College brings an array of new experiences to first-year students: freedom, independence and social life are just a few. Even though this new environment is exciting and refreshing, it can cause a tremendous amount of anxiety and self-consciousness for freshmen who are susceptible to comparison.
A lot of people turn to their religious communities for support through tough times. That sense of connection is different as people are navigating through the unprecedented time of 2020, but it’s not lost.
I took a year off from buying any clothing, new or used. And what came out of it was a deeper appreciation for fashion as an art form and a more personal relationship with the clothes I already had. All without spending a penny.
“Tell the World: Freedom is a Constant Struggle” was a concert sponsored by the Miami Alumni Association, the Department of Music and the Department of Diversity and Inclusion that celebrated Black composers such as Roland Bonds, Margaret Bonds, Florence Price and many others through performances of their spirituals and vocal works.
A mask creates a cozy little nook to hide from everyone else, just a bit. Little insecurities like this get to be kept secret, just between you and your mask.
From the outside, Maple Street Commons looks just like it has in previous years. One step inside the front door, however, and that notion is quickly dispelled. In order to comply with COVID-19 protocols and ensure students stay safe when getting their grub, Miami’s dining halls look drastically different than they have in previous years.
The verdant grounds and broad walkways of Miami are no longer desolate when the clock reads 11:40 a.m. or 1:15 p.m. However, the ever-present issue of COVID-19 and the fact that some students opted to stay remote for the semester have led to some interesting changes in how professors are conducting classes this fall.
In the hallways of their dorms, students pass each other in their masks. They try to smile, to make a friend, but are unable to tell who they are passing. The girl from 204? Someone down the hall? They ask themselves one question: Can I make friends and stay safe?
The week before classes start each fall, around 250 students dot the football field at Yager Stadium, each on a specific mark. Practicing morning to night, they create a wall of sound that fills campus. Once school starts, they are the life of football games and beacons of school spirit. This year, the stadium is silent.
Last March, musical theatre group Stage Left and improv comedy group Sketched Out accidentally scheduled their performances in the same room at the same time. The groups were able to work it out, but the incident showed how different performing arts groups were disconnected from one another.
Online classes to online activities to online events. With this being the life of a college student for the past six months, many were excited to branch out and do something outside of a computer screen. On Sept. 24, Miami Activities & Programming (MAP) hosted its first face-to-face event of the semester, “Plant Your Roots,” where free succulent plants were available for students to pick up near the Armstrong Student Center.
Farmers markets have a long history of providing fresh food, art and a center for communities to come together. The Oxford farmers market is no different, bringing the community together for decades, a tradition that has continued despite challenges faced during a pandemic.
“I get off task more often, but this is because I simply have more free time, and it lets me get off task,” Jakubowycz said. “I feel like I’ve been doing overall worse but not so drastically worse so I’m falling apart.”
As I walk up the long stretch of stairs to the Recreation Center (Rec), a staff member in a red t-shirt sprays and wipes the railings. Inside, there is caution tape where water fountains used to be. Almost every machine is being used and students on benches stay inside a barrier of yellow tape. Some students walk to the next area with a rag and spray bottle in hand. Surprisingly, it is not a complete ghost town.
The usually full social calendars for the members of the Miami Greek community are virtually empty with pandemic safety precautions limiting gatherings of more than 10 people. With coronavirus continually changing our social world as we know it, Miami Greeks are trying to find as much normalcy as they can during these unprecedented times. Instead of the normal mass gatherings for chapter, weekly chapter meetings are now conducted virtually through a screen.
These past two weeks have proven to be quite eventful for Miami University. Underclassmen began to move into dorms Sept. 14, and simultaneously, the viral video of a police officer confronting a student having a house party while positive for COVID-19 made headlines from news sources ranging from TMZ to The Washington Post.
To all the freshmen who just moved to campus: welcome. Though it’s an odd semester for all of us, you’ve arrived at a nice time — basically missing the sticky, humid, end-of-summer sunshine — and instead greeting lower temperatures and the promise of fall foliage.
The first few weeks of college in your first year are hard. They are even harder for the Class of 2024. But, as always, we eventually find comfort, connection or familiarity somewhere. Look out for stories about first-year 'shock' from a few of our newest writers.
Your roommate looks for love, and these are the women he meets on his journey.
Spoiler alert: he dumped me at my sister's wedding where I was the maid of honor and he had a seat with me at the bridal party table. 10/10 would recommend.