Florida State University has been catching backlash from a viral video showing them partying in a crowd with no masks.
A lot of the slander came via Florida A&M students, which led to the question: Are FAMU students hypocrites? If there is one thing FAMU is known for, it is our pride, our undeniable school spirit and our need to protect our school from harm and all outside slander.
The FAMU and Florida State love and hate relationship has been a sort of unspoken conflict since the school’s beginning. The differing opinions between the two schools are as undeniable as the noticeable difference of our dueling campuses. Differing campus amenities, food vendors and places to shop adjacent to campus are huge indicators of the financial differences between the two.
FAMU made the decision to reopen campus with distinct safety measures that included a new concept of virtual courses. The limitation of campus events ultimately eliminated our beloved football games. While FAMU said goodbye to our “Bragg” worthy tailgating festivities, Florida State decided that the risk was worth the reward.
On Saturday September 12, Florida State University had their first game which of course came with the tailgating antics. After the video was released showing over 50 plus students in one area with no mask, Famuans immediately took to twitter to show their disapproval.
One student tweeted, “How do you even post yourself at an FSU party without any shame?” Many others have shared similar sentiments.
The carelessness and complete and utter disregard for health is running rampant through Tallahassee but which school is to blame? Florida A&M was in an uproar when our neighboring university went viral on social media last week. However, immediately after pointing fingers, FAMU students were seen partying in nightclubs — some of which contained those same FSU partygoers.
At the beginning of the semester, President Larry Robinson, Ph.D. and the university issued a curfew for all students on campus after our very own “viral” video hit social media platforms showing a group of students having a party in an on campus parking garage.
Footage captured some holding their mask in their hand while others simply didn’t have one at all. Since the parking garage incident and the mandated curfews, on campus congregation has been derailed but FAMU students have still been going to clubs and social outings.
Perhaps the question isn’t if the students are hypocrites but, if our beloved institutions are. Since the re-opening plan, many have questioned why these students have even been allowed back on campus only to be met with such heavy social restraints.
One student, Mckenzie Reese said that she craves socialization, even more now at times like these. “We are young, college is supposed to be about the experience,” Resse said. “If they didn’t want us to go out, they should have made it all virtual.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has been at the epicenter of a lot of controversy. Florida A&M and FSU’s controversial twitter wars are no different. One thing is certain, both schools have a lot of work to do to create a safer and more logical method of still hosting students without depriving them of socialization.