I never thought I’d call Miami University home. I never thought I’d find a group of people I could truly call my friends. I never thought I’d spend every Wednesday night in what has become my favorite room on campus.
The Miami Student made all of that possible.
As a senior in high school four years ago, I decided the only way I would go to college was if I could play football. This was a tall task for a five-foot-nothing high schooler, but my dreams came true – for better or worse.
I ended up going to North Park University in Chicago as a political science major. I lasted one semester.
The classes, campus and my thoughts all nudged me to transfer. My family thought I was crazy for not seeing the year through, but I had my mind set.
I started the next semester moving into Peabody Hall. I thought it was amazing, and I still think Peabody haters are wrong. The halls are wide, and the windows have some of the best views on the whole campus.
During my time at Peabody, I declared journalism as my second major, figured out what it was like to go to a larger college and had my best academic semester, all without the one thing I thought I needed in college – football.
My first year of college taught me a few things, but two stand out more than others – you can be wrong about something you swore by and change what you thought was unchangeable.
Sophomore year was completely different. I moved to Dorsey Hall with my best friend and started working every weekend.
I became a high school football coach at Talawanda, the school in Oxford many Miami students are surprised to learn exists, and spent every day but Sunday working with the players. When the season ended, I started a job at the Marcum Hotel on campus. It ate up my time on the weekends, but it was the best job I could’ve asked for.
I felt disconnected from my friends and college life. I was still going to class and playing intramural sports, but I was missing everything else that comes with college.
At the end of the fall semester, I decided I needed to do something to get more involved. That’s when I joined The Miami Student.
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It soon became the answer to everything I was missing.
I met new people, explored parts of campus and Oxford I didn’t know existed and got to have more of the life I was missing out on. I fit my hotel job on top of the newspaper while still enjoying myself.
Sophomore year passed with considerably more bumps than my first year, but I felt more prepared than ever for my third year at Miami.
I moved into a house off campus the summer before my junior year, landed a great internship and kept my second job. I worked with The Student over the summer and couldn’t wait to see everyone when I got back.
Fall semester came and was everything I wanted it to be.
I was an editor at The Student, took all the classes I wanted to and formed friendships I wouldn’t have ever thought possible. Yes, it wasn’t all good, but it was a lot more good than bad.
Spring semester brought more responsibilities than I thought.
It always seems spring is filled with more anxiety and rushed decisions than fall is. Maybe it’s spring break. Maybe it’s because I have one foot out the door to summer. Maybe I’m too relaxed after the extended winter break. Whatever it is, I still haven’t figured out how to counter it.
I decided to run for editor-in-chief of The Miami Student, something I never saw happening.
I had been part of The Student for a little more than a year and didn’t have real aspirations to rise above Campus & Community editor. I joked about running the year before, but now I actually was.
I ended up being elected and spent the rest of my spring semester figuring out what exactly I should do. The weeks after spring break flew by. I couldn’t tell you exactly what I spent my time doing, I just know it was a lot of everything. Or so it felt like it.
Somewhere in there I landed my dream internship and quit my job at Marcum, two things I would’ve never done without The Student.
That’s what my junior year was all about. I leaned into the idea that anyone can do anything at Miami, in Oxford and in life if they seek it out and put their all into it.
Now, I can’t wait for the start of my senior year. I can’t wait to see all of the first-year students learn what Miami is all about. I can’t wait to give back to what made me who I am today – The Miami Student.
Kasey Turman is a senior political science and journalism double major. He was elected as editor-in-chief of The Miami Student in March of 2023.
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