For many students, FSU pride starts long before orientation. It’s a tradition passed down through tailgates, game-day rituals, and family attendance. One thing has been true all of my life: I’m a Florida State Seminole. Even before my official journey began in Jan. 2024, when I transferred and became an enrolled student, I had ties to FSU.
I have pictures of myself dressed from head to toe in Florida State regalia as an infant, in an FSU cheerleading costume as an adolescent, in Florida State football jerseys as a teen, and in FSU tank tops and shorts in my 20s. I grew up on all things FSU because my parents were fans and became even bigger ones when both of my older brothers decided to move 10 hours away from home to attend. Some things have changed, but many have stayed the same, and what I’ve learned from the University extends far beyond just being a student.
Dreaming of FSU
From a young age, I learned about FSU through my father, who was obsessed with football. He taught me all about Bobby Bowden, the rise of Jimbo Fisher, and the golden years in the ’80s when FSU and Miami were battling it out for the National Title in football every year. I remember going to games as a little girl and asking my dad about what a first down was and why there was a flag on the play.
My earliest memories revolved around football Saturdays, when the war chant became as natural as breathing. Back then, my whole perception of the school was football, but it was so much deeper than that. It wasn’t until my brothers went to FSU that I began to see the university through new eyes.
The Visitor Years
When my eldest brother started at Florida State, I was 10 years old. I first set foot on the campus that I, myself, would one day call home over 12 years ago.
I remember my first perceptions of college students. I admired every single one — how could I not, as a child? The girls were grown and gorgeous, the boys loud and somewhat obnoxious (still true), and I soon learned that the reputation precedes FSU correctly: it’s a party school.
My brother called it “the simulation,” and as I grew up and visited them, I began to realize what he meant. At a football game, people would be as rowdy as can be, stumbling through the stands, and throwing empty beer cans into the crowd. The most fascinating part was that those same students would be scattered across campus studying the next day. It was unreal.
I remember going to Friday Night Block Parties in College Town and seeing how young adults acted, being frightened and disgusted at the same time. Yet, in the haze of alcohol induced fun, everyone had this spirit to them. There was an underlying sense of community that danced through Tallahassee, alluring enough to keep returning.
Becoming a Seminole
My mom didn’t want me to go to Florida State because she, too, recognized that there was a lot of partying. I applied to a plethora of other schools, even visiting some, but after three years of not returning to Tallahassee after my other brother graduated, I did. I smelled the Tallahassee air, saw all the garnet and gold, and faced the Unconquered Statue. Deep in my soul, I felt at home.
I started at Tallahassee State College (TSC) and earned my associate’s degree to save money while being out of state, and transferred to FSU within a year and a half of being in Tallahassee. Even when I wasn’t a true Seminole by being enrolled, I was an honorary one. Yet when I finally transferred to FSU, I realized my knowledge of the school wasn’t as extensive as I thought it was.
For example, I had no idea how hard it was to find parking until two weeks later, when class didn’t seem as important. I learned the best place to park is St. Augustine Garage, and on a football game day, always park in the Alumni lot. Taking Pensacola St. is always the better choice than taking Tennessee St.
My perception of a library changed; there’s a separate floor for quiet seclusion. The right professors will do their best to aid you in your academic needs. Buying food is more expensive on campus, yet convenient, and making friends is nearly impossible in a classroom. There’s always something to do on campus. Whether it be sunbathing on Landis Green or playing on the intramural fields, it isn’t hard to find ways to enjoy its beauty.
When hardships occurred, the FSU student body became stronger than ever. These are things I came to understand when I actually attended the University. Though it seems the lessons I’ve learned feel woven deep into my past, present, and future.
The (Soon-to-be) Alumni
Anyone who knew me growing up wasn’t surprised by my choice of attending FSU. Still, I was on the fence about attending until I received a letter from my younger self, written in a class years prior, reminding me she’d be disappointed if I wasn’t currently seated in an FSU classroom.
My journey is coming to an end in Dec. 2025. I’m less than a month away from becoming an alumna, and while I’m leaving FSU, I know it’ll never leave me. My time here has been full of strenuous challenges and hardships, but it’s also been bountiful in blessings and belonging.
At FSU, I met my best friends through random roommate assignments and speed-friending events. I figured out how to trust myself, to be social, and to stop overthinking. I figured out how to get things accomplished on my own and be okay during hard times, miles away from my family. I learned who I was without FSU, as an individual, while also being viscerally embedded in the University’s culture.
Every experience with FSU led me back to it. I came to Florida State, not just for the academics but for the experience. I followed the voice of a little girl. I looked at the Unconquered Statue, heard a whisper of the war chant, and saw the sea of arms doing the tomahawk chop as Osceola and Renegade ran out to plant the flaming spear into the Seminole head. I imagined turning 21 and not getting thrown into the Westcott fountain. It was like I was destined to experience FSU.
For me, everything about the school was pride and tradition. I went from dreaming of being a Seminole to becoming one and soon, finally, calling myself an alumna. If I lived a thousand lifetimes, I’d choose to attend FSU in every single one, and even though I’m leaving the University, I’ll carry a piece of it with me for the rest of my life. I’ll forever be a Nole!
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