The Struggle of Being a Caribbean Student in University…
This may come as a shock to some people reading this but not every black person who attends university in Britain is African.
Yes, although it is a common misconception that not many Caribbeans go to university in the UK, there are many who partake in higher education.
As far as I can see, university societies such as the African and Caribbean Society (ACS) fail to acknowledge anything to do with Caribbean culture, making a large amount of us feel like our culture is being ignored within the African and Caribbean university scene.
I went to a University in the Midlands where the Afro-Caribbean community was predominately made up if Africans. It never bothered me, to be honest, however, I did notice more and more that Caribbean’s were either underrepresented, misrepresented or both. I found myself having to endure many scenarios that were both comical and annoying.
I am sure you will all be able to relate to at least one of these scenarios.
Waiting for them to play Soca only to hear Destra I Dare You…
Now I know you Caribbeans are feeling me on this one.
There you are waiting and waiting for the soca set and they have the CHEEK to play Destra’s I Dare You to then be followed by dancehall.
Are you having a laugh? There are so many soca songs out there, yet people continue to frustrate us Caribbeans by playing the same song all the time. Switch it up nuh!
Having people insult Soca music in front of you…
The disrespect. The slander.
OK, so you don’t like Soca music — not a problem. But don’t insult our region’s music in front of us and think we as proud Caribbeans are going to sit there and say nothing. WRONG!
Going to a Party and having to endure ridiculously long Afro-Beat sets.
Not everyone loves Afrobeats, the same way not everyone loves Soca.
I can’t stress this point enough. I understand that DJ’s are meant to play music that will get a majority of the crowd on the dance floor, and that is usually Afrobeats. But please it doesn’t always have to be Afrobeats.
I am not saying that there is anything wrong with Afrobeats at all, but having an hour plus long Afrobeat sets is just a bit much don’t ya think?
And yet…they play one ancient Soca song…*sips tea*
Having everyone assuming you’re Jamaican…
Yeah…you! Don’t refer to all of us as Jamaican or assume we are Jamaican because we say we are from the Caribbean. We are not all Jamaican. There are many Islands that make up the Caribbean so stop assuming that we are all from the same place.
Awkwardly standing there whilst your African friends start with the cultural banter…
We were not raised in an African household so we don’t get the jokes. So we end up standing there, holding an awkward smile and fake laugh. Waiting for the conversation to swiftly move on so you can stop looking like a lemon.
It’s funny, but while I want to partake, I can’t and would rather be elsewhere.
And finally…
Having people associate your culture with ratchet images or videos on social media…
No, we are not all ratchet Caribbeans. We don’t like it when you associate us and our culture with silly vines of women performing sexual acts or having their wigs pulled off at a party.
The amount of times I’ve heard of people watching a vine of people acting a fool and turning to their Caribbean friend saying
‘She is probably Caribbean’ or ‘Look at your people’ followed by a hollow cackle.
Yes, we might laugh it off, but I guarantee our blood is boiling on the inside!
Lateefah Jean-Baptiste is originally from St.Lucia and a recent graduate in Media and Communications. She has always had a passion for writing and blogging and is continuing to explore her options as a writer.
