Ask an Advisor

by Dana Myers

 Our “Ask an Advisor” column allows UF advisors to share their viewpoint and experiences regarding advising or just life in general. We recently asked some advisors to answer the following questions:

1.       Do you have any plans for the winter break?   What would be your ideal holiday gift?

For the winter holidays, I’m going to Montreal to see my brother.  We’re going to spend two days in Montreal, two days camping in the Adirondacks, and then head down to Virginia to see our family for a few days.  I have two ideal holiday gifts, one practical and one dream gift.  My practical gift would be a half dozen Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs steamed with Old Bay seasoning.  My dream gift would be pilot lessons.  I’ve always wanted to learn how to fly a small plane and I can’t imagine anything more exhilarating or empowering than being able to fly.  Robbie Shields, School of Business                                             

I make so many plans for the winter break there is no way humanly possible to do them all! At the top of my list, is spending time with family, taking a kayaking trip, playing with my Jack Russell’s Max and Lily, indulging in pleasure reading and “catching up” on sleep!   My ideal gift would be a gift that the entire world could share---compassion and understanding of others and peace on earth.  Anne Marie Mattison, Food and Resource Economics

Over the holidays, I’ll be spending some time visiting family, probably eating more than I should, and regretting said over-indulgence while I work those pounds off.  (It’s a holiday tradition!)  As I believe this is a time for sharing, my ideal gift would be something that could benefit all of humanity, like a German sports car.  This would help foster diplomatic relations between our two countries.  Wait a minute….what did Wehle say?  World peace?  Yeah . . . well, of course that, too.  I meant like –after world peace!     Nicholas M. Mrozinske, Liberal Arts and Sciences

My winter break is going to be a fun filled time of tearing out kitchen cabinets, pulling up old flooring, painting, laying ceramic tile, and installing new cabinets, sink and appliances.  Anyone handy with a hammer?  My ideal gift would be a second advisor for our office!  Other than that, my ideal gift would be just getting together with my family. We're spread out all over the country now, so it would be nice to see everyone again in one place.  Matt Williams, Electrical Engineering