Staff members from different sections of The Miami Student wrote columns about what the publication means to them.
Last year, during my first year at Miami University, I spent most of my time outside of class rotting in my dorm. I could not stir a desire to get out and meet new people, but I was also dealing with the fact that I had very few friends here. I wanted to change my situation, to get involved, but the simple fact that the few times I had tried they proved unsuccessful in the long run and dissuaded my lazy mind from trying.
Last semester, after too many poor experiences with friend groups and pitiful, low-effort attempts to join clubs and organizations, I decided to make a change. I wasn’t going to let opportunities pass me by any longer.
My friend and classmate Sydney Mulford, soon-to-be design editor, was one of the driving forces behind my getting involved in The Miami Student. She had been on the design team since she transferred to Miami last spring. She was the one who gave me the confidence to come to The Student meetings and join The Miami Student Magazine as a member of the art staff. It was also her confidence in my design abilities and the fact that I would know someone going into a new organization that gave me the little push I needed to join.
The Student has introduced me to so many smart, interesting and funny individuals I never would have met if I weren’t a member. I love to meet people who have an array of different majors from mine, since it gives me different perspectives and reasons to love physical media and reasons to be passionate about The Student.
The Student has helped me improve my skills in publication design, ability to adapt quickly to last-minute changes and overall has made me a better team player. I get to be creative and solve design problems in a controlled environment surrounded by people who are doing what they love and are passionate about.
This semester, I am getting more involved in the design process, and I’m very excited about it. I moved from making the occasional graphic to helping lay out the newspaper on print nights. Laying out spreads is fun, and it is creatively fulfilling without the stress of having to come up with an idea from scratch.
Alongside working on the newspaper, I have also found enjoyment in being a member of The Miami Student Magazine. Getting to read writers’ ideas for stories, meet with them along the way to share mutual visions and design a spread that emphasizes and communicates their beautiful writing is an amazing experience that has taught me so much. I get to bring their story into a visual dimension and communicate what words cannot. I also get to be part of something that so many talented and creative people are a part of. Working on the magazine has also given me a little bit more creative control and expression than The Student newspaper, and I’m really happy for both the opportunities. One lets me come up with more ideas and one is more regimented, expected, and lets me almost “turn off” my brain.
Joining The Student has helped me come out of my shell at Miami. It has made me more interested in using my years here to the fullest I can. The Student has driven me to make college what I want it to be and has taught me not to let myself stick to what is comfortable and easy. Being creative while also working on something that is bigger than myself and can truly mean something has been such an amazing experience that I hope to continue until graduation.
Jayson Brake is a sophomore double-majoring in communication design and emerging technology in business and design. He is a graphic designer for The Miami Student, on the art staff for The Miami Student Magazine, a Graphic Design Assistant for MUF&D and was a Small Group Leader for U-Lead.
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