Dear UM Community,

I’ve been getting really nostalgic lately. I’m graduating in a matter of months and I really don’t want to leave the tropical paradise of Miami. I’ve had this one Joni Mitchell line on repeat in my head as I walk around campus, to and from classes, and in and out of the magazine office.

“Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone?”

Joni’s admonition serves as a constant reminder not to get caught up in the grind of college life. Instead, we at Distraction want to celebrate the quirks and perks of being a student at the University of Miami with the issue, “The Mysteries of Miami.”

What’s the highest honor at UM? Since when was the Rat the coolest place to hang out? What secrets are your fellow students hiding? We wanted to shed some light on the traditions and practices that make UM such an extraordinary place to study and live. Take a look at that what we came up with and savor it all while you can.

It’s all about The U,

Hilary Saunders, Editor-in-Chief