OxVegas. Intimidating as a freshman. Wild as a sophomore. Infamous as a junior. Outdated as a senior. Usually, in one form or another, Miami students go through this cycle of partying as they complete their four years at the university. Sometimes, it’s the other way around: you don’t enjoy going out until you’re an upperclassman. And on the other side of the spectrum, some students never enjoy going out or partying because it isn’t who they are. Although Oxford is pretty much known for its crazy social life, there are many things outside of frat parties and sweaty bars to hit up on the weekends.
Let’s begin with Oxford. I know it doesn’t seem like there’s much to do in this small town, but there’s plenty. You just have to be creative. If you want something that is very lowkey, you should try You’re Fired, a paint-your-own pottery shop uptown. Sure, you may be crashing some 5-year-old kid’s birthday party, but it’s a fun way to unwind with your friends or alone. Each piece is fired within a few weeks and the finishing product always looks better than you think.
Another great place to go if you’re super artsy is the Goodwill across the street from Kroger. There are a ton of fixer-uppers you can find there, along with things you never knew your wardrobe needed!
If you’re not about anything artistic, some other things you should try are Hueston Woods State Park, and the Oxford farmers market. These activities are more for people that love being outside and are all about being eco-friendly and healthy. Hueston Woods covers a lot of ground, so it can definitely take up a large portion of the day, whether you want to hike, bike, picnic or just take a stroll by the beach. It is also super easy to get there, as it’s only five minutes from campus. The farmers market, although not open all year round, is a fun thing to do on Saturday mornings and features delicious food and hand-crafted jewelry. It’s a great idea to support local businesses and take home cool trinkets.
And finally, if you’re more of a sports person or love some good competition, you need to go to the Miami sports events as well as Oxford Lanes, the local bowling alley. Miami’s home games are always fun because they usually give out free apparel or food and you’re in for an entertaining couple of hours. We are a D1 school, so the games are usually pretty close and you get to support your school. Oxford Lanes is also about a five-minute drive away and a cheap way to spend a Friday or Saturday night bowling with your pals!
If I didn’t sell you enough on Oxford itself, don’t worry. Just a car ride away lies plenty more options for you to try. I understand that it’s hard to get to and from places like Cincinnati. Ubers are uber expensive and taking a bus is a lot of work. If you do, however, find yourself with reliable transportation, definitely try some cool restaurants and events in the surrounding areas. These include concerts in surrounding venues (US Bank Arena in Cincinnati), chain restaurants you’ve been dying to try (Raising Cane’s), and malls where you can blow all of the money you said you were going to save (Kenwood).
It isn’t easy to find things to do at Miami that you and your friends enjoy while ballin’ on a budget. Just keep this in mind: You can make a big school small, but you can’t make a small school big. There’s tons of opportunities in and around Oxford that have your name written all over them. It is completely unsurprising why you wouldn’t want to spend your night holding your girl’s hair back from the toilet they’re puking in or being groped by some loser at Brick that doesn’t even go here. Miami is more than a party school. Spread the word!