On the "Black Experience" on a "White Campus" (Part I)...

What is there to be said about the college experience that has not be relegated through music, cinema, literature, and conversation? The very unique-ness of one's experience depends on so many variables that one "standard" college experience is not only a misnomer, but ridiculous in its attempts to oversimplify a major life experience for some. I can, in my own words, describe some of my "college experience", as is the plan, but I would hate for anyone reading this to think that there is a one-size-fits-all formula for it. Consider this something like a disclaimer...

Therefore, without further ado, topic one of a series of musings...

My very old, well-endowed, privately operated, and predominately White institution exists in a universe that was vaguely familiar to me before landing here, but has opened up to a place that I will forever remember and hold close. Along with the traditions of the "gallant South", we have the ever-popular(ly cited) Speaking Tradition. I enjoy this tradition because it allows me to identify with some aspect of this school's tradition willingly, if not gladly. In choosing to come here, I wanted some part of the school's heritage that I could talk about without having to add clauses ad nauseum to explain why it should be acceptable.

And yet, I feel as though I have been failed in some way. I had no delusions of 100% participation from the entire student body, but I do expect common courtesy. I bet you think I'm going to drift into how this is disproportionately affecting me because I'm Black, but that's not the angle I'm hinting at. In fact, I think, in some ways, my Blackness has afforded me with a few other traditions, along with the Speaking Tradition. See, we members of the Black community on this campus pride ourselves in knowing most, if not all, of the other Black people by name (year, hometown, favorite color, social security number...). This is not because we like every other Black person. This is not because we are incorrigibly nosy. This is not because we only associate with other Black students.

It's because there is something about this campus that will link you to the Black community, whether you like it or not. You will become someones "Black friend", you will have your hair practices questioned, you will become the representative for your race in classes against your will. And these experiences provide a common ground. I feel secure enough in the stories I have heard over the years from past and present students that range from little anecdotes of confusion due to a lack of experience/knowledge ("...and she asked my why I didn't go out with my hair wrapped! Swear to God!") to events of blatant racism ("...and they published an article saying that we lower the standards of the school...ain't that bout a...") to say that you, as a Black person, will experience some event where your race matters in an unnecessary way.

Does this negate the education we receive at the hands of (mostly) qualified professors and administration...not entirely, but it does play a role in the development of numerous conditions:

UNA : "Un-Identified Negro Alert" - This is a state of being where if you see a Black person walking around campus, and you don't know their name, a silent alert is sounded, resulting in you quickly looking around for another Black person to make eye-contact with and nod in their direction to know if they have registered with the Black students on campus yet. This may result in awkward moments of silence, staring, head turning, and potential pointing. If there is not a prospective students weekend, or some other Black student to claim them, this person quickly becomes the topic of conversation until their purpose is discovered.

The GE : "The Gathering Effect" - Where two or more are gathered, more shall come. This is a process by which a large gathering of Black students occurs at random, usually resulting in "loud" conversation or laughter, moments of "inside jokes", and, of course, the curious looks of some students who didn't realize just how many Black students we have. By the second or third year of attendence, Black students have become so familiar with this process that they can almost predict a gathering and also have no fear of venturing outside of their rooms alone because they know, inevitably, there will be a Black person wherever they are going.

The H-U : "The Hook-Up" - We, as Black students, offer a level of diversity of thought and appearance to our campus, and the majority of Black workers on our campus take notice. There is a group within the Black community that has established a bond with these workers that is often un-provoked, but happily accepted because there are often events that both Black students and Black workers perceive that go un-noticed by the majority of the campus. Can manifest itself in discounts on food/drinks.

(This is not an exhaustive list, by any means...but some things are of the group, if you know what I mean...)

(no actually it's because my fingers are getting tired...)

What do these conditions mean for the Black student, like myself? It means that I have had the benefit of seeing a side of my university that some people are completely unaware of. Sometimes it's fun and I love having our "subculture" but at times, it makes me wonder if Admissions knows what they're doing. Do they know that we, as Black students, have something of our own type of initiation into college life on this campus? And, if they knew, how much of it would come as a surprise (both good and bad)?

However, I will offer this as something of an indicator to how our school operates at times:

Everybody wants to be Black, until the cops show up...