Over 40,000 students attend FSU. In 2023, 55% of them were white. This classifies the university as a Predominantly White Institution (PWI), meaning that over half of the student body at FSU will never truly understand the POC (person of color) experience.
I’m Puerto Rican, and there have been times when I’m the only Hispanic or person of color in a room. It can be lonely, and it feels like I often have to play a game of catchup with my peers. It’s easy to get lost in the crowd, but one important thing to remember is that our lives and our experiences are different.
Since coming to college and being apart from my family, I’ve realized that I’m losing my traditions and my language. I have fewer people to practice Spanish with, and no one seems to understand how Vicks VapoRub somehow magically cures every sickness and ailment imaginable.
There are also fewer opportunities to celebrate our holidays. Dia de los Reyes is a holiday that occurs every January. It celebrates the day the three Kings arrived on camels and presented baby Jesus with gifts after his birth.
To celebrate, people put shoe boxes filled with grass for the camels, and in return, the Kings would leave gifts. Since I’ve been in college, I haven’t gotten to celebrate this holiday. Yes, I still receive gifts, but the tradition of collecting grass the day before, in whatever weather, has been missing from my life.
In my household, this is a big celebration, and walking around campus on Jan. 6 makes me feel empty. The Christmas decorations are gone by this point, and it feels like I’m the only person who knows of this comforting holiday.
Yet, if you’re a prospective student, don’t let this discourage you. As I said, there are over 40,000 students which means there are so many different cultures on this campus. Sometimes, I forget that, but every time I walk down Legacy Walk, I feel a sense of pride and community. On Market Wednesdays, there’s just something about seeing all the organizations and clubs representing their cultures. Through these clubs and organizations, students have created a safe space for people of similar backgrounds to come together.
One of my biggest regrets about my college experience is not joining one of these amazing organizations, especially the Puerto Rican Student Association. They celebrate their culture with people their age in a way that I’ve never done before. If you’re worried about straying away from your culture, these organizations can be a great way to stay connected.
As a person of color, it’s important for me to remember to stay close to my family and keep up with my traditions. There’s no such thing as being “Hispanic” or “Latin” enough. We live in a society that blends all cultures, and the more we grow, the more we learn from each other. If you’re planning to attend FSU and are worried about whether or not there’s diversity, there is diversity. You simply must be willing to find it.
Want to see more HCFSU? Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Pinterest!