Ole Miss... Let's discuss!

[TSteven]

Originally posted by carnation
See....people have posted which sororities are at nearby colleges and which would be good choices but those of us who've been around for awhile know which sororities have been at those colleges and left. And many, many Southern women know this and very likely would not join these groups if they tried to go to Ole Miss because their chapter at a nearby school failed--take my word. If ABC left State or Arkansas, dyed-in-the-wool Greek families remember that.

Not making a value judgment on this, just pointing out what I've observed over the years.

I totally agree.

I think what a few of our Southern-challenged folk (I'm originally from the South and attended an SEC university) do not realize that in many, many cases, Greek life is embedded in Southern families and society. And as such, many women would rather not take a bid to *any* sorority than a bid from one of their *desired* GLOs.

I would also like to add that there are many Southern men, like their female Southern counterparts, who know these things as well. And with all due respect, they would not *desire* that their daughters or sisters join these GLOs as well. (i.e. chapters of failed GLOs)

And please note that I'm talking about the so called "failed" GLOs on certain campuses and not any particular GLO at all. (i.e. ABC failed at Alma Mater U. therefore, my daughter should not be an ABC at State U.) Frankly, it might not be right. But as Carnation put it, I'm "not making a value judgment on this, just pointing out what I've observed over the years."

[GPhiLlama]

Originally posted by thetalady
Please no one take offense... I am from Mississippi myself and I am not hesitant to say so. I just don't think folks from other places really understand the Mississippi mindset & environment because it is SO different from anyplace else.

NutBrnHair got it right. Mississippi is a relatively isolated place, practically a fence around the state. Few people move out, fewer people move in. That is why everyone there knows each other! I am telling you, there is NO 7 degrees of separation between any 2 people in the state ;-)

There are a lot of reasons that Mississippi is like this. I won't go into them, some of them are not very flattering. Just acknowleging that this IS the environment there and has been for a very long time.

And an awful lot of the people there like it just the way it is. For many people, Mississippi feels very safe, kind of one big "small town", without a lot of the major problems of big cities. A good place to raise a family, a sense of community in an age where most of us don't know neighbors more than 3 houses away. Yes, people are born there, live there, go to college there, marry & settle down to raise a family all in Mississippi. Nothing wrong with this, if that's your cup of tea! It does make for very very long memories and tight knit groups.

Come down and visit the Coasties sometime. It's like living on another planet from up north!
Well, no...maybe it isn't. I'm originally from Metarie, and when my family moved to MS for me to start kindergarten, my parents were constantly told that I didn't go to the "right" preschool (because I'm originally from LA) and the "right" elementary school (which made no sense because it was the elementary school for our district). Just got worse during high school. And then people wonder why I went out of state for college!
Just my experiences, though. I don't get it because I'm not a born Mississippian.

[OleMissGlitter]

I'm from New Orleans, born and raised like I've said before, I have a summer home on the coast of MS. The coast is WAY different from other parts of the state. However, they all have the same mindset when it comes to sorority life. I know of one family on the coast that would die if their daughters weren't all in a certain sorority at Ole Miss. They sponsor Summer Recruitment get-togethers on the coast and they are very pro-ABC sorority, even though their two daughters aren't yet old enough to even attend college. And their two daughters are very excited to one day join their mother, aunts, and grandmother in ABC's sisterhood and glory at Ole Miss.

I will say this, since I am an Ole Miss alumn and I do work for Ole Miss currently, in Alumni Affairs!, anyway, Ole Miss is a way of life, it is not just a place to come and get an education. We all sort of run with the same crowd after graduation, we all end up having the same interests after graduation and meeting up at unexpected places, and we all love our sororities and fraternities. I will say this, I think we have great alumni for our Greeks and for our university because they truly do love this place. I mean, it is beautiful, fun, provides an excellent education, and most of all it is Ole Miss, enough said...

[hottytoddy]

Originally posted by OleMissGlitter
I'm from New Orleans, born and raised like I've said before, I have a summer home on the coast of MS. The coast is WAY different from other parts of the state. However, they all have the same mindset when it comes to sorority life. I know of one family on the coast that would die if their daughters weren't all in a certain sorority at Ole Miss. They sponsor Summer Recruitment get-togethers on the coast and they are very pro-ABC sorority, even though their two daughters aren't yet old enough to even attend college. And their two daughters are very excited to one day join their mother, aunts, and grandmother in ABC's sisterhood and glory at Ole Miss.

I will say this, since I am an Ole Miss alumn and I do work for Ole Miss currently, in Alumni Affairs!, anyway, Ole Miss is a way of life, it is not just a place to come and get an education. We all sort of run with the same crowd after graduation, we all end up having the same interests after graduation and meeting up at unexpected places, and we all love our sororities and fraternities. I will say this, I think we have great alumni for our Greeks and for our university because they truly do love this place. I mean, it is beautiful, fun, provides an excellent education, and most of all it is Ole Miss, enough said...

