5 Reasons I Chose Ole Miss Over UGA

With Ole Miss and UGA facing off this weekend for the first time in Oxford since 2011, it is only appropriate to say Ole Miss (hopefully) will not only beat them on the football field. In fact, UGA fans may be liking Oxford a little more than they originally thought.

Growing up, UGA was my college. Never in a million years would I have thought I would have gone to a different school. However, in 2015 I started my freshman year here at Ole Miss.

Not knowing a soul or anything about the school, I slowly began to adjust and call this place home. Many things about the Oxford, Ole Miss area made me fall in love with it. Here are the five reasons why I think everyone will fall in love with Ole Miss, whether they admit it or not.

#1. The Town of Oxford

Photo by Crooked Letter Photography.

It’s no secret that with a nickname like “Oxvegas,” the city of Oxford would be our number one when falling in love with Ole Miss. Ranked as the second best college town in Southern Living magazine, ahead of Athens, Oxford is known for its deep southern roots. The city of Oxford offers great dining, shopping and social scenes, all of which are in the center of town, known as the Square. If you don’t want to go to Ole Miss, then don’t visit. You’ll never want to leave.

#2. Ole Miss Campus

Photo by Crooked Letter Photography.

Falling in love with Ole Miss is easy when we are currently ranked second for the most beautiful campus in USA Today’s ongoing poll (in which voting ends Sept. 25), 11th for Greek life, and seventh for top party school. Dear parents, if you want your kids to have the ultimate college experience and get an education, Ole Miss is perfect.

#3. The Grove

Photo by Crooked Letter Photography.

Here is number 3 coming in hot. Known for the chandeliers and southern dress, tailgating in the Grove is the ultimate experience. Thousands of people gather every football weekend in a 10-acre radius filled with 100-year-old Oak trees to cheer on the Rebs. Fans line the Walk of Champions to watch the football players as they make their way to the stadium. It’s the ultimate social scene for anyone who loves football; especially, the pre-gaming part. It’s completely reasonable why anyone would fall in love with Ole Miss.

#4. The People

Photo by Danny Dickey.

The Ole Miss and Oxford community is by far one of the friendliest places I have ever been. In a time of tragedy or heartbreak, the community of Lafayette County will always come together to support one another. The Ole Miss family goes far beyond the county lines. This summer, when I was in Greece, I had my Ole Miss hat on and heard someone say, “Hotty Toddy!” I turned around to find a couple celebrating their 20th anniversary; they had met at Ole Miss. We ended up having a ten-minute conversation, half of which was about how nice everyone was. It’s easy to love a place like Ole Miss when you can be across the world and meet someone who feels the same way.

#5. The Food

Courtesy of Boure’s Facebook Page

Anyone who loves food will love Oxford. It’s no surprise that freshman 15 here is a thing; it really should be more like 20! It’s hard to stay slim when Oxford has mastered the blend of Southern and Cajun cuisines. City Grocery, Oxford Grill House, Handy Andy’s and Boure are just a few of my favorites places to eat. If you don’t love food, then Oxford isn’t for you.

Caroline Stewart is an intern for HottyToddy.com. She can be reached at cdstewa3@go.olemiss.edu.