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8 things you learn as a University of Miami student

By Chloe Herring

Updated February 7, 2019 3:35 AM

This University of Miami sign is at the main campus in, get this, Coral Gables. MARSHA HALPER Miami Herald file

Incoming freshmen at the University of Miami usually arrive starry-eyed and full of misconceptions. I know because I was once one of those freshmen. You think things like:

Ooooh! I’m right next to South Beach! (It’s at least a 30-minute drive.)
I’m going to go South Beach ALL THE TIME. (Ha.)
I’M IN MIAMI, B****! (You’re not)

Things aren’t always what they seem, but you definitely pick up some major knowledge along the way. Here are some of the important things every University of Miami student learns once they get on campus:

How to correctly throw up the U

Thought you'd be able to catch the game in an quick afternoon? Well the stadium is a whole hour and a half away with traffic, so think again. AL DIAZ adiaz@miamiherald.com

Fingers straight and together. Thumbs at a 90-degree angle. You thought you knew the proper way to throw up the U, but you certainly perfect your form with time.

How to fake your way through the Alma Mater song

You may not know all the words yet, but you definitely know to put those fingers in the air. (Al Diaz/Miami Herald Staff) Al Diaz / Miami Herald Staff Al Diaz / Miami Herald Staff

“Southern suns and sky blue water…” Ehh, you’ll learn as you go.

Which servers are your favorite in the dining hall

When I was a student, the thickest lines were for sub sandwiches, grilled cheese and omelets in the morning. It was crucial to make friends — that way your order was always perfect.

Umbrellas are essential items

Look at all these very prepared UM students. Gabriela Blaettler Miami Herald

Sunny 85-degree morning? Bring an umbrella. Afternoon showers have passed and it looks like the sky is clearing up? Bring an umbrella. Have a night class and see a few clouds, but eh? BRING AN UMBRELLA. After getting drenched from several torrential downpours, you begin to learn.

The existence of the “7th Floor Crew song”

It will make you really question your choices. Who are these people? (Successful NFL players.) How did I end up here? (You’re either really rich, really smart or both.) Am I OK to take the elevator in Mahoney past the seventh floor with my girlfriend? (Maybe.)

But then you just laugh.

Watching a football game is an all-day affair

Watching football games is fun. You just have to brace yourself for it to be a major time suck. AL DIAZ adiaz@miamiherald.com

Sure, tickets are free. But, the Hard Rock Stadium is not close. Not by a longshot.

READ: Date night! Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez attend a Miami Hurricanes game

You should be afraid of falling palm fronds

Those palm trees sure are pretty. It'd be a shame if one of the fronds fell and something happened... JOHN VANBEEKUM FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER

After seeing palm fronds on the campus’ manicured lawns and on the pristine walkways, you might begin to wonder — either out of concern for your safety or for purely opportunistic reasons — what would happen if you just happened to be directly in the path of a falling frond.

Ducks poo a lot

The use of public transportation like shuttles is one of the solutions recommended to students in order to alleviate the traffic around campus and shorten the distance between the different schools in the University of Miami's Coral Gables campus at UM in Coral Gables, this bridge on Wednesday October 28, 2015. PEDRO PORTAL pportal@elnuevoherald.com

It’s not a pretty sight, especially on the bottom of your shoe.

This story was originally published April 16, 2018 at 2:04 AM.