Everything in this post is true. And it's not just the coast. This is also true of the DELTA! People from the delta think that it's the best place on earth...there is no where else. The guys are ALL in XYZ frat and most are heirs to the families cotton farms. Either that or their dad's are tobacco lawyers. And they all already know what GLO they are going to join by their 1st birthday. You truly have to see this place to beleive it. There was a girl in my sorority from Jackson who's baby blanket was a Phi Mu one her mother gave her. She said she'd slept with that blanket since she could remember.

I am from Tennessee and my going to Ole Miss was kind of random. I didn't know how it was til I got there. I had not had family there or anything. You hear stories and all..but seriously, we aren't stretching the truth. And after a while, you really start to beleive that Ole Miss is the best place on earth. Not the only place, but the best place. Like OleMIssGlitter said...it's not just a school...it's a way of life. On the days that we don't wear our greek letters, we wear a shirt that says "Ole Miss: We're not snobs....we're just better than you." This is mainly directed toward Mississippi State.

[nhpgator]

the above is all true - and from an SEC rival's view (I went to UF) Ole Miss is also one of the best places to visit - not only were my AOII's sisters always the sweetest things to us when we would come visit - but so were all the Ole Miss students and alums! There are some roadtrips you look forward to and Oxford was always one of them!!

[TSteven]

From the Ole Miss web site.
---
Ole Miss

"There is a valid distinction between The University and Ole Miss even though the separate threads are closely interwoven.

The University is buildings, trees and people. Ole Miss is mood, emotion and personality. One is physical, and the other is spiritual. One is tangible and the other intangible.

The University is respected, but Ole Miss is loved. The University gives a diploma and regretfully terminates tenure, but one never graduates from Ole Miss."

Frank E. Everett, Jr., B.A.'32 LL.B.'34


http://www.olemiss.edu/hospitality/olemiss.html

[OleMissGlitter]

Excellent quote TSteven. It is up in our Student Union.

[hottytoddy]

Originally posted by OleMissGlitter
Excellent quote TSteven. It is up in our Student Union.

Awww, I like that quote too!!

And nhpgator, so glad to hear you were treated with such southern hospitality! Did you come to Oxford when we played you last year...or 2 years ago (when the goalposts came down )
That was a fun game...we hung out with some Florida people that were cool kids.

[nhpgator]

fortunately (for me at least) I missed that one - and funny enough missed the game in gainesville this year also - both for weddings - i think i'll forbid any of my friends from getting married on the weekend we play y'all - it seems to be a jinks for us!! My inlaws were in oxford though - and have the same opinion i do - they love it - especially the walk - what's it called - the walk the players to the stadium!!

tasha

[thetalady]

Originally posted by TSteven
From the Ole Miss web site.
---
Ole Miss

"There is a valid distinction between The University and Ole Miss even though the separate threads are closely interwoven.

The University is buildings, trees and people. Ole Miss is mood, emotion and personality. One is physical, and the other is spiritual. One is tangible and the other intangible.

The University is respected, but Ole Miss is loved. The University gives a diploma and regretfully terminates tenure, but one never graduates from Ole Miss."

Frank E. Everett, Jr., B.A.'32 LL.B.'34


http://www.olemiss.edu/hospitality/olemiss.html

And I am horrified to hear that the current chancellor has set his sites on ELIMINATING the beloved nickname "Ole Miss" and making us simply the University of Mississippi

It makes me so sad to see the kinds of changes being implemented at a place I have called home.

[OleMissGlitter]

The Walk of Champions in the Grove.

Great place, you can purchase a brick through my office and have it inscribed. By the way, LOTS of GREEK alumni purchase bricks and put their names and GLOs on it. I just sold one a couple of weeks ago to another AOII! Fun times!

[ztashelli]

After reading all of this and hearing about the infamous stories of Ole Miss, I would have to agree with several others from this post and say that the best choice sounds like AXO. When I attended Alabama, they had and still do have a VERY strong chapter. AU has a very strong chapter of AXO also. They have a great reputation....wonder what they would say to colonizing at Ole Miss??

My beloved ZTA should definitely NOT recolonize there!!

[hottytoddy]

Originally posted by thetalady
And I am horrified to hear that the current chancellor has set his sites on ELIMINATING the beloved nickname "Ole Miss" and making us simply the University of Mississippi

It makes me so sad to see the kinds of changes being implemented at a place I have called home.

People are always going to call us Ole Miss. I am soooo tired of the University trying to flush our traditions down the drain.

First it was the flag--they were successful in getting rid of that, kinda.

Then it was Dixie...they failed...however they can only play it so many times per game or something.

Then it was Col Reb...both...didn't get rid of Col. Reb however no "on the feild" mascot.

Now trying to get rid of calling us Ole Miss. WHY? I'm sure they will come up with some reason it makes us look like we're racists who still think we're in the Civil War....that's what they did with everything else.

[aggieAXO]

Though I would love to see AXO at Ole Miss I would rather see us re-colonize our LSU and UCLA chapters.

[hottytoddy]

I actually think AXO would be the best choice for Ole Miss as well. Although I still think it would be a huge financial risk.