Backround
My family and I moved to Venice, Florida around 1993-94. I was in seventh grade, and I didn’t want to move I think. All the kids were new and wearing college sports gear. I noticed, around 8th grade, that there was a dicatomy of UF gator fans and FSU Seminole fans, with a view UM fans sprinkled in.
Venice has rural areas, and most of the redneck types liked the gators. They wore camo hats with the UF gator, and I just assumed that UF was a school full of hicks, in which major accomplishments involved agriculture or cattle branding, which is so inaccurate its despicable.
Amazingly, FSU kids were more refined, which probably meant their parents had more money. Being the new kid, I was constantly trying to make friends, and the seminole fans were nicer for some reason. Easier to relate to, maybe? I dunno. I watched games with my dad, and he too (independently) adopted seminoles as his team in Florida for similar reasons I think.
Questions of why we actually liked FSU arose. My brother later attended Florida State, which solidified the answer, but I remember we visited FSU in eigth grade (1994-95) to help put a face to the name.
I should also mention, the Seminoles won their first FB national championship in 1993. Charlie Batch won the heisman, and we took notice. This probably wasa major factor in my families love for FSU, but at the time I remember really not liking gator fans, and that fueled my fire enough.
First Trip to FSU
In 1995 we took a road trip to Tallahassee. We saw a game at Doak Cambell Stadium. They played the Maryland Terrapins; stomped them. Notably, Warrick Dunn was the running back and I have been a fan since.
We also visited the university proper, seeing the class areas, common areas, ect. I remember things about the trip.
The football game was one of my first experiences with wasted folk. My parents stragitaclly avoided the tailgate areas prior to the game I think, which was probably a good idea. I remember watching the marching band warm up and march in, which of course I loved. They were badasses, the Big 8 drumline especially.
FSU is a cool town, student housing all over and houses right next to the stadium. It seemed fun. We saw lots of hammered people regardless what my parents did. Especially on the way out; at the time I never understood what it meant to be drunk or intoxicated, and learned a few things about how stupid one could look when too drunk. People being carried around, ect. Although, I remember thinking it looked like a lot of fun, all the parties and games and stuff.
There were so many beautiful college girls around, it was a bit overwhelming but I spent some time watching them and wondering what it would be like to be in college with girls like that.
Our family solicited the FSU bookstore, as well as those off campus places for FSU gear. My dad bought an FSU car magnet which we pimped the entire trip. I bought some presents for girls in my band class, mostly stupid stuff that I thought they’d like.
Campus description
The campus itself is right in the middle of the city. The state capital is right next to it practically, so traffic is busy the cross walks can be treacherous. Like most florida cities, there are a lot of strip malls and chain restaurants along the main drag, Tennessee street.
There is also a strip of bars on Tennessee, which of course we didn’t visit when I was with my family. Later, when Tony was a student, I got my drink on and it seemed very convenient. We walked everywhere.
The architecture is mostly brick, typical I think of that era university. FAMU is also located downtown, so there are big, brink high rise dorms all over the place. Some of them seem really old, with window a/c units and 70’s style windows.
I don’t recall any classrooms.
I remember the greek presence is huge at FSU, with big brick houses, very nice and old south looking, along greek row. I often wonder if I would have joined a fraternity if I went to FSU. USF greek was pretty lame in comparison and I still considered it.
Conclusion
FSU, in a funny way, never was in my list applications to colleges. I applied to one school, USF, and got accepted.
