This week’s Her Campus Man Crush is the sweetest guy on Hampton’s campus. He’s super involved on campus from serving with his brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. to Rides with Ro. Robel Eskinder gives Her Campus Hampton U the scoop on his love life and some other serious pop culture issues.
HC: What have you been up to lately?
RE: I have been working constantly. If I’m not working at my internship at the Proton Therapy Institute or if I’m not driving with Ride with Ro…(Please hit me up if you need a ride!) I’m always trying to be productive whether its studying with my brothers or planning activities. Every day there’s something to do and I don’t really like having too much downtime. I definitely have time to myself but other than that I try to be on 110 percent grind mode 24/7.
HC: So now that we know you’re a busy man and about your business. What do you do to relax and chill out?
RE: That’s a great question! Lately I haven’t really gotten the chance to chill out. I think it been since…MLK day. Other than that I love to play basketball, working out, and exploring new places with my friends. The last time my friends and I were free, we went out to Norfolk and discovered this art district and had a photoshoot it was great to just experience something new.
HC: Well we all know you’re an Alpha man, do you feel like being in a fraternity has changed your status on campus or your relationships with people?
RE: I would want to say no but that’s not the case. Our campus views “Greek Life” as a social hierarchy, which isn’t true at all. I feel like a lot of the time the relationships with those around me may not be so genuine. I don’t know why that is but it’s just kinda the way it is. I don’t know what they think I can do for them because I’m really the same person I was before I crossed. But I’ve always been picky about who I hang out with. But as far as how many people I got close with since I crossed the ‘burning sands’ probably one, maybe two and that’s kind of a stretch.
HC: Tell us, who are your homies on campus?
RE: Well I would like to say, you are definitely one of my top 15 India. But I guess I can give some shoutouts right now, SHOUT OUT to the Gamma Iota Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.! Briana Smith, definitely a huge motivator in my life and one of my best friends that I’ve grown to love and look up to. Not just as a friend but a mentor as well. Basketball star, Akeem Mitchell, that’s definitely my bro! I love him to death! Shout out Val, I love you so much. Shout out to Hannah and Martha, you guys are amazing and you’ve always been the best bigs, really the best moms. And Barry, Barry the DJ, great guy! If I missed anybody, I love you guys!
HC: So, you’re known as the sweetest guy on campus. So tell us Robel, who has your heart?
RE: Ok. One, that’s so not true. That’s really just opinion. Two, who has my heart and who has my eye? Uhm, my eye is on success so there’s that and I am currently seeing someone right now. Things are going pretty well but you know when things become more serious, I’ll be open to expose that to the public. But for the time being, I am seeing someone.
HC: Valentine’s Day. What’s your ideal Valentine’s Day adventure? What do you do to make your lady feel special?
RE: It’s all about knowing who your special lady is. I’m really nerdy so I would love to take her to an art museum in Norfolk. Maybe a dinner boat ride too. I think a double date to an escape room would be cool too. Even like a little painting pottery place. There so many things you can do to spend quality time with your significant other.
HC: OK. Here’s a more serious question. You having a mom and a sister, What are your thoughts on the #MeToo movement and men, in general, disrespecting women?
RE: My parents have always raised me to respect women and have good moral values.
The greatest thing my dad has ever told me, “I didn’t care if you were smart, athletic, or handsome. I just cared if you had moral boundaries. I just want you to be better than me but at the same time, I want you to be better as a whole. So, when you leave this earth, you know you did as much as you could.”
All that to say, My moral boundaries is what I hold highest about myself. I believe nine times out of ten, there is no reason to put your hands on a woman. But to never disrespect a woman or make her feel inferior in any way. When it comes to Hollywood and these allegations, I don’t want to jump to conclusion because there have been so many cases where men have been wrongly accused and their lives have been ruined forever. It’s such a touchy topic and definitely something that we should be more aware of and more cautious of.
HC: So February is also Black History Month. Who is your favorite African American activist, leader, or game changer?
RE: Colin Kaepernick. One, it’s just for my generation. I didn’t want to be corny and say MLK because obviously he has had a big influence on black history. Colin Kaepernick does things that most would never do in a lifetime. He’s giving up millions of dollars and he’s one of the most covent NFL athletics in general. So to give up millions of dollars to stand up for something you believe in shows that he understands there’s more to life than football. He’s showed us there’s a bigger picture to life. Just to be more aware of African Americans being shot in the street, that there’s injustices here and we gotta fix it. A lot of times, people see headlines and don’t look deeper into what’s happening. Kaepernick has shown us to stand for what we believe in.
We hope you loved getting to know Robel just as much as we did! If you’re on campus and ever looking for a ride, be sure to check out his services, Ride with Ro!