Perfect College Campus

Introduction
I decided to tour Miami's campus purely because it was located in between Ohio University and Indiana University- what I found, was what many have claimed is the "perfect college campus." Miami is home to an affluent student body who come to campus having been involved in many high school activities. As a result, I found it easy to get involved- and doing so is key. Students at Miami are very focused on their extra curriculars, be it a sorority/fraternity, Program Board, or the hockey band. Students network through these groups, so while being in a sorority/fraternity isn't necessary to your existance at Miami, being involved in SOMETHING is. If you can't stand popped collars and pink polos, stray away, but you don't necessarily have to fit the mold to find Miami's campus right for you.

Campus Life and Social Life
Greek life is king at Miami, but if you're not "in" there's plenty of other socializing to be had. There are more lectures and night activities on campus than one could ever attend, and the hockey games are packed with screaming Redhawk fans. If you're a die hard basketball fan, this school isn't for you. Tailgating in the parking lot? No, none of that either. Many students often go to parties at one of the cleverly named historic houses "uptown" on weekends, or find themselves dancing at a local bar that is having drink specials. For the under 21 crowd, there is 18+ dancing, Miami Afterdark with cheap food, or hanging out in the dorms. Because the closest city is almost an hour away, the majority of the student body chooses to stay in Oxford on the weekends. Weekdays students are serious about their academics as a general rule, but there's always socializing at one of the late night restaurants. Academics
Miami is known for it's buisness school. As a result, the facilities in this department are phenomenal. As a general rule, Miami tends to be geared towards the liberal arts- you won't find a lot of biology/chemistry majors on campus. The undergraduate classes are taught by professors- no grad students here! Some of the larger classes break into discussion sessions/labs with TAs, but papers are usually graded by professors. In the Education and English department, there are professors that will eat breakfast with students, invite students into their homes, and keep in touch with students long after they have graduated. It is clear that the professors are at the school to teach- not do research.

Student Body
Most Miami students come from affluent households in the Midwest. Very few students hail from the West coast, with some draw from the major Eastern cities. Most students lean to the conservative end of the spectrum and are concerned with their appearance. While this is the rule, students who do not "fit the mold" exist as well. On a typical weeknight, you can find students interacting in study groups in the basement of the library or in the student center, or uptown at the coffee shop. On the weekend, those same students can be found wearing a skirt or a buttondown at a local bar.

In Closing...
The Miami expierence is often compared to living in a bubble. It is a safe enviornment where students seem unaffected by the worlds problems. There is a separation of reality that many students come to enjoy. It is, afterall, supposed to be the best years of one's life. While Miami students are serious about academics, they're equally as serious about having the most enjoyable four years of their lives.