Established 1826 — Oldest College Newspaper West of the Alleghenies

Humans of Oxford — The Piano Man

l"I tried to learn Jingle Bells, but that one is just a lot of coordination that I don't have."
l"I tried to learn Jingle Bells, but that one is just a lot of coordination that I don't have."

By Elizabeth Hansen; The Miami Student

He started teaching himself the piano when he got to college - the third day, actually.

"I saw a piano and I thought, 'Oh cool, we can play that.'"

When he's not going to class, doing homework, playing pool, ping-pong or club football, Javon Stovall can be found playing the piano in the basement of Havighurst Hall.

"I mean, I like to think I'm good."

The mechanical engineering major taught himself by watching YouTube videos on his phone.

His favorite part of the piano is the pedals.

"They make really cool noises. I don't know what the left pedal is for, but the right pedal is like a full tone. The middle is more open - almost like an organ. It's cool."

He continues playing "Same Love" by Macklemore.

"I've been working on this one for awhile. It's one of my favorites."

He was torn between Bowling Green and Miami, but when he got here, he knew this was where he belonged.

"I hadn't even gone on the tour yet. We were still in the parking garage and I was like, 'Mom, I'm gonna go here.'"

He starts playing "Painted Black" by ACDC.

"I probably miss my girlfriend the most, or just knowing where everything is, but other than that I don't really get homesick."

When he does go back home, what he's going to miss is playing the piano.

He plans on asking for one for Christmas.

"I tried to learn Jingle Bells, but that one is just a lot of coordination that I don't have."

He plays the first verse of Jingle Bells.

"Oh wait, never mind. I got it."

He eventually wants to learn how to play a full song that requires more than one hand, but it's hard for him to find time between school and all his other activities.

"The latest I've ever stayed up playing the piano was probably two in the morning. But it was a weekend."

He finishes playing the piano and heads to the pool table.