There is something in that Oxford, Ohio, air that makes these words a little different to understand to undergraduate and graduate students. These words remind us that we are lucky to spend "the best four years" here and why we wouldn't want to spend them anywhere else.
OXFORD
To most: A well-respected and prestigious university in the United Kingdom.
To Miami students: A well-respected and prestigious Public Ivy where we are fortunate to spend "the best four years of our lives."
ROBERT FROST
To most: A famous poet.
To Miami students: The thoughtful man behind the most famous quote: "The most beautiful campus there ever was!" and yeah, he was right!
SEAL
To most: An animal or official stamp on a document.
To Miami students: The iconic symbol of Miami University and the absolute last thing you want to step on if you don't want to fail your next exam.
BEAT
To most: A verb with a variety of meanings, including to win something or to fight something.
To Miami students: The best way to spend Friday/Saturday afternoons with all your friends without breaking the bank an hour at a time.
BROKEN
To most: When something doesn't work.
To Miami students: Another great way to spend our Saturday afternoons (after Beat, of course.) Traditions, man.
WESTERN
To most: A location in the west.
To Miami students: The farthest place on campus you could ever live. It may be pretty, but man, that walk in the winter is less than fun.
REDSKIN
To most: An offensive term for Native Americans that is politically incorrect.
To Miami students: One of the best drinks you'll ever have. It's a Miami tradition!
UPHAM ARCH
To most: Some arch?
To Miami students: Hopefully the place where you'll be kissed at midnight by your lover and become a Miami Merger.
KING
To most: A term to define the heir to the throne.
To Miami students: Where you'll spend many sleepless nights throughout your four years. Shout-out to King Cafe for always keeping caffeine surging through our veins!
MILE SQUARE
To most: A mile in each direction in the shape of a square.
To Miami students: Home to the wittiest and funniest house/apartment names you've ever seen.
GBD
To most: Three random letters.
To Miami students: The best Thursday of your entire life and the only time you actually look forward to getting up at 1:30 a.m. on a weekday.
FARMER
To most: A person who works/owns a farm.
To Miami students: A well-respected business school and one of the most gorgeous buildings you'll ever see.
ALUMNI
To most: People who have graduated from your school.
To Miami students: Paul Ryan, Ben Roethlisberger, Paul Ryan, Benjamin Harrison (the president), and did I mention Paul Ryan?
UPTOWN
To most: The subject of a Bruno Mars song?
To Miami students: Home to your favorite bars, restaurants, and the epitome of the ideal "college town."
90's
To most: An abbreviated way to refer to the 1990s.
To Miami students: The best way to spend Tuesday nights dancing to throwback tunes. Yeah, I'm looking at you, Whitney Houston and Backstreet Boys.
PITCHERS
To most: The guys who pitch the balls at a baseball game.
To Miami students: Too many people in one space bonding over beer specials.
PULLEY
To most: Something you learned about in your seventh-grade science class.
To Miami students: Home to 24 hours of mozz sticks, shakes, and spicy chicken sandwiches that we love to devour after a night uptown.
BAGEL
To most: A circular ring of dough.
To Miami students: The short name for Bagel and Deli, aka the best place to get something to eat. Shout-outs to the classics such as Messy Katie or Crunch 'N' Munch
OHIO
To most: A Midwestern state where people live, with lots and lots and lots of cornfields.
To Miami students: The only place we want to call home.
So here's to Oxford, Ohio and all the amazing memories that we college students are lucky enough to experience at one of the best places on Earth!
