Florida State University Top Questions

Diverse. Spirited. Smart. Open-minded. Accepting. Forward thinkers. Trend-setters. Aware. Dreamers. Thinkers. Doers.

Diverse. Spirited. Smart. Open-minded. Accepting. Forward thinkers. Trend-setters. Aware. Dreamers. Thinkers. Doers.

I am a an active member for our campus Pride Student Union and the Pagan Student Association. There's a group, club or union for just about any interest or background. I don't think there's any student who WOULD feel out of place, unless you're an alien. I'm not sure how we would handle aliens. Most students are pretty relaxed with their clothes, though many girls make the extra effort to dress up. I go to class in jeans and a T-shirt, since usually the weather is so extreme my makeup runs from sweating it off. There aren't any cliques at FSU per say, but a lot of students like to keep to their own. I like being around all kinds of people, from conservative Baptists to Chileans to vegans to meat-eaters. Most students are from Florida, but we get a lot of international students as well, which is great if you want to talk to someone with a different perspective. Most students are lower middle-class, like myself, and rely very heavily on financial aid. The majority of the campus is very politically active, with a lot of tables and different college political parties recruiting all the time. Most of the students are liberal, next being center, and the rest are moderately conservative. We love to speculate about how much we'll earn one day, but in this economy, we're feeling it's more talk than reality.

Florida State truly promotes diversity within its student body. We have strict all-encompassing non-discrimination policy. Personally, I have been involved with volunteering for the LGBTQ Pride Student Union and they have a great presence on campus. The Wesley Foundation (Christian) and Hillel (Jewish) are the largest religious organizations on-campus. And the largest SGA-funded student organization is the Black Student Union. The best time to see diversity in action is on Market Wednesday. Every Wednesday, our Union allows student organizations and local stores to sell products for cheap, they play loud music, and lots of organizations, especially the multicultural ones, have fun dance-off's.

On Florida State's campus, you can find any and all types of students. Over the past three and a half years I've become friends with students of various different religious backgrounds, different skin colors and ethnicities, international students from places like Kuwait or Saudi Arabia, gays and lesbians including a drag queen, people of different financial backgrounds, different parts of the country, and at the end of the day there is always someone to hang out with. I don't think any student would really feel out of place here; I know students who participate in games like "Zombies vs Aliens" in which they dress up and shoot each other with Nerf guns and run around campus. Generally, people don't especially talk about their money situations because it's not really relevant or a comfortable subject. No one wants to make someone else feel bad for having a lot or not enough money. Everyone interacts just fine; in my clique of friends we have Jews, Catholic/Christians, a lesbian, asians, extremely wealthy people, less fortunate people and people from all over the state of Florida as well as other states. I think this is one of the more diverse and accepting schools I've ever been to.

Overall there are various types of students enrolled at Florida State. There are some that are very studious and would love to join as many extra clubs they can and talk about what they learned long after class is over. Then there are students who care more about skipping class and just getting by rather than overachieving. I would say that is bound to happen at any school but for the most part students care about their future and success. I have come across a large amount of students being originally from parts of south Fl. However, the campus is demographically equal when it comes to ethnicities and nobody would feel left out. From my experience students are genuinely financially secure and a part of the middle class.

FSU takes pride in welcoming a very diverse student population. There is a great LGBT club and presence on our campus. Many races and religions are accepted because FSU has a blossoming International Student program. I do not think any students would feel out of place here. There is a niche for every type of student. Students wear a wide range of clothes to classes. But most of the time, unless they are giving some sort of presentation, students dress casually in jeans or shorts and a shirt. There is a large population of wealthy or well off students at FSU. However, as a student not from that financial background I do not feel held back by that difference. Students often talk about what they want to do after college and internships or jobs they have or have had. Some classes talk about the expected salaries of certain careers but students do not often talk about it one on one.

FSU takes pride in welcoming a very diverse student population. There is a great LGBT club and presence on our campus. Many races and religions are accepted because FSU has a blossoming International Student program. I do not think any students would feel out of place here. There is a niche for every type of student. Students wear a wide range of clothes to classes. But most of the time, unless they are giving some sort of presentation, students dress casually in jeans or shorts and a shirt. There is a large population of wealthy or well off students at FSU. However, as a student not from that financial background I do not feel held back by that difference. Students often talk about what they want to do after college and internships or jobs they have or have had. Some classes talk about the expected salaries of certain careers but students do not often talk about it one on one.

The students here are widely varied, from sorority girls to frat guys (who make up the predominant population closer to campus) to the trickle-down hipster cyclists, to the wacky but extremely talented theatre kids, to the quieter but equally talented film program grads, to the pompous English Department major (yours truly), and on and on it goes. The thing about FSU is that it is so big, with so many students, that you could never really get to know all the variations of people. The one thing that seems consistent is - people are laid-back for the most part; they like to have fun, be productive, and stay in shape (huge exercise/fitness zone).

On campus you can find a student that's German standing right next to a Puerto Rican student. Everyone here is different, but that does not stop anyone from interacting with each other. There is a club for at least every race and/or ethnicity on campus making it easier for the few that do feel out of place or just want that familiar feeling of understanding. Everyone dresses completely different to class, from those coming in pajamas, to those in sweats, and those dressed in heels and a dress. There are also many political groups and clubs that try to make policies and things going on in the world aware to others.