Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University’s homecoming game was this past Nov. 2, and alumni and students were out enjoying the homecoming vibes. Three friends were tailgating together: Zaria Slaughter is a third-year public relations scholar from Orlando, Florida; Journee Hudson is a fourth-year computer science scholar from Atlanta; and Deja Harris is a fourth-year health science scholar from California. Rolling out caught up with them to hear about their college experience at FAMU.
Why is FAMU the best HBCU in the world?
Deja: There’s so many reasons but honesty the culture. The culture is unmatched.
Journee: Honestly, I say this to everybody. Like, when we say family, we mean FAMULY. Like, in the ‘clurb,’ we are fam, okay? And the community at FAMU is just so amazing. It’s like no other.
Zaria: I’m a transfer student. So when I transferred to FAMU, I was afforded opportunities that I wouldn’t have even imagined. I say thank you FAMULY for those opportunities that put me in rooms that I wouldn’t have been in if I didn’t transfer.
Why did you choose to go the HBCU route?
Zaria: So growing up, I always went to predominantly white institutions: predominantly white middle school [and] high school. But I’ve always been about the culture and what it does for us. So I said that no matter what, I wanted to attend an HBCU for college, and specifically Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.
Journee: So I kind of have a similar story. Growing up, I attended predominantly white institutions as well. Even though I was always in touch with my culture, it’s just different to be around your people and have that sense of community. And just like Zaria was saying, honestly, the opportunities that you get while attending an HBCU is unlike no other because everybody — from recruiters to professors to deans — will really go out their way to make sure that you succeed not only as a Bblack person, but also as an HBCU student.
Deja: Not to be just like them, but I also grew up in a predominantly white area, and I went to a predominantly white high school as well. And I also went to a PWI college before I transferred to FAMU. FAMU just kept standing out to me. I graduated during COVID, so during that time I was supposed to go to PWI, and I was, like, no, I want to switch it up. You know, I want to do something different. And coming here was like, one of the best decisions ever.
What is something only real Rattlers know?
Zaria: Real Rattlers know you have to go to Fried Chicken Wednesday, but you need to go to PDR. Y’all ain’t hear it from me, though.
Deja: We brag different. Simple
Journee: You have to tailgate. You have to go to them all.
