An international student from Vietnam was so happy after being accepted to her dream university in Miami. However, little did she know that Miami University is in Ohio, not in her dream state of Florida.
Nineteen-year-old Valerie Do pictured sunny days on Florida beaches when she applied to Miami University in 2021.
Having never visited the U.S., she was stunned to find out the school was in Ohio, not Florida, upon receiving her acceptance letter.
Initially, Valerie thought Ohio might be a Florida county. However, a quick online search shattered her beach dreams.
She realized she’d been accepted to Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, not the University of Miami in Florida.
Ohio’s Miami University, established in 1809, honors the Myaamia Native Americans who once called the Miami Valley home.
In contrast, the Florida city of Miami got its name from the Tequesta word “Mayaimi,” meaning “big water,” according to the Encyclopedia Britannica.
“I realized there are no beaches; it’s just a cornfield in the middle of nowhere in the Midwest of America,” Valerie told Business Insider.
However, after discovering Miami University’s strong business program, the international student from Vietnam chose to attend the Ohio school and moved from Vietnam to start college in the Midwest.
Valerie, now a campus tour guide, often tells the humorous tale of how she wound up at the university.
When she hears the TikTok sound “I’m Already There” by Lonestar, she jokingly uses it to reference her mistake.
In a playful October 2023 video, Valerie lip-syncs a song while exaggerating her reactions on camera.
Text on the screen humorously explains her mix-up, contrasting her expected Florida beach life with the reality of cornfields in Ohio.
Valerie’s video became an internet sensation, racking over 1.5 million views. People loved her humor and even praised the university’s “love and honor” motto.
In a later video, she explained that she hadn’t researched the school before applying but chose Miami University due to financial aid, scholarships, safety, and a strong business program.
“Especially for international students, the most important part is obviously the money. They gave me a lot of money, and my parents can afford the tuition. So I ended up in Ohio,” she told viewers.
Valerie was surprised by the video’s popularity and found the public’s reactions fascinating. Many viewers blamed her for the mix-up, joking it was her fault.
The international student from Vietnam told Insider she wasn’t bothered by the criticism. She’s happy she ended up in Ohio, not Florida.
During her freshman spring break, she visited Miami, Florida, with friends. While she enjoyed the beaches and city life, she felt safer in Ohio.
“We literally had to switch our Airbnb to another one because we thought that there was some person trying to break in in the middle of the night,” she said.
She described the video as a “silly, funny TikTok” meant to make people laugh. She said she loves her school and enjoys her time there, calling it “a great mistake to make.”
Meanwhile, Valerie, from the big city of Ho Chi Minh City, thought another large city could be fun. She considered Memphis but chose Ohio instead due to safety concerns.
Oxford, a college town, offers a range of activities and events, including movie nights, game nights, festivals, and concerts, along with a diverse community.
Moreover, Oxford, Ohio’s cost of living is much lower than in many other big U.S. cities.
Valerie shares a four-bedroom apartment with three roommates, paying $565 monthly for her room, says the outlet.
The safe apartment complex offers amenities like a hot tub, swimming pool, and gym.
Valerie hopes to stay in the U.S. after graduating in May 2025. Although she likes living in Ohio, she plans to travel more and gain diverse experiences, which was a key reason for studying abroad.
In 2023, Valerie shared her plans to move to Chicago or Pittsburgh for work after graduation.
She is particularly interested in Chicago for its fun and diverse atmosphere. She enjoyed exploring the city during frequent visits to a friend in her sophomore year.
Valerie enjoys posting videos on TikTok and sharing her story as an international student from Vietnam.
Here’s a video making fun of her mistake:
@dankgiao Didn’t know ohio was a state lmfao (i’ve never been to the US before college) #internationalstudent #studyabroad #duhocsinh #duhocmy🇺🇲 #studyabroadusa #internationalstudentproblems #miamioh #college #ohio ♬ original sound – Whitney Stone-Steen
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