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Love Island USA star Olandria Carthen recently hosted a solo TikTok live where she spoke about various topics, including life after the show and her growing relationship with Nicolas Vansteenberghe, the cast member she finished Season 7 of the show with in July. But Carthen also took the time to speak briefly about her HBCU experience.
Carthen is always open about her HBCU experience, even shouting out Tuskegee University in the first episode of the season in June, as well as mentioning that she is a first-generation college graduate in the promotions prior to the series airing on Peacock. But, during her TikTok live, she went even deeper into her decision to attend an HBCU.
“Literally the best five years of my life, literally,” she said. “And a lot of people will ask like, ‘Well, why would you choose to go to an HBCU?' I'm like, ‘I have the rest of my life to be a minority. I wanted to see how it felt to be majority when I walk around and wake up and everybody looks like me.' You know, the rest of my life I have that to be a minority. But it truly felt good to be a part of the majority.”
Carthen’s experiences resonate with HBCU alumni nationwide, drawing many to follow her journey in Fiji through the Love Island season. She was introduced as one of the first two islanders of the season, alongside Chelly Bissainthe. Initially, she was paired with Taylor Williams, a fellow original cast member, and the two shared a long-lasting relationship on the show.
After the Casa Amor twist, Williams chose to couple up with Clarke Carraway. This left Carthen without a partner twice during the series—first when she was eliminated from Casa Amor but later brought back in a surprise twist by producers, and again when Williams moved on, solidifying his decision during the “Stand On Business” challenge.
Carthen formed a bond with Nicolas “Nic” Vansteenberghe, and together they made it to the season finale, ultimately finishing as runners-up to Amaya Espinal and Bryan Arenales. The strong connection between the two original cast members received widespread acclaim, sparking the growth of the “Nicolandria” fan base, which gained significant traction online throughout the season.
