary place filled with people who want to mug and/or murder you. While there are some characters you should avoid, most of the people in Lincolnville are nice, respectable people from a wide array of interesting backgrounds.
2.) West King Street has a thriving cultural center, complete with art stores, a raw food vegan restaurant, and a bar that also doubles as a music venue. However, if you want to venture farther into West Augustine, it would be wise to go with a couple of friends.
3.) If you decide to go to a house party be respectful of the house’s owners and introduce yourself. DO NOT abuse their hospitality and invite 10 friends without permission. We upperclassmen WILL kick you out.
4.) Certain individuals in blue uniforms are not necessarily your friends. Some of these blue-clad men and women with badges are particularly aggressive. Try to avoid them.
5.) Above all, the community of St. Augustine is not relegated to the Flagler campus, the Castillo de San Marcos and St. George Street. Explore the town, expand your horizons OUTSIDE of the college campus, and meet interesting people.

Emily Hoover-Arts and Entertainment Editor
1.) Bombay’s convenience store on Bridge Street sells single cigarettes for less than a dollar.
2.) Save your Bugg’s Bucks. You will need them as Dining Hall choices deteriorate as the semester progresses.
3.) Scratch and Dent stores on SR16 and Anastasia Island will allow you to save money on canned and packaged products. Avoid grocery stores for anything with a shelf life.
4.) To avoid traffic on US 1, take Old Moultrie Road.
5.) It is okay to pass the horse carriages.

Mari Pothier- Sports Editor
1.) Rain boots are an essential in downtown St. Augustine. When it rains, it floods.
2.) Space bags are a great way to move your dorm items to and from home without taking up a lot of space.
3.) The food in the dining hall may not be the greatest, but they always have omelets, sandwiches, and now, a vegetarian section.
4.) Walk in groups when traveling in St. Augustine at night.
5.) It is a very real possibility you will have a terrible roommate. You hear the horror stories but you never think that it is going to happen to you.

Lauren Belcher- Managing Editor
1.) Parking sucks everywhere and the garage is too far.
2.) Lincolnville isn’t the scary ghetto.
3.) Try to live all over St. Augustine (West King, Lincolnville, Anastasia Island, SR16, Vilano, etc.)
4.) You don’t need a car but you do need a form of rolling transportation.
5.) St. Augustine is a great place to learn how to support local businesses and live a “green” lifestyle.

Gena Anderson- Administrative Editor
1.) Don’t forget that you can’t light a birthday cake in the Rotunda.
2.) Bugg’s bucks run out faster than you will imagine. Keep an eye on your balance. It sucks to come up short and not get your food.
3.) Be nice to you R.A. If your R.A. freaks out on you, please put it on YouTube.
4.) Do not burst out your new heels for the first time at a party. Stumbling home barefoot because your feet hurt will make you look drunk. Cops don’t care if you actually are.
5.) Do not put up videos of you and your friends pretending to be gangster rappers. People will laugh at you, not with you.

Phillip C. Sunkel IV- Photography Editor
1.) Lincolnville is nothing to be feared, it is a place of unity and rich with history.
2.) If you have a car, explore, explore, explore, if you don’t have a car here with you, get a bike.
3.) Once you move off campus you can forget about ever getting a parking spot anywhere near school during classes.
4.) The beaches in St. Augustine are the best, cheapest form of entertainment around, plus each beach is different: from Blowhole, to second overpass, to Vilano, to the pier, each break is different.
5.) If there is no club or organization at Flagler that is right for you, you can always create your own.

Kelly Anne Gibbs- Senior Staff Writer
1.) Take the attendance policy seriously.
2.) Don’t make out on the West Lawn (It’s gross).
3.) Always log off in the library.
4.) Get involved in clubs!
5.) Talk to people and speak up during class.