Revived F Book gives students a place to keep UF memories

October 31, 2006

In an age when students instantly post digital photo albums to social networks that are forgotten almost as soon as they are created, the Student Alumni Association and the Florida Cicerones have brought back a more traditional way for Gators to keep their memories a little bit longer.

Part scrapbook and part guide to being a Gator, the F Book is a 96-page testament to long-held University of Florida traditions and was given free this year to all incoming freshmen during Preview.

Now, the newest members of the Gator Nation can learn anything they want to know about the University of Florida, like where to get the best food on campus, the words to the fight song or contact information for the 16 colleges.

Out of publication for more than 40 years, the former president of Cicerones, Bigad Shaban, is credited with helping the F Book make its way back to students.

With 50 pages for personal photos, the book encourages students to take part in long-standing Gator traditions like spending a day at Lake Wauberg, eating a Hare Krishna lunch on the Plaza of the Americas and painting the 34th Street wall.

A committee within Cicerones called Tradition Keepers helps to plan events for students that correspond to various traditions and activities found in the book. Once students have completed all 40 traditions, they can become gold UF Tradition Keepers and will receive gold medallions to wear to graduation.

“Tradition Keepers was created to help preserve the rich traditions and legacy of the Gator Nation,” said Laura Lentz, adviser for Cicerones and the Student Alumni Association.

The F Books are available at the University of Florida Bookstore for $8.95, and more than 900 F Books have sold so far. Current students can receive a free F Book with Student Alumni Association membership.

The books will continue to be published annually, and a new design is set to be released in April 2007. For more information, visit the Student Alumni Association Web site at www.ufalumni.ufl.edu/SAA/.