The milk goes in first, not the cereal. Apple Music is better than Spotify. And, arguably the most famous one: Pineapple tastes good on pizza.
These are “hot takes,” or controversial opinions that spark intense debate on a topic with no right or wrong answer. Chances are, you probably have a few opinions that have caused heated arguments with your friends.
So, here are the hottest takes about Miami University, or college life in general, from our past columns.
Professors should assign more homework – Riley Crabtree
It’s no secret that if given the choice between a five-page research essay and a homework-free weekend, most students would choose the latter. But author Riley Crabtree argues that an abundance of assignments is crucial to our education.
Crabtree says more homework means more opportunities for students to retain the material. It can help improve their grades, since they have multiple chances to try again for a better score. Crabtree focuses on her experience with an Italian class to emphasize her point, where she says if her professor hadn’t assigned a hefty workload, she would have failed her final exam.
The first-year Living Learning Communities (LLCs) requirement does more harm than good – Jamie Gowans
Every first-year student living in a residence hall is required to choose their top three LLCs, which are communities centered around a specific major or interests, to bring similar students together. However, author Jamie Gowans says the system needs major adjustments.
Gowans provides a few reasons why the system is ineffective, such as how some communities require a specific major or academic college, or an extra class you have to take. But her main argument is that it fails to help students find their people, which is one of its key goals. She says LLCs may be beneficial for sophomores in residence halls, since they’d have a better understanding of the community they’d want to be around.
Living on North Quad isn’t that bad – Taylor Powers
If you’ve ever lived on North or East Quad, chances are you’ve probably groaned about how far from everything you are. Opinion editor Taylor Powers provides reasons why these secluded corners of campus aren’t as bad as they seem.
The long walks from class to your hall may be annoying, but Powers argues it's an effective and easy way to stay active. It also keeps you on campus until you’re finished with everything for the day, which stops you from running back and holing up in your room when you have a break.
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Miami’s liberal arts education is worth it – Sam Norton
Taking an assortment of random classes required by the Miami Plan may seem pointless and overwhelming. But columnist Sam Norton argues it's a unique, valuable experience that not many universities offer.
Enrolling in courses outside your major can introduce you to new interests, lead you to join extracurriculars or explore career paths you hadn’t thought of before. For Sam, joining The Miami Student led him to pursue journalism more seriously, and he picked up a minor in journalism because of the flexibility.
You can enjoy college without drinking every weekend – Halle Grant and Owen Berg
As a college student, you may feel pressure to go out to bars and drink every weekend. But opinion writers Halle Grant and Owen Berg say you can enjoy college while having a healthy relationship, or no relationship at all, with alcohol.
Grant argues the risks of “binge drinking” outweigh the benefits of going to Brick Street Bar every weekend, and it can take a toll not only on your physical health, but your mental well-being and academics as well. Owen attests to this by listing nine things he learned from doing college sober, like beer is nasty and you’ll still have time for fun after you graduate.
If you have a hot take, the opinion section is the perfect place to express yourself. Think the campus isn't that pretty? Do you find hockey overrated? Come tell our readers about it.
Read More
The importance of being curious
By Andrew Casper | Yesterday"Yes, we will prepare you for a successful career in nearly anything you might want to do. But college is not equivalent to training you for a single job."
I accused the Ohio governor of betraying our alma mater. Then he came to my commencement.
By Landon Morrison | 2 days ago"'I begin with two very special guests: alumni and Miami Mergers, First Lady Fran DeWine and Governor Mike DeWine.' A shiver went down my spine. Did the governor upstage my graduation because I accused him of betraying our alma mater?"
From confusion to confidence: A Miami alumna’s advice for making the most of four years
By Halle Grant | 3 days ago"At the end, you might look back and realize the biggest lessons weren’t taught in a classroom. Learning about yourself can’t be assigned. It comes from showing up, experimenting and sometimes failing."