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College Prowler

Academics

The teachers really take an interest in their students. They care about more than just lecturing; they want their students to succeed in class and in life. I loved my history classes, especially the Civil War and Civil Rights Movement classes. Since the University is home to a Civil War cemetery and was the site of important civil rights protests, it made the classes come alive.

Athletics

Sports are part of life at Ole Miss, and the school takes its sports teams very seriously. Whether it’s soccer, basketball, football, or baseball, you’ll always find a large crowd of students enjoying the game. IM is also a big part of life on campus, and it gives people the opportunity to participate in friendly games for fun.

Campus Dining

The Union offers a wide selection of food. Many students enjoy the addition of fresh sushi. There’s a deli, a Chick-fil-A, and an area that serves hot plates of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Union Galley Convenience Store also carries all your essentials: candy bars, chips, and drinks. Best of all, they all take the Ole Miss Express. Johnson Commons also provides a good cafeteria-style food option, where you can find everything from pizza and hamburgers to pasta and salads, though it does have limited serving hours.

Campus Housing

I lived in Stewart my freshman year and loved it. It had plenty of storage, and it was close to everything. My second year, I lived in Crosby—still nice and the bathrooms were larger, but not as much storage as Stewart. All of my friends that lived in the Twin Towers (Martin) hated it. I couldn’t see how they kept all of their stuff there. Martin is out on the edge of campus, and it really sucked for them when it rained or was bitter cold. Most of them had outrageous parking tickets due to that. The upside is that they could keep the Freshman 15 at bay with all of the walking.

Campus Strictness

The University Police Department strictly enforces the school's no alcohol policy. Fraternities and Sororities caught on a first offense have many consequences, including the chance to rush incoming freshmen until the next school year. However, drinking in the dorm rooms is pretty easy to do. Just don't place any alcohol in plain sight or in the fridge. It will be found.

Computers

The computer labs are generally crowded unless you get there well ahead of time. Certainly bring your own. The wireless Internet is great, so make sure you have a wireless card.

Diversity

No matter what your interests are at Ole Miss, there’s a place for you. While Ole Miss may not sport the most diverse-looking student population statistically, the diversity is there. You just have to look around. The University will be a great resource in helping you to meet a diverse crowd. They organize events such as dinner nights with the faculty, Greek Week (pairing Pan-Hellenic sororities and fraternities with NPHC sorority and fraternities), and international nights where students from other countries present elements of their culture, such as food, dance, and history.

Drug Scene

The drug scene at Ole miss is there, but it depends on who you hang out with. Usually it's just smoking weed, but there are a good amount of people that do harder drugs like cocaine. Drinking is much more the drug of choice at Ole Miss.

Facilities

The library on campus is an incredibly gorgeous building with a very impressive collection. The Student Center is not anything special, simply a place to buy books and get lunch. The athletic facilities, however, are top-notch. The Turner Center, our fitness center, is very well supplied and staffed with an indoor pool, huge weight room, and tons of exercise equipment.

Greek Life

While Greek life once dominated the social scene at Ole Miss and still has a large population, it’s not the be-all and end-all of the social scene. Greek life is like everything else—there are good days and there are bad ones. A major misconception about Greek life is that it’s all parties and fun, but the truth is that it’s time-consuming. Besides attending parties, there’s rush to be planned and practiced for, and many require study hall hours and hours of community service projects.

Guys & Girls

Ole Miss is full of very attractive, well-off people, but it’s surprising to see that most people are extremely friendly and down to earth (although you’ll find the usual bad apples occasionally). People are more than willing to help you out if you need it, and most everyone is there for the same reason: a lot of fun with some schoolwork mixed in.

Local Atmosphere

Oxford is not very big, but it's bigger than what I'm used to. The best thing to do is go out to eat at the good restaurants Oxford has to offer. There are many places to choose from. There are no other universities that are near UM, but Mississippi has plenty more to choose from.

Nightlife

There aren't many parties on campus. The bars off campus are for students 21-and-up. The clubs off campus admit students over 18. Some good spots are Illusions Sports Bar or The Library. Trust me, it's nothing like an ordinary library!

Off-Campus Dining

Eating off campus is where life begins at Ole Miss. Two local chicken hot spots are Abner’s and Bofield’s. The Square is a great spot to start when you go out to eat. Ajax is quite good, as is the RibCage. However, one of the best barbeque plates in Oxford is served at Handy Andy’s. Proud Larry’s is a great place to hang out and eat when you and your friends aren’t in a hurry. They have an outdoor eating area that’s the best place to be on beautiful fall days. The true Italian restaurant on the Square is Old Venice. Be sure to sample some of the tiramisu. For more upscale dining choices try City Grocery, Bouré, and the Downtown Grille. At City Grocery, make sure to try the shrimp and grits. The trick to eating affordably at these three restaurants is to go there at lunch when they have lunch menus and specials at more student-friendly prices. For a breakfast of divine baked goods, be sure to visit Bottletree Bakery. If a full breakfast of eggs and bacon is what you desire, travel right off the Square to the Beacon.

Off-Campus Housing

Housing off campus is great—I did it for three years. The cost is not that much more than living on campus, especially if you have roommates. There are some great little houses around Oxford for rent. But, be aware of the older ones that aren’t taken care of. They have bugs, and your utility bills will be much higher.

Overall Experience

Ole Miss has one of the most amazing atmospheres you'll ever find at a college. Almost always ranking in the top five party schools in the nation, you never have to worry about becoming bored here. Plus, it is an extremely easy university. In other words, you don't have to worry that much about grades.

Parking

Parking here has always been a problem, and has only gotten worse since I've been here. If you live in the dorms, just walk to class. If you commute, leave at least 30 minutes early and be ready to wait in line. Parking enforcement is very strict here; don't park in a faculty lot and expect to get away with it.

Safety & Security

There are definitely places on campus that you should avoid at night by yourself, but luckily, you never have walk alone. There’s security at the library to walk you to your car if you need it. You can also call the University Police Department to take you where you need to go, if you feel unsafe. This isn’t to say that the campus is unsafe, but there are certainly measures in place to help keep you safe. The police cars patrol campus throughout the day, looking for suspicious behavior, and essentially making their presence known.

Transportation

There is a public transit system in Oxford, but it only runs until 7 p.m. So if you need to be picked up late at night, you may as well call a friend. The bus does run all around Oxford, such as to Wal-Mart and the Square.

Weather

It’s hot as anything in the summer. In August, you will walk to class, and your clothes will be drenched by the time you sit down. The late summers in Oxford always make me so lethargic. The heat and humidity drains you. But, the winter months are nice, and it does not get too cold. And unfortunately, it never snows.