We are thrilled to announce that this week’s Campus Crush is Eric Foster! Eric is a senior Mass Communications major with a deep appreciation for music, a profound love of his community, and is, most surprisingly, a romantic at heart. A little known fact about Eric is that he intends to pursue his master’s degree at the University of Southern California. We recently had the privilege of sitting down with this charming young man to talk style, focus, and determination.
HCNSU: It’s a little difficult to get the measure of you just from looking at your Instagram. Tell us a little bit about yourself.
Eric: I’m just chill. I really don’t like labels, because I just go by my mood. I mean I don’t like to be put in a box. Don’t call me a hood dude, or anything like that. I could be one guy one day, and another guy the next.
HCNSU: Okay. Well, tell us what it is that you do? Are you a promoter?
Eric: I’m a lot of things. I’m a promoter, a photographer, a videographer, I make music videos: I like the camera, and I like being on camera. My grandpa went out his way to buy me one when he found out I was into it because he always liked that stuff too… I’m the ultimate hustler. That’s why I call myself finessin Eric, I make a way out of no way. Anything I can get my hands on, I can make it lit. A lot of the things I’ve been through, people have been like ‘you won’t be able to do the things you want to do’ but I’m doing it.
HCNSU: Can you explain #Traptastic for those of us who don’t know?
Eric: Traptastic grew with us. When I first got here, it was pretty big, shout out to Rob, shout out to Nate, for giving me the opportunity to join that platform. It’s an organization to keep the youth connected to the community. We promote events, sell merchandise, sell tickets, make money…
HCNSU: Why don’t you tell me about your line of merch?
Eric: Well a lot of the Traptastic guys used to make shirts. They showed me the blueprint or whatever, and I would wear it around, and people would ask me where I got the design from. I was kind of the perfect middle man coming from the streets… I was able to, kind of, connect the streets, not the negative parts, but the streets to the people I got the opportunity to meet through school coming from all different places, like New York and California. I was sort of like a middle man, you feel me?
HCNSU: Let’s talk about your style. You look pretty well put together usually.
Eric: Not during the week, I just be trying to get to class on time, I know I’m not turning no heads, but when I pop out, I definitely pop out.
HCNSU: Where do you like to shop? Are you boujee about brands?
Eric: Nah, not at all. If I like it, I buy it. I feel like people that get stuck on the brand of their clothes are insecure. If you have to show off a designer brand you got, to me that means you can’t really dress.
HCNSU: Based on your IG it looks like you stay at the function, but you also said quite a bit about grades and classes.
Eric: Having that balance is important. When I was trying to get to school, I knew I had to focus, so I disappeared from social media… I think it was one point for four months where I didn’t even have a phone. I called my grandma and I was telling her “I don’t know what to do.” And she told me to make a list of my goals and I remember thinking in the beginning, man this is so stupid. But I started making those lists — short term goals, daily, weekly, monthly, then it became ‘by this time next year, by fall 2016’… I hope I still have those lists because they really helped me making plans and all.
HCNSU: Alright. You were recently featured on a panel discussion for HerTake debating the pros and cons of a Friends With Benefits type situation.
Eric: Yeah, I was saying it was a setup.
HCNSU: So you’re more of a relationship kind of guy?
Eric: I mean I’m single. I don’t really like to talk to a girl unless she gives me that feeling in my chest, you know? That tingly feeling when I see her.
HCNSU: What do you typically look for in a partner?
Eric: I like girls with standards, girls that aren’t too friendly, you know? I feel like if I shine bright and she shines bright, it’s not gonna work. If I’m a party animal, and you’re a party animal we’re gonna clash. I like a girl who will step out but isn’t always at the function.
HCNSU: What advice would you give to a girl pursuing you?
Eric: I feel like girls mess it up when they ask too many questions, you know? I’m making time to see you, to talk to you, and go do things with you. So why are you asking how I feel about you? I’m showing you how I feel, it makes me feel like you don’t trust me when you say things like that.
HCNSU: Is there anything else you want people to know?
Eric: I’m not even being funny, just being real… I’m not ashamed of who I am so I’m just honest about all of it.
If you want to learn more about this week’s campus crush, connect with Eric on Instagram: @finesseneric