Go Further

By Izayah Morgan

Opinions Editor

The college experience is defined differently by everyone.

Some just scrape by on C’s and D's, while other people pass with ease in all their classes. Personally, I've had classes where I struggled and others that were easier than high school. 

It's a mix of experiences which all heavily rely on the professors. 

Some professors are lovely - in fact, most professors are that way. Being a master of their respective subject, a good professor is also fueled by unrivaled passion.

However, some professors leave a negative impact on me and other students. Some are so passionate about their subject that they often leave students behind in terms of expectations. 

For example, if you are taking a specific subject in sociology or psychology, 15 weeks is not enough time for a student to master the entirety of the subject to the degree of the professor who has studied it for their entire lifetimes.

Even if professors don’t expect you to master the entire field within the semester, from the students’ perspective, the constant bombardment of tests, quizzes and projects makes them feel the opposite, which causes an immense amount of stress.

The rising cost of not just this college, but college in general, has given me stress for some time. 

I get a generous financial aid package to help the fact that I am paying for school by myself. However, I know other students that pay up to $15,000 a semester, creating an environment where they have to take multiple part-time jobs to pay for school.

Yet the expectation universities have is for students to spend copious time outside of their classes on their academics. However, if we have an environment where they need to spend 20-40 hours on top of their schedule to pay for school, how can we expect them to put their all in?

Throughout my senior year, I have seen both the good and the bad from students, faculty, and staff, which isn't surprising, but has made me numb to negative interactions. Instead of being appalled, it has just become an expectation to have negative experiences.

I found my own places of comfort, such as my department or my on campus friends. Though the things I have experienced on this campus are appalling. 

Professors, current or past, who have said the n-word who were not Black. People who have said slurs, even though others in the room said they were uncomfortable with them. Those words and feelings weigh not just on me, but other people on this campus.

I think part of my college experience and a part of most people’s is a wake up call. As I've risen through the ranks, a slow realization is that the magic of college slowly disappears as you get older and the real world slowly seeps in. 

Though I don't want to make it seem that my college experience has been overly negative. My department, psychology, along with other departments such as the English department, have given me tremendous support. Financial aid has given me the opportunity to do something neither of my parents was able to do.

My friends have supported me and my jobs on campus have given me immeasurable professional experience and practical skills. I have had the opportunity to travel the country and meet world leaders, such as Ndaba Mandela.

College has given me the ability to go further than my father, who unfortunately couldn't finish his degree due to his early passing. My mother, who became disabled at a young age, gave birth to me and gave me the ability to attend university and be on the journey to prosperity and wealth.

FSU has given me the opportunity to explore and seek the truth.