It’s fall, which means that Twilight season is now in full swing. ‘Tis the season for baseball in thunderstorms, odd stares, and the rhinestone-encrusted skin of a killer. It might feel difficult to believe in the power of the season here; Florida is about as far from Forks, Washington, as you could possibly get. However, I’ve found that if you slap some rain clouds and a blue filter over certain campus spots, you can almost perfectly recreate several of the most iconic Twilight scenes from the franchise right here at FSU.
The Cafeteria: Suwannee
We can’t talk about Twilight without the cafeteria scene that started it all. There’s no Twilight without Bella staring at the Cullens across a room that looks oddly sterile for a cafeteria. At first glance, Suwannee Room is the easy choice for FSU’s version of the scene. After all, it’s the main dining hall on campus.
However, I think that the more accurate spot is the on-campus Chick-fil-A, particularly because of its massive windows. The windows of the cafeteria that frame the Cullens have always stuck out to me as one of the most distinct parts of the scene, and the ones in the Chick-fil-A serve as a perfect recall. I’d avoid pulling an Emmett and carrying a bag full of eggs into the building, though. You might earn a few odd looks.
The Parking Lot Save: College of Music
We, as a society, will never forget that moment in the parking lot when Edward lunged in front of a van to save Bella. This scene could technically be recreated anywhere on campus, as it just happens in a normal school parking lot—not that I’m endorsing you to try to run someone over just for the sake of paying homage to the scene.
Considering the placement of the brick school in the background, I’d argue that the perfect FSU spot is the College of Music parking lot. It’s got the flat grounds and the brick building and is just odd enough to make it believable. I’d suggest not trying this at home, though. I certainly can’t stop a car with my bare hands, and unless you are a vampire, in which case I’d ask why you’re going to school here in Florida, neither can you.
The Cullen House: College of Business
There’s no building on FSU campus that perfectly encapsulates the slightly odd feat of modern architecture that is the Cullen House. After all, that boxy, wood-and-glass type of structure would be completely out of place among our towering red brick buildings. I do think, however, that there is one place here on campus that carries the same modern vibe: the new College of Business.
It’s still crafted out of our signature brick, but the massive glass wall and modern-feeling interior are as close as we can get to the home of one particular vampire family. It’s truly a beautiful building, and it has one major advantage over the Cullen house: unless you’re near someone insane, no one is going to attack you if they smell the blood from your paper cut.
Vampire Baseball: Landis Green
Normal humans probably shouldn’t play baseball in a thunderstorm, but if you’re looking for a way to recreate the best scene in the entirety of Twilight, I have the perfect spot. It’s not the baseball field or even the softball field. No, to really encapsulate the energy of this fantastic scene, you need a proper grass clearing, not a field.
With that in mind, I’d suggest cueing up Muse’s “Supermassive Black Hole,” dusting off your high kick and pitch, and heading on down to Landis Green. It’s the most perfect spot: you’ve got open grass, a tree-lined border, and if you go on a cloudy day, you might as well just be in the movie.
The Dance Studio: Carraway Basement
I will preface this one with the note that I’d better not see anyone method acting out this scene.
If you’re wondering what the FSU parallel to the school of dance where Bella gets attacked in is, I have to present the Carraway basement. It’s truly an uncanny place; with its strangely low ceilings, oddly discolored walls, and the weird noises coming from the exposed vents, it’s the perfect site for a horror movie.
It isn’t hard to imagine someone being attacked there, and that’s a thought I can’t ignore every week when I walk down that long hallway to my archaeology lab. Honestly, if you’re just looking for a place to shoot a horror movie, the Carraway basement is the spot for you. Otherwise, I’d avoid it at all costs.
FSU may not be Forks, but with all this in mind, I think we can get close enough to have the Twilight fall of our dreams. Practice that perfect lip bite and hair tuck, put that soundtrack on blast, and go celebrate the season in sparkly vampire style! My only note is to be careful; from speeding vans to vampire kidnappings, Bella Swan is a magnet for trouble, so I’d suggest trying to be a bit more self-aware than she is. Other than that, though, good luck and have fun, locas!
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