I am a freshman at Ohio University and boy, do I love being a Bobcat. But, to friends and family, my decision to attend OU was slightly unexpected. When I say unexpected, I’m referring to the fact that both of my older sisters and mother attended OU’s rival school, Miami University. Many were surprised that I broke the trend but I’ve known OU is where I belong from the day I first visited. At first, I was hesitant because we’ve all heard OU’s reputation as a party school, but I was able to look past that. Here are the top five reasons why I chose to go to Ohio University and how it became the best decision of my life.
Writing and public speaking have always been passions of mine and when it came to picking a college major, I decided broadcast journalism would be the perfect career for me. When I first began my college search, I quickly discovered that Ohio University has an accredited journalism program. The E.W. Scripps school of Journalism at Ohio University is one of the top ten journalism schools in the nation. I knew I would have endless opportunities and caring professors that could help me improve my skills and make many connections in the industry.
The journalism building, Schoonover, is a brand new facility that makes the learning experience for my major even better and modernized, helping me to see the future of media. Having several classes in the same building as students with the same major has also allowed me to make many new friends and study buddies. My roommate and I met on Facebook, but sure enough after a few short weeks we became extremely close because we share a major and are able to help each other out with homework, paper editing, and studying for tests.
Visiting college campuses in your sophomore through senior years of high school can be very intimidating. The choice of deciding where to spend the next four years of your life is extremely stressful. I have a few older cousins who attend OU and told me that everyone is very welcoming, but I still had my reserves–college kids are scary. But sure enough, the moment I stepped foot on OU’s campus I could feel the positive vibes my cousins had talked about.
I first hand experienced the friendly smiles of students as they passed me on my way to Baker Center for my campus tour. My tour guide made an effort to learn all of the potential future bobcats’ names within my tour group and introduced us to her friends that we passed along the tour to show what a welcoming community Ohio University truly is. The faculty and students are so diverse at Ohio University making everyone feel welcome in their new hOUme. Even the squirrels and deer are friendly enough to walk right up to you on College Green!
Anyone who has ever stepped foot on Ohio University’s campus can attest to the campus’ beauty and notable history. Athens, Ohio is a rather rural city with an abundance of trees, hills, and brick walkways making it extremely picturesque. No matter what the season, rain or shine, Ohio University is genuinely the prettiest college campus I have ever seen. Literally, it was cold, cloudy, and misting rain when I came on my college visit to OU, but I still saw the beauty of the colorful fall leaves and historic buildings that the campus is known for. That was the day I fell in love with Ohio University. If you’ve never climbed to the top of Bong Hill to see the view that overlooks campus, you’re missing out.
I live on the west side of Cleveland, which makes Athens about a three and a half hour drive from my home. To me, this was the perfect distance: not too close and not too far. It’s in-state, which made it affordable and convenient I don’t have to worry about flying home for breaks. I have the ability to go visit my friends at other universities on a whim, just a car ride away. But it’s also nice not being too close to home. Going off to college is a brand new experience of living on your own for the first time ever. Although I occasionally feel a little homesick and call my parents or friends from home, it was exciting to start fresh in a new environment where no one really knew who I was.
There are 450+ student organizations on campus, so you’re bound to find something that interests you. From clubs, to greek life, to intramural sports, the opportunities are endless. Personally, I decided to get involved right off the bat. My roommate and I together joined Thread Magazine, which is an online fashion magazine, where we are able to write articles and become published writers as a first semester freshman, which is pretty huge. I also am a part of the WOUB staff (OU’s radio and television station) where I am working my way up to becoming a reporter for Gridiron Glory and Hardwood Heroes, which are two student production television shows focusing on high school sports within the county.
The decision to go Greek was a tough one, but I quickly learned that fraternities and sororities are much more than living in a house and going to parties. In my sorority, Sigma Kappa, we take pride in giving back to our five philanthropies, helping out in the Athens community, and strengthening our sisterhood. But don’t get me wrong, we have a lot of fun too. They say getting involved is a great way to make new friends, and sure enough my social circle grew immensely after joining these organizations.
Featured photo source: odysseyonline.com
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