Florida A&M is home to Rattlers from near and far. Most who set foot on campus as freshmen leave with a different mindset, new experiences, a newfound interest or all of the above. While these facets of life are important, they are not the only things that matter.
It is easy for many to get caught up in the Twitter trending topics, campus-wide inside jokes and the overall microcosm that is FAMU. While this might seem like the hip and trendy thing to do right now, it is not beneficial to anyone’s overall growth.
When we leave this university, the free world is under the assumption that we are not pouncing on the next person who criticizes FAMU or thinking that Twitter will tell us everything we need to know about the world. It is important to realize that this is the only time that many of us will be around this many African-Americans who are striving for the same goal – graduation. After that, many of us will be the minority once again – the token black person or a corporate company’s superficial attempt at diversity.
Everyone seems to be concerned with the way their money gets spent by university leaders. While this is an important issue, it is minimal when considering how many students actually show up to FAMU-sponsored events that are paid for with their own money. People fail to see the endless opportunities that being in college can offer.
This is not just a time to find your bridesmaids or plan your bachelor party; this is where Fortune 500 companies are conceived and where the world becomes our problem to deal with. Instead of getting sucked into the social vacuum, strike out and blaze your own path to greatness.