The greatest benefit I've received while attending Florida State was learning to be open-minded and accepting. I was so moved by President Barron's recent email addressing equal opportunity and our non-discrimination policy, wherein he stated "The university's policies are clear: We have zero tolerance for sexual violence, sexual harassment, or discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran's or marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other protected group status." Students should know that not all universities are so outspoken about equality for all people in every capacity, and that is part of why I'm so proud to be a Seminole.
Florida State is not too large or too small, from my experience as a Writing Major. The class sizes have always been between 12-30 people, with the exception of one 60+ basic philosophy class. Perhaps those not in Arts and Sciences would disagree, but almost all of my professors have known me by name, been available to meet after class, and I've even had coffee with several of them casually to discuss my work. I have great relations with all my professors, and I know that several have offered to write me letters for graduate school when I depart. I feel that's not something all universities can say, but in our department, professors truly are oriented to the success of their students.
I always get wonderful reactions when I tell people I attend Florida State. Even my uncle, who is a hard-core Gator fan, is incredibly proud of me, and has admitted to being impressed by our academia. My parents and siblings are incredibly proud, and this summer when my family vacationed in Spain, we met some fellow Florida Staters (My parents age, not students) and ended up going out for a drink with them. Again, I think this only points out the wonderful diversity and strong networking opportunities that Florida State provides to all students.
I spend time on Campus at several places. Our library is a fascinating wealth of resources, from computers and programs to private study rooms to beautiful hard copies of any classic piece of literature or great work you could need. I also spend time at the Pride Student Union, the LGBTQ organization on campus, which is a safe space for people of all gender identification and type, as well as all sexual orientations. The PSU is one of the most active campus unions, and hosts several events, both educational and recreational, every year. I also spend time at The Women's Center and the Center For Participant Education, both of which seek to educate students. The Women's Center speaks to issues of abuse, rape, feminism, and gender equality, and the CPE is an organization that teaches free master classes each semester on anything from Basket Weaving to bringing Dr. Norman Finkelstein to campus last semester. This organization puts education into the hands of the students, and Florida State is very fortunate to have one.
There is a college atmosphere present in the city, to be sure. You can feel it slow down when winter break approaches, but that personally has never bothered me. Tallahassee is also a very political place, which offers so many opportunities for students to be involved. I have an internship with Tallahassee Magazine right now, and I've written articles about art galleries, charity organizations, even Tallahassee's Rugby team. If you're willing to branch out of the Florida State network, there is an incredible local scene in Tallahassee. Biking, hiking, art shows, political debates and rallies, coffee shops; Tallahassee is small in ways, but there's always something new going on.
Our school's administration has blossomed since Eric Barron became president. I had the privilege of having dinner with him and two other students during the first month of his presidency (After seeing Rigoberta Menchu, the Nobel Peace Prize winner). He took my friends and I out to the Dinner (where Denny's on campus used to be). We had offered to pay for him, because we were so grateful that he would give us an hour of his day without knowing us. We discussed some policies we were concerned with in the University, and he seemed understanding and agreeable about them. He then paid for our meals against our insistence, and within a few months, the policies we discussed were remedied and changed. I believe this shows just how student oriented our university is.
One of the biggest controversies on campus recently was between the College Republican group on campus and several more liberal organizations. College Republicans brought an organization called GAP, which is an anti abortion group that came for 3 days and brought posters of aborted fetuses and hung them all around the center of campus. Many students were outraged, either by the anti-abortion stance being marketed, or the grotesque nature of the photos. There was a protest to the display which lasted exactly as long as the actual displays, and the controversy made front page of the FSView. However, even though students became passionately engaged in discussion and debate, there was very little said that was out of line. It was encouraging to see the student body in a completely unmoderated forum, still maintaining control over themselves and respect for their opposition whiles stating their opinion.
Florida State has incredible pride for it's academia, as well as it's sports. Tailgating on game day is a wonderful experience. Walking through crowds, alumni and students bond and share food, friendly shouted conversations, and a team pride. Every student has something at FSU to be proud of, whether it's their specific organization, an event they anually partake in (like Dance Marathon or Market Wednesday), or their area of study.