Maya James

Florida experienced a substantial increase in apartment rent prices from September 2020 to September 2021, according to an analysis of rent prices in Florida done by Statista Research Department.

Statista's data set showed a 27%-29% increase depending on the number of bedrooms. In light of these sizeable rent hikes, UCF saw record enrollment numbers for fall 2020, injecting thousands of students in need of housing into Central Florida’s population.

UCF Student Health Services has received drug activation kits known as Deterra.

Deterra is a drug disposal system that contains activated carbon to permanently absorb and deactivate pharmaceuticals meant to safely destroy unused or expire medications. These kits were requested in collaboration with SAFE Project, a national nonprofit that aligns itself with rallying against overdose deaths and addiction.

The kits arrived Oct. 29, making it the first time UCF has offered remote or at-home drug d

UCF Student Health Services saw an approximately 92% decrease in medications collected for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, compared to the same event held last spring semester.

The event happened Oct. 21 and is a smaller part of a national effort from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration to reduce drug overdose-related deaths and discourage prescription drug abuse, according to the official Drug Take Back Day website. Student Health Services, in partnership with the UCF Police Department and Wellness and Health Promotion Services, holds the event twice a year in order to give students a space to dispose of these substances “no questions asked.”

Socially-distanced tents lined Memory Mall Wednesday, as various UCF departments gathered to promote healthfulness, give out nutritious snacks and share health resources at the Healthy Knights Expo.

The annual event is the largest health expo at UCF, according to the university's website. However, Wednesday's expo was held with several changes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Marketing communications specialist Crystal Zavallo said these changes revolved around reducing all general “touch

Student Health Services "spilled the tea" on National Recovery Month by providing free tea bags at the Student Union Monday.

"Spill the Tea on Recovery" kicked off NRM and was UCF’s way of providing outreach to bridge the gap between recovering and non-recovering students. Wellness & Health Promotion Services collaborated with SHS on the event, supplying tea bags and fresh lemongrass from its FreshU kitchen.

Crystal Zavallo, professional recovery coach and SHS marketing communications speciali

In the cool shadows cast by the awnings in the Breezeway, Floridians for Housing volunteer Donnell Sanders stood in front of his table covered in clipboards on Monday, as he urged passing students to sign his petition for affordable housing.

Floridians for Housing is a political committee funded by the Florida Realtors Trade Association.

In order to combat learning challenges brought by COVID-19, UCF’s branch of Young Democratic Socialists of America is planning a peer-led tutoring service to provide students with academic support.

Headed by junior philosophy student Damian Thomas, the tutoring service is the first big project under Solidarity Corps, a subset of UCF YDSA which specializes in mutual aid work and student assistance on campus.

Thomas said YDSA is networking with local students, alumni and national supports, such