As another Friday night approaches, senior Rudi Barklova, a 4th year student currently living in the Murphree Area, anxiously awaits the release of this week’s Gator Nights line-up as he sets up his sleeping bag below the bulletin board of his hallway.
A few hours later, Barklova’s RA cautiously steps over him and staples the much anticipated Gator Nights flyer to the board. Barklova later awakens as he begins to urinate himself for the 3rd night this week.
At the sight of the new Gator Nights lineup, he uncomfortably jumps in the air with his fists clenched and shouts, “YES! The Last Airbender, again!” His face beaming at the idea of yet another empty Reitz Union.
Once he settled down and removed his urinated clothing, our reporters were able to ask the 4th year student his thoughts on Gator Nights.
I haven’t missed a Gator Nights event since the spring of freshman year. That’s when my devotion began.”
Barklova arrived at the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom on a cold Friday night his first year. He arrived not knowing what he was about to discover.
Empty rooms, more empty rooms, unattended popcorn machines, cold pizza and free shirts. It…it was heaven.”
Barklova would never miss another Gator Nights Event from then on. He will be attending his 79th consecutive Gator Nights this Friday and isn’t looking back.
“For one night out of the week, I get to have my own student center. No human interaction to worry about and unlimited spins at the prize wheel. It doesn’t get any better.”
The UF senior hopes that Gator Nights will continue to attract no students. He is worried that the non-english speaking, foreign student population will discover his safe place but is making efforts to combat this.
“I’ve begun to lock all doors to the Reitz once I enter and confirm and that there is nobody else in the building. It has upset some of the Subway employees but it is well worth their lost wages. Gator Nights is mine, and I’m not sharing.”