Opinion-Columns

OPINION

The purpose of liberal education in a tumultuous world

By Rosemary Pennington | March 4, 2024

When I was 18, I sat in a crowded lecture hall at Ohio University, crammed on both sides by people I didn’t know, freaked out about how I was going to keep my head above water. I felt myself begin to panic as I stewed in the warmth of other people when a large man wearing a sweat-stained shirt walked into the room, banged a book onto the lectern and just began lecturing. 

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OPINION

The grass is always green: An ode to first homes and an ode to the second

By Lilly McClelland | March 3, 2024

If you lived in Normal, Illinois, and saw it the way I did, you would find life to be familiar. You would joke with every out-of-towner about its accurate name, avoid the same potholes for years on end, and, above all, longingly wait for the day you can leave. 

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OPINION

Collecting signatures to end gerrymandering

By Jenny Fisher | March 2, 2024

Good government groups are active in Ohio again, and you might see some of them holding a  Citizens Not Politicians petition. The Citizens Not Politicians initiative is collecting signatures to bring reform to Ohio’s redistricting process.

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OPINION

Yes, I’m close to home. No, I don't drive back every weekend

By Taylor Powers | March 1, 2024

Growing up in a small town, you’d probably expect that when I graduated high school I would enroll at a college hundreds of miles away from home. I’d pack up and leave behind the place I had spent my entire life.

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OPINION

Why sorority recruitment shouldn't define your college journey

By Halle Grant | February 28, 2024

In the winter of 2022, I found myself navigating the intricacies of Miami University’s sorority recruitment. The hybrid model allowed me to speak to different chapters on Zoom from the comfort of my dorm room and, yes, wear pajama pants all day instead of heels. 

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OPINION

Tools and tips for entering the job market from a graduating senior

By Abbey Elizondo | February 20, 2024

Stressed about entering the job market? Senior staff writer Abbey Elizondo provides helpful about hwo to make it an easier process.

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OPINION

Students need help and homework is the answer

By Riley Crabtree | February 19, 2024

Assignments, especially the reading and homework students are asked to complete, are the dread of many college students. No one jumps at the chance to read a 10-page PDF of Socrates’ writings or to complete three hours’ worth of online math equations a week. 

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OPINION

Embrace your childhood interests again

By Taylor Powers | February 18, 2024

I’m 18 years old, and I still sleep with stuffed animals. I’m not embarrassed. I’m not ashamed to say I drift off to sleep every night accompanied by Winnie the Pooh and a brown bear wearing a Miami University shirt. As a kid, I tucked my plush friends under the covers and hugged them before falling asleep.

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OPINION

Life is short: You don’t always need a summer internship

By Sam Norton | February 17, 2024

It’s that time of year again. Handshake and LinkedIn are sending out barrages of emails with positions, professors are announcing opportunities for students to apply and the Career Center is holding its plethora of workshops. Internship season has arrived.

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OPINION

McVey Data Science building: Modern marvel or futuristic facade?

By Camila Lopez-Diaz | February 16, 2024

“This looks like a community college from the Marvel cinematic universe.” That was my first thought upon entering Miami University’s new McVey Data Science building. The new building houses the departments of Emerging Technology in Business and Design (ETBD), statistics, computer science and software engineering.

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OPINION

Make it make sense: Valentine’s Day in the U.S. is a vile experience

By Anastasija Mladenovska | February 14, 2024

Last weekend, I went flower shopping at Kroger. Walking through the store, I couldn’t help but notice the section dedicated to Valentine’s Day. From overpriced squishmallows to different brands of chocolates, I wondered if the holiday actually meant anything.

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OPINION

Being bored is overrated

By Kiser Young | February 7, 2024

Boredom: a feeling that comes and goes, but always manages to return. As young adults in college, we’re told that these will be the “best years of our lives,” and that we’ll dream about reliving these days the moment our feet leave the stage, hands clutching onto our degree.

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OPINION

Miami’s winter break is too long: It doesn’t need to be

By Sam Norton | February 6, 2024

Our winter break is too long, and the stark difference between Miami and other universities begs the question: why do we do winter break so differently?

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OPINION

Borrowing her eyes to see myself: My winter break queer rediscovery

By Anastasija Mladenovska | February 5, 2024

When I started high school in 2019, everyone saw the “gays and lesbians” as the new big thing in Macedonia. I recall a time when books and publishers were fetishizing the “new normal” plaguing us from the West and the U.S. There were bold movies normalizing gay romance, and protests were held for the first time. All of a sudden, the rainbow turned from a playful object in children’s books to the most controversial topic at dinner tables. 

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OPINION

From cornfields to city streets: Broadening my perspectives in NYC

By Camila Lopez-Diaz | February 3, 2024

Growing up, all I’ve ever known was Ohio’s quiet life — something that I slowly began to resent as I grew older and traveled outside of my home state. The monotony of Ohio's tranquility sparked a craving for the dynamic and the unknown.

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OPINION

J-Term gets a bad rap, and it shouldn’t

By Ava Kalina | February 2, 2024

Miami University’s “J-term” this year was a three-and-a-half week term pushing the spring semester to Jan. 29. This means a long winter break for Miami students: six weeks in total. The break can sound daunting, but it’s extra time for students to work, travel, study or simply relax after a grueling fall semester.

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OPINION

To the class of 2024: Let life happen

By Devin Ankeney | February 2, 2024

College can be a time filled with great experiences, but also with difficult decisions and hard truths. Not everything works out. Friendships get tough. Getting a job is a miserable experience for many. As I enter my final semester here at Miami University, I’m reminding myself to be more present and realize that all the tough parts of these past four years have led me to where I am now.

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OPINION

Five improvements the Miami community can make in 2024

By The Editorial Board | January 8, 2024

The beginning of every new year is a time for New Year’s resolutions. It’s a time for people to think ahead and find ways to make their lives better, by being hopeful and optimistic about the future. In that spirit, The Miami Student editorial board has compiled a list of changes and improvements we hope to see implemented both by Miami University’s administration and by its student community throughout 2024.

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OPINION

Perspective of a transgender Ohioan

By Eve Harvey | January 7, 2024

We need all of the help that we can receive, which is why I’m asking everyone to engage in actions that show you care about your transgender friends, family and colleagues. Whether that is reaching out to your trans friends, donating somewhere like TransOhio’s emergency fund or contacting your representatives or DeWine directly, please show up for the trans community. 

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OPINION

Oxford transportation can be better: Rethinking a car-first environment

By Camila Lopez-Diaz | December 12, 2023

Since the beginning of my time at Miami University, I’ve had one belief that hasn’t wavered: Oxford drivers suck.