Within five minutes of walking through Florida A&M University’s “Set” on Set Friday, I am bombarded by promoters left and right with numerous flyers saying their party is the place for me to be.
Whether it’s during the week or on the weekends, at the club or a house party, organizations on campus are providing somewhere for us to get loose and have a good time.
One of the biggest stereotypes about FAMU is that it is a party school.
This is not entirely true. Parties are at any school you go to.
We should not be judged as only being a party school. We expand beyond just going to parties.
FAMU brings more to the table than just good parties; therefore it should not be viewed as a party school in its entirety.
When I first told friends about my acceptance into FAMU, they informed me that it was a party school and I wouldn’t be able to stay focused. But once I came here, I saw that education is just as important as the parties.
Upperclassmen dished out advice by informing me how important it is to get involved in organizations, build up a good GPA my first year and network consistently. In the classroom my teachers also stressed the importance of getting an internship and time management.
At times FAMU may seem to reinforce the stereotype of being a party school, but it’s only to a certain extent.
FAMU is not a party school, but we do know how to party. Some students constantly party and lose focus of their studies, while others are always in their books. This decision is up to the individual.
If you know you have a test the day after a party and you have not studied the whole week, then maybe you should bypass going out. Don’t get me wrong, I attend my fair share of parties to escape the stress that comes from college.
However, I know why I came to college – for an education.
Events, parties and clubs are always occurring nearby or on campus, but a part of being in college is learning what your priorities are and not getting caught up in all the hype of the social scene.
Some are guilty of fitting into this stereotype – they regularly promote parties, go to parties or host the party. But who can resist a night out at FAMU’s most anticipated fraternity parties such as “Goombay,” the “Oil Spill” and “Jungle Fever?”
From the outside looking in FAMU may seem like just a party school, but there is way more to students than that.
Kendra Anderson is a freshman magazine production major from Stafford, Va. She can be reached at kendra1.anderson@famu.edu.