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OPINION

Making it through the hell of it

Assistant Opinion Editor Devin Ankeney.
Assistant Opinion Editor Devin Ankeney.

My first year at Miami University sucked. It was terrible. I lived by myself in a dorm room even though I didn’t want to, down the hall from people who shouted nasty things at me and my few friends more times than I could count.

My second year at Miami looked like it would be better. I had friends with whom I’d be living. I had hobbies. I had the chance to work at The Miami Student more often. 

But, my apartment turned into a mess with one of my roommates becoming my partner for almost the whole year. Let’s just say you should trust people when they say not to live with a partner too soon.

But now, in my third year at Miami, I finally figured it out; I made it through the hell of figuring out who I am and finally have the chance to kick back and enjoy the stressful college life I’m living.

Today, for the first time in more than two years of working at The Student, my title is Opinion Editor. I write for and run a section of the newspaper. I write for the magazine. I have great friends with whom I took an incredible road trip this past spring break. I’m in a healthier relationship than I’ve ever been in before. 

What did it take to make it here? To finally be able to say, unequivocally, that I’m happy?

Time.

American college is the great transition that many of us enjoy. Like middle school, it’s a transition period between two major, long-term events.

Also like middle school, it can be a major mess.

Doubled with being a “COVID kid,” I came into my first year unsure of what it was I wanted to major in. Unsure of what it was I wanted to do after college. Unsure of who I wanted my friends to be.

But time changed that.

The great transition of college has finally pushed away the dark difficulties of being an adult for the first time and allowed me to learn from my mistakes, my failures and my choices to see who I am as a person.

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I’m tremendously grateful to have hated a lot of my time I spent here at Miami over my previous two years.

I read a lot and learned a lot. I saw a lot and met many incredible new people. 

I’m a better person today than I was in August of 2020. 

Even when I doubted whether I would want to continue writing for The Student, whether I wanted to major in journalism or media and communication, I eventually realized what I loved. 

Two years ago I would take too many classes because it would fill up my day instead of dealing with anything else. Today, I take too many classes, I work two jobs at The Student, I write for the magazine and I bother my professors constantly because I can’t get enough of what I have realized I love.

The Student has become the place where I feel most at home. We do good work, and when we don’t, we try our damndest to fix it. 

I’ve been given an incredible opportunity from my former editor Ames Radwan to run the Opinion section and I couldn’t be more grateful. Because of this opportunity, I’ve found a home at Miami.

All it took was time. 

I’d love to share some cliché like “time heals all wounds” because it’s true, even though it’s far too corny for my taste. But truly, time healed the wounds of growing pains: the ones you get when you’re thrown into adulthood in the middle of a pandemic with no friends and a completely wrong sense of your own interests.

I know thousands of first and second-year students at Miami have absolutely no idea what I’m rambling about.

So, what’s my point?

But seriously, for those of you who do understand what I’m talking about: stick it out. You’ll figure it out. 

You’ll make it through it, and you’ll be damn glad you did.

ankenedw@miamioh.edu


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