Tallahassee is infamously known for its nightlife that caters to some 60,000 college students.
The collegiate party experience in Tallahassee is cause for considerable concern in the midst of a pandemic.
As parties continue throughout the city, students are catching a lot of backlash for attending, while no one seems to target the clubs and promoters that host the events.
There is no question that expecting students, no matter their position or role throughout campus, to halt their social life is a tad drastic — and unrealistic. The limitation of campus events ultimately eliminated a lot of events that could have been controlled, leaving students to become more creative with their means of socialization.
Since the parking garage incident at FAMU and the mandated curfews, FAMU students have still been going to clubs and social outings, further proving that the social aspect of college is as much a part of students’ lives as the education. As long as clubs and party promoters create events, an eager student will be inclined to attend.
Late September, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis opened clubs and bars to full capacity. The decision to reopen allowed promoters and clubs to begin hosting more events and ultimately giving students the opportunity to party. But at what cost?
It is clear that there is little to no regard for public safety when very few people wear masks while attending these events. But, who is to blame? It may be easier to blame everyone that attends but perhaps the focus should be the promoters and clubs.
With all the nightlife antics, it’s no wonder the term “protecting the FAMUly” has become blurred while some of the most popular promotion groups and DJs continue to host events in overcrowded nightclubs.
Most Tallahassee residents are not happy about the large parties and gatherings. Many claim that the colleges hosting events are different from events that are hosted off campus.
I do believe that having controlled events on campus with mandated masks and social distancing procedures in place can ultimately give students a sense of socialization without encouraging students to look for it in night clubs that have little to no rules.
Sadly, as long as the promoters and local celebrity DJs continue to promote events, there will continue to be students engaging. There is no correct way to handle socializing during a pandemic and completely eliminating collegiate social life of any kind would be absurd.The focus should be on amplifying safety measures or eliminating the clubs altogether.