No discrimination on classification

For some, finding a suitable relationship in college can be difficult and at times impossible. Some students have begun to look for love in someone a few years younger.

For Shaunavia Vickers, a fourth-year health care management student from West Palm Beach, dating someone younger is not as bad as it seems.

“I’m currently dating someone that’s a sophomore, and I don’t think my relationship with him would change as far as being better if he were an upperclassman,” Vickers said. “I think he’s very mature. I sometimes ask him for advice. He’s suppose to be looking up to me.”

Quantina Washington, assistant director and licensed mental health counselor at Sunshine Manor, said there are positives and negatives to dating anyone, older or younger.

“It depends on the couple and their maturity level … their communication and making sure they discuss the expectations for the relationship,” Washington said.
Dating an underclassman has become more common among some students.

David Hickman, a third-year engineering student from Pensacola, Fla., is dating a freshman nursing student. He said their relationship is just like any other relationship.

“I don’t see the big difference between dating someone a different age or classification,” Hickman said. “I think age is just an excuse for people to use if they’re not interested. I’ve dated someone older and younger than me.”

According to FAMU’s Office of Institutional Research, the total number of students enrolled at FAMU during this semester’s preliminary period were 11,000. Of those 11,000 students, more than 5,000 are classified as freshmen and sophomores and more than 4,000 are classified as juniors and seniors.

Davinna Chimara, a third-year health care management student from Miami, said she loved her relationship with her boyfriend, who is a senior at FSU.

“He’s really mature,” she said. “That’s what I liked about him. In the beginning of our relationship everything was great. I really enjoyed it, but towards the end I realized that we were on two different pages.”