‘It’s nerve-racking and exciting at the same time’: Out-of-state first-year prepares for Miami University

Like many incoming first-years, Eloise Hayden has been spending her summer picking out decor for her dorm, networking with other first-year students via Instagram and shopping for a new haul of back to school clothes. While enjoying her summer, Hayden has also been mentally preparing to leave Wisconsin and her family for the first time in her life.

Although Hayden said she feels excited and full of anticipation about leaving home, she, like many other first-year students, is also worried about common campus stereotypes.

“I feel like it’s pretty common to hear that the food is bad on college campuses, so I’m definitely concerned about that as well as the workload that comes with being in college,” Hayden said.

However, despite her apprehension, Hayden believes the positives waiting for her on Miami’s campus outweigh the negatives, including being away from home.

“These things make me nervous for sure, but I am also really excited about going to college because it’s a bunch of new people and a fresh start,” Hayden said.

Hayden chose Miami because of a longstanding tradition of attendance held in her family started by her two oldest twin sisters, who graduated this past year. Hayden’s older brother also attended Miami for a year.

Holly Hayden, a recent Miami graduate and older sister to Eloise Hayden, is thrilled that her youngest sister chose the same school as her and will be pursuing a similar path during her undergrad.

“It totally is bittersweet because I wish I was there to help her out and walk her to her first class and cook her some Sunday dinners,” Hayden said. “With that being said, I think she will be just fine without having us there and will gain independence.”

Hayden and her twin sister Grace Hayden have spent the summer helping their little sister prepare for her first year at Miami by taking her shopping and giving her advice on professors and classes. The twin sisters have even begun giving her advice on the “work hard play hard” mentality needed to succeed at school.

Eloise Hayden looks forward to pursuing a major in marketing within the Farmer School of Business because she believes it’s a major she can get the most out of in the future. On top of pursuing marketing, she looks forward to possibly joining various clubs or organizations, including the lacrosse club and field hockey teams.

Hayden hopes that she will better adjust to this new chapter by surrounding herself with new friends who have similar interests to her.

“Since it is my freshman year, I kind of just want to try everything,” Hayden said, “so I’m going into this year with a ‘just do it’ kind of attitude.”