The unofficial, honest Miami OH packing list

It’s that time of year again: back-to-school commercials grace our TVs. Hordes of college-bound kids on the brink of moving away from home will insist that they need two coffee makers, all of their old high school spirit wear, and old fashioned office supplies.

Instead of lugging heavy, expensive pieces of IKEA furniture into your tiny, crowded Miami dorm room, avoid this fiasco and pack these items for Oxford.

Star Wars light saber

Or any kind of merch you have from your childhood Halloween adventures.

Every spring, the Miami Activities Program puts on RedHawk Hunt: a now twelve hour (formerly 24 hour) campus wide scavenger hunt combining Miami trivia with some famous franchise. Past Hunts have included Harry Potter, Hunger Games, Marvel Super Heroes, and Star Wars.

Depending on the theme, you may need a Gryffindor cloak, a bow and arrow, or a Captain America shield. You never know just what they’ll throw at you. Keep in mind, teams with elaborate costumes are awarded bonus points.

Green colored clothing

Miami U prides themselves on upholding two centuries of steadfast traditions: the Upham arch, [not] stepping on the seal, rubbing the turtle heads. The list goes on. Engrained into our culture, like our red brick beauty, Miami stands for being the best.

One of those hallowed traditions includes this little soiree held every year on the Thursday before spring break. It’s a little thing we like to call Green Beer Day, the most magical day of the year.

 

Beginning at 3am, Oxford rivals Dublin, Ireland, with all its green glamour. Like a Christmas morning for college kids, we wait all year for this main event.

From die-hard frat boys, to alumni professors reliving the glory days, to underage non-participants who simply enjoy people watching and eating green-colored bagels, there’s something for everyone to love. Just don’t go to class displaying a green-tinged tongue.

Beat the Clock/Broken Clock

This is considered the great American past time in Oxford, Ohio.

For weekly events Uptown, sports jerseys and Hawaiian shirts are a fan favorite. In the warmer months, girls opt for sundresses and white converse. Everyone heads off to New or Brick sporting their favorite pro team. It’s the exception to the rule of wearing your best clothes to all the bars.

Besides, who doesn’t like being comfy while they hang out with friends on the weekend? It’ll be a great way to show off your new Cavs Championship tee (not like we Believelanders don’t wear them all the time anyway.)

Horse food

One of the coolest things about Miami is the stress relief events they host at Armstrong for us finals-fretted students. Why, you ask? THE MINI PONIES.

On multiple occasions, these little guys have helped us to forget Financial equations and Victorian literature. It’s seriously the coolest thing ever! How many people can say that they have unicorns at their school? Just the Miami kids. (Because Miami is the best, obvi).

So make sure you have some horse food with you just in case!

Greek letter rain coats

Miami University, home of the Greeks. Approximately 30% of Miami students go Greek, and they let everyone know it. Wearing letters is the easy, popular way to dress for class.

But what do you do in the forever rainy Ohio weather? Greek letter rain coats, of course! These jackets pair well with Hunter boots, monogrammed hats, and Longchamp bags.

Hiking boots

What else is there to do in the middle of cornfields besides go to bars? Take in God’s beautiful Earth. We may be on the outskirts of a land flatter than a fourth grade girl’s prepubescent chest, but it’s still beautiful.

Oxford is home to some great hiking trails and camp grounds that will turn you into a transcendentalist faster than Henry David Thoreau.

So don’t forget to pack the L.L. Bean Boots before your trip to Hueston Woods State Park; plus Bean Boots are perfect for the trek to class.

Ethernet and power cords/ chargers

Obviously, no Apple product is strong enough to last your entire day of classes, club meetings, and on-campus jobs meaning power cords are as necessary as that hair tie which stays almost permanently on your wrist. But what do you do when you can’t find a desk in King with a built in/nearby power outlet? How will you do your homework when our trusty MU-WIRELESS flakes out (again)? Extension cords!

The worst part of studying is always walking around King for fifteen minutes desperately searching for electricity. Or even worse, when you’re trying to submit an assignment by midnight but it’s 11:59pm and your MacBook is dead and MU-WIRELESS is non-existent so you curl up in the fetal position and cry until P Hodge expels you for lack of non-procrastination abilities. Bring a power strip and an ethernet chord to your next study session, and you’ve opened up a whole new door of late-night cramming possibilities.

Hockey jerseys

This is where the true Miamians stand out, and the fake ones slip through the “sieve.” That’s right. It’s hockey time. Ask a handful of Miami students what they include on their back-to-Oxford packing lists and a far majority will tell you “hockey jerseys for Goggin.”

Of course you can (and should) wear your Chicago Blackhawks jersey to beat and broken. But what will you wear to cheer on the Redhawks? The Brotherhood, as we refer to it, is one of, if not the biggest, source of pride in Oxford. We love our “beautiful men on ice.” A true Miami student can’t stand in Goggin shouting the iconic cheers against the opposing team without some good ole Love & Honor gear.

Even better, nothing is cooler than parading around Uptown in your hockey threads after a Redhawk victory. Scarves, funny hats, and even Storm Trooper outfits go greatly appreciated forever and a day. MU!