Vietnamese student who dreamt of Florida move mistakenly enrolls at Miami University in Ohio
By Ryan General
October 13, 2023
An international student from Vietnam who dreamt of sunny Florida beaches when she applied for college later realized she’d mistakenly enrolled at Miami University in Ohio.
Mixed-up dreams: Valerie Do, 19, took to TikTok on Oct. 4, to share the mix-up that happened in 2021 when she decided to pursue her education in the U.S. She shared that her mind at the time was filled with visions of Miami, pristine beaches and palm tree-lined streets.
“When someone says ‘go to hell’ but I am studying abroad at Miami University of Ohio,” she writes in the in-video text. “I thought it was Miami Florida and did not realize. There are no beaches here it’s just cornfield and in the middle of nowhere.”
Quick reality check: In an interview with Insider, Do explained that when she received an acceptance letter from a “Miami University,” she assumed it was the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. Her hopes of basking under the Florida sun, however, were immediately shattered after a quick Google search revealed that the university in question was Miami University, situated in Oxford, Ohio.
Turning mistakes into opportunities: Do did some more digging and later found that the Ohio campus had an excellent business school. She eventually made the bold decision to move to Ohio after evaluating her financial aid options, the scholarship offer and the overall safety of the area.
“Especially for international students, the most important part is obviously the money,” Do explains in a follow-up video. “They gave me a lot of money, and my parents can afford the tuition. So I ended up in Ohio.”
TikTok fame: Do, who is now a campus tour guide at Miami University-Ohio, has become a viral TikTok sensation with her posts. Her first Miami-to-Ohio journey video has so far racked up over 1.5 million views. While some criticized her for not researching the university before applying, she generally received positive responses from viewers.
“You’re not the only one. 😂 There were international students who did this too when I was there years ago!!!” a commenter wrote.
“I feel like mistakes like these happen to many international students 😭 like I wonder how many kids are somewhere different than they expected lmao,” another reacted.
“Whenever I tell people I go to Miami I always get jokes about going to the wrong school😭,” another shared in a comment.
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