You Know You Went to a PWI...

[TheEpitome1920]

I'll be more specific with mine, you know you went to a small, rural pwi...

When you are the only person of color on your dorm floor
You know every Black person on campus
Each NPHC chapter has 2-3 people
You meet students who've never actually seen Black people before.

[reddawn18]

Not to sound naive, what is pwi?

[LB1914]

PWI="Predominantly-White Institution"

[random6_1920]

When...
-there is no NPHC on your campus
-the teacher knows when you late or absent from class
-you are asked if you have ever seen someone get shot
-you are asked how come you don't wash your hair everyday

[reddawn18]

(thanks for the explanation)

You know you went to a PWI...
--When you happy to see another face like yours
--You take a break to count how many black folx pass by and never run in to the otherwise

[msn4med1975]

--If you feel forced to spend time with folks you normally wouldn't just so you can have a Black friend
--Your facilities LOOK better than the HBCU down the road but stuff STILL isn't where it's supposed to be (ie the library with books missing, financial aid off not near the scholarship office etc etc)
--People look at you randomly when they read your name off the roster because it doesn't "sound ethnic"
--You ever hear the words "well you're not like the other Black people" or "I didn't realize Black people ______________"

[TheWriter]

-When you invite your friends over to your dorm and you don't have to sign them in(unfortunately that rule was changed this year because of some knuckleheads).

-When your friends at are amazed that your dining halls stay open until 11p.m.

-When you cheer loudly for the opposing teams marching band( an HBCU) and sit confused when your school's marching band plays.

-When your school newspaper asks 6 "random" people if the school is diverse and all the respondents are not minorities.

[PrettyPetite]

-When your friends are amazed that your student union food court sells liquor and beer to students over 21.

-When your residence hall allows members of the opposite sex to stay in your room with no problem.

-When your RA throws you a party for your 21st birthday, and gives you a huge basket full of premium liquor (My RA that year was a trip!)

-When your Residence Life Coordinator hands out baskets to all new residents....and the baskets contained condoms and astroglide. (no lie)

-When you get your refund check on the date that you are supposed to get it...not 2 months later.

-When you are the only black female graduating with a degree in Special Education that semester (yep, that was me)

[BlueReign]

When you wash your hair everyone comes out of their rooms to see what you are going to do with it next.

When everyone says that everything you say is so funny. Ha, ha, ha.

When you seem to be the most popular person in your dorm and everyone seems to know your name and you don't know theirs.

The first day of class you are scoping the room for other blacks.

When you know every black person's name, hometown, major/minor, class year, etc. on campus.

When every other black person knows your info too.

When you hang out with people you wouldn't spend a minute with otherwise.

This list could go on....please don't remind me.

[Clockwork08]

-When your dormates consider you the expert on all hip hop music, "What's that song by Jay-z, I know YOU know it..."

-The first day of class you wait patiently and immediately become happy if another black person walks in (even if you don't like them)

-if any thing remotely relating to black people comes up in class and all eyes turn to you

-if people think you are an athlete even if you are 5'3 and chubby, b/c why else would you be there?

-if you can count the minority professors you had on one hand

-if freshman year almost all the Black people roll together in one big clique

-No matter how big the class is the Professor will always know YOUR name

[Senusret I]

I was really going to respond, but they were all too harsh, so I'll just wave instead.

*waves*

[PRHOTOTYPE]

When you are football game and the band performs smoke on the water and you get crunk because you know that that is the only remotely soulful piece they will play all game.

-When flags corps have on leotards that don't match the rest of the people on the football field because they did a “special piece”.

-When you get you get your financial aid “refund” check on the first day of class!

-When you know every person that went to XYZ interest meeting and ABC interest meeting.

-When you take MLK day off because the school does observe it so you and your SoRhors have a BBQ instead of going to class the first day of the Spring semester

-When there is one, old white lady or man in the front of the class that ask 101 dumb questions 2 minutes before the class end

-When everybody in NPHC will "crash" a party by PANHEL or IFC because they never run out of alcohol. and they play that Whoop there it is or Snoop Dogg so they can see us strut around the their party.

-When go to the Black professor for advisory actions because s/he is the only one that can help you get your point across to admin.

ALLGOLD #2 MZ Fall '97(THE PRHOTOTYPE)

Last Created Best Design

[Augystskyz]

* When your happiest moment is the first day of class cause you get to check out all the freshies

*When you're a Senior dating a Freshman because all of the upperclassmen have been with at least 3 of your friends

*When you have a reserved seat in the cafe

*When they charge $300 for a parking sticker

*Students decided to riot and burn cars and no one gets arrested

*When students threaten the teacher and get an A out of the class

* When the "hustle" is the main highlight of the party (even surpasses the steppers)

*When the teacher memorizes your name by the second day of class even in a class of 400 and proceeds to call on you at least twice per class period

*When you're constantly asked for "different standpoint" of every situation by the professors

[Shortfuse]

I attended Illionis State as part of an exchange program in the fall of 98.

You can tell people at a PWI, that you were a member of a gang and that you know Jay-Z personally. AND THEY BELIEVE THAT MESS!

[Sistermadly]

This happened to me at graduate school:

When the faculty member in charge of admissions stops you in the hall to say "Hey, we're getting another one!" (black student)