That Much Closer!

Orientation, finally! By this point we’ve all attended Freshman O, registered for classes, and significantly increased our number of facebook friends. Congratulations! We have survived our first steps of college life! From first walking into Shriver and being sent off to sign in and take our ID pictures, to registering for classes and trying to figure out the best schedule to avoid morning classes, the ball was in our court.

I just clicked “finish” on my freshman orientation survey which means our first complete college experience has been completed. Regardless of your small group or what classes you registered for, there was a common sense of initial social awkwardness, excitement, and anxiousness. Though I must admit that though I was a bit nervous to be on my own for registration, I was immediately put at ease upon running into a familiar face. This was not one of my fellow alum but Megan, whom I had met during the Bridges Program in October and had lost touch with. We instantly bonded and put our chance meeting down to fate. Honestly, seeing a familiar face was what made orientation so much more amazing than it already was.

Okay so to the parts that made me fall even more in love with Miami:

1. The Vignettes- My personal favorite was the final sketch on alcohol abuse and sexual assault. As a girl, I feel like there are certain risks that can't be afforded such as being under the influence of absolutely anything. The SOULs were great actors, making it that much more real.

2. Small Groups- My group a.k.a the Baker’s Dozen was so much fun! I loved that we all clicked immediately and had fun, but when it was time to do Cross the Line, everyone took the activity and the discussions seriously. It was a relief to know feel that everyone’s experiences and viewpoints were and are respected without a second thought.

3. Class Registration and Academic Advising- Right before my meeting with my advisor I like, everyone else had tried to translate the course guides and made up a list of what I thought my schedule would be…RIGHT! My advisor was amazing and I was very surprised and relieved at how genuinely interested he seemed in my career goals and academic planning. That being said at the end of the day I have four science classes that I’m super excited about, my honors 181 seminar and my new experience for the year: theater 101, 103.

When it comes to surprises, it’s safe to say that the sense of community was the biggest one by far. Since my first campus visit, Oxford has felt like home but now there’s a family with it. My SOUL Cori, was honest and open but treated us and expected us to behave as equals. Because of her, I’m really excited about getting involved in the Miami Community and applying to be a SOUL next year. When it came time for the social, our group was a little late due to the fact that we were battling another group in Ninja. Can you say, AWESOME! After the social, Megan and I had our first p.m. college experience as we stayed up all night chatting and eating cold pizza…

I think it’s safe to say that my college experience is off to a good start. In about a month, I’ll be on campus and moved in for MADE…I can’t believe it’s almost here but now I feel more than ready to take on my 8am classes and theater anthologies.

The Experiences of Summer Orientation

Hello everybody. I am here to talk about my second blog. This time instead of talking about why I choose to attend Miami, I am writing about my experiences at summer orientation. Before attending summer orientation in mid June, I didn’t think I was going to get a lot out of it besides taking another tour on campus, finding out my living learning community, and finding out my class schedule for first semester. But thankfully, I was wrong.

The whole time I was at orientation, there was not a single hour where I had free time. There were a couple of events that stuck out in my mind at summer orientation. I liked many of the speeches during the day including the speeches of two of the Farmer’s Business School professors. Another event that stuck out in my mind was when everyone was split up into groups with their SOULs or guides to take a tour of the campus and to talk about what to expect first year of college. I thought all of the staff especially the SOULs helping out at orientation were extremely nice and helpful.

I thought the most important thing I learned at orientation was to get involved in the campus community. What I mean by this was to get involved in campus activities by joining clubs and other organizations that Miami has to offer. Another important thing I learned at orientation was not to be afraid to ask my professors for help if I didn’t get the material they were teaching that day. Also, if I need additional help outside of my classes, I know can always meet with a tutor regarding my coursework.

Overall, I thought summer orientation was more than I expected. I knew I was getting my class schedule, my Miami ID card, and learning more about the campus. The one thing I didn’t expect was how involved and busy summer orientation was. When I left orientation, I knew what I needed to do to have a successful first year at Miami. I had so much fun at orientation that now I can hardly wait for move in day next month. Some of the exciting moments I had during orientation were meeting new people around the country and experiencing the amazing spirit Miami has to offer. I also hope that you had a great time at summer orientation and you are also excited for move in day next month too. So now, I can say that I am ready to start my college career and I hope you are ready too, Class of 2014!

My Decision to Enroll at Miami

Hi everybody. My name is Alex Rosenblum. I'm currently attending Henry Sibley High School in St. Paul, Minnesota. As a prospective university student, I had no idea what university I would be attending next year. I applied to ten universities around the Midwest and visited five universities, trying to find the one I wanted to go to. I knew choosing the right university for me would be a difficult decision to make, but over time I chose to enroll in Miami for a couple of reasons and let me tell you why. Before visiting the campus, I didn't really consider moving to Ohio, because I was so focused on going to a university close to Minnesota. It was not until I saw the campus for what it really was that I made my decision to enroll at Miami. During my visit, I saw a university with people that were very friendly, the most beautiful campus I have ever seen, and school spirit that rocked the university. I attended a macroeconomics class and had dinner with some prospective students visiting the university. It was really great. The other reason why I chose to attend Miami of Ohio was because the university seemed to act as a small liberal arts university even though there are 14,000 undergraduate students. Class size and student to professor ratio are very important to me. Miami of Ohio University gives me the opportunity to get more help from teachers and tutors than a typical large university offers. After enrolling at Miami, I knew it would be a difficult decision moving away from my family and friends. Inside myself, I felt comfortable enough to move away from Minnesota because my dad, who attended Yale, inspired me to explore a university outside Minnesota. I also didn't have a problem moving away from Minnesota because I didn't want to attend the same university that my high school friends were going to and I wanted to meet new people from around the country and the world. As a new prospective student at Miami, I am looking forward to an exciting university experience including making new friends, getting involved in university activities like intramural broomball and succeeding academically. I am also looking forward to finding the perfect major that fits me and my aspirations for the future. I hope other people find what they want to do while at Miami. Go Redhawks!

