University of Mississippi | Student Reviews | Best College

Student Profile

Janna

Class: Junior
Major: Journalism
Gender: F

High School: New Site High School
Transfer Student: Y

Big Picture

For me, the best thing about Ole Miss is that it's small enough that I know people, but large enough that I'm not in every class with the same people. If I could change anything about Ole Miss, it would be the parking situation. That's what most students complain about. Yes, you can usually find a spot, but if you're running late, it doesn't help if that spot is ten minutes' walking distance from class. That's happened to me before-in the middle of a sleet storm, no less. I spend my time on campus in either Farley Hall (the journalism building) or J.D. Williams Library, where I work. There are enormous amounts of school pride on campus. Just wait until football season! Even with a losing team, droves of fans dressed in their best going-out clothes will turn out to tailgate in the Grove and scream "Hotty Toddy!" from the stands. If that's not school spirit, I don't know what is.

Academic Life

Professors' interaction with students has a lot to do with class size and if the student actually approaches the teacher. I have some professors who still recognize me passing in the hallway and some who probably don't know I've ever sat in their classroom. One of my favorite classes was Media Law under Dr. Dolan. The tests were a little difficult, but I loved the lectures. My least favorite class has been News Reporting, taught by a certain female instructor. As a 200-level class, it isn't difficult; the workload, however, is overwhelming. The instructor expects us to write a 500-word story and a one page sidebar each week, which requires interviews that, sometimes, students just don't have time for. It is incredibly stressful. I have no real problems with Ole Miss's academic requirements per se; however, I've always felt that most core requirements are superfluous. That's not just at Ole Miss; that's at any institution. I don't understand why I need to know how to speak Spanish or study biology when I'm a journalism major.

Student Body

Here is the basic "sorority girl dress code" at Ole Miss: oversized sorority t-shirt and Nike shorts. In the winter, throw on a pair of tights under the shorts and add Uggs and a North Face Jacket. Many Ole Miss students come from families that are well-off financially. The school is predominantly conservative, but there are a few of us liberals hiding around. No matter what ethnic, racial, financial or social background you are from, you will find a place at Ole Miss. There are all kinds of people from many different states and countries. You just have to put yourself out there.