Hello Everybody

My name is Alex Rosenblum.  I am currently attending Henry Sibley High School in St. Paul, Minnesota.   For my first year at Miami, I am interested in joining a fraternity and other organizations such as Hillel when I get to campus.  Later in my college career at Miami, I am interested in studying in the area of business as my prime major.  During my four years of high school, I was in organizations such as debate, the tennis team, and Business Professionals of America.  In school, I have also been taking Spanish for five years.  Outside of school, I was on the local downhill ski team and Boy Scouts, which I will be getting my Eagle Award in the upcoming month.  My interests are downhill skiing, playing tennis, poker, video games, golf, watching TV, and listening to music.  Most of summer I am working at a local move theater but when there is time, I will probably be hanging out with my friends before going away to Miami for college. Let's go Redhawks!

Growing Pains

The closer it gets to graduation and as the national college confirmation deadline has passed, senior year becomes a whirlwind of decisions and growing pains. Since 6th grade, when my group of friends first met and became inseparable, each of us has had each other to lean on and advise in what we thought of as the big decisions in life…what electives to take, who our other friends were, and what extra-curriculars we signed up for, some together, some not. Everyone knows that graduation means a parting of these ways and new groups of friends. For me this fork in the road has been a particular rollercoaster of emotions and opportunities and I am learning how to balance wanting to grow and be independent without leaving behind my classmates and friends.
My high school (Northwest) is about 30 minutes south of Oxford and usually has a decent sized group of students go to Miami each year. This year however is one of the largest groups and all 10 of us have spent almost all of our classes and free time together for seven years. I suppose the hardest part is that to be honest, when you’re finished with high school and feel ready to start college tomorrow, you realize that you’re ready for new people too. Granted, we’re all friends and have seen each other through the good and bad, but in high school your friends are mostly based on zip codes and class schedules. I can’t wait for college, to make friends with people because we have the same passions in life and want the same successes.
Succumbing to my need for structure and concrete outcomes, I applied Early Decision and had confirmed by the end of winter break. At our Accepted Student’s Luncheon with Dr. Hodge (in mid-April), one of my best friends and I decided that the most exciting and fun experience would be if we roomed together at Miami. Within weeks, the crossroads between high school and college caused me to have second thoughts. It seemed like everyday people were more stressed out about high school and the status quo than ever before. The more I thought about it, the more I realized how much I wanted a fresh start. I want to meet new people, have challenging discourse, and be able to learn from those around me. Hearing the same conversations everyday, I just became more anxious to get onto a college campus. It was a hard choice at first, but because she understands and seems to share my desire to branch out, my then soon-to-be-roommate also understood that I would rather utilize this chance to meet and live with a new person by having a random roommate.
The past few months have almost been like watching high school from the outside and every time I find myself on Miami’s campus, it’s that much harder to go back. My high school was my second home for four years but these last days have made me realize something: This is it. This is when I have to be sure of who I am and what I want for my future. I want to grow up and be my own person. I want my passions, not my clique to define me. Of course I’ll keep contact with my old friends, but I fully intend on making plenty of new ones and I’m not really worried about the balance. I look forward to making friends that share my goals and aspirations, and meeting new people from all walks of life. Don’t get me wrong, I will always cherish old ties and the people that have been there for me, I just feel like we are slowly redefining the connections that kept us together through thick and thin. Amongst my group of friends, we’ve always understood one another’s life goals and have learned to be supportive. Who knows, maybe four years from now we’ll be closer than ever but for now, I feel the need for a fresh start and can’t wait to meet my new roommate!

Fun Fact: The Voice over for Bugs Bunny was allergic to carrots! :)

Allo!

Hello! I'm Sarah Jeanette Haynes from Cincinnati, Ohio by way of Northwest High School. My major is microbiology and I'm considering a minor in French. In high school, I was on the Varsity Girls Cross Country Team for 4 years and absolutely loved every minute of it. I was/am also involved in Student Senate and National Honors Society and plan to be involved in Student Government and Running Club at Miami as well. My plans for the future are medical school for immunology and possibly teaching (high school or college level).
I am the type of person that requires structure in my life, meaning that I am always ten minutes early and have an irrational fear of being lost. This is balanced by my tendency to be occasionally scatter-brained, so if my posts are ever a little foggy or muddled, feel free to let me know or ask questions. I am unbelievably excited about Miami and cannot wait to be a Redhawk! 2014, here we come!

Fun Fact: Hagaan Daaz has no real meaning in any earthly language. It is simply Ice Cream in gibberish :)

Welcome!

Congratulations, Class of 2014!

Welcome to the Miami University First-Year Experience Blog!  This blog is coordinated by the Office of New Student Programs and the Office of Admission at Miami University (OH).  And though it's coordinated by University offices, this blog features student voices.

Two members of the Class of 2014 will be blogging about their experience throughout the year - starting before Summer Orientation, and continuing through the end of the Spring semester.  We invite you to bookmark this page or sign up to follow the blog so you can keep up with Sarah and Alex and read about their thoughts and experiences as they go through their first year at Miami.  Feel free to post comments and questions too!  If you have any questions about the blog itself, you can contact me, Buffy Stoll, Director of New Student Programs, at stolle@muohio.edu.  Enjoy!