Freshman Holley Jean Garrison talks about her first month at Ole Miss – from dorms to recruitment to classes
Coming to Ole Miss, there are a lot of expectations: the friends you’ll make, the places you’ll go, the classes you’ll take. These expectations can be intimidating at first, but what they say about Ole Miss being one big family has been entirely true for me.
Moving in
The morning of moving in I had the rough realization that I was no longer going to spend my days and nights with my family and pets, but instead with strangers who I had never met and a room the size of a shoe box.
It was a lot, and to say I got through it with grace and calmness would be a lie. At one point in the morning, I couldn’t find the pair of shoes I was going to wear and just started bawling my eyes out. If I couldn’t find my own shoes, how was I going to survive in college? But, after drying my tears and getting reassurance from my parents, I knew I was making the right decision.
While the process of getting everything into the room was definitely interesting (I was not exaggerating about it being a shoebox situation!), I did meet some amazing people that live on my floor. This brings me back to my point about the Ole Miss family. I had people knock on my door, give me hugs, and overall make me feel welcome in my new residence.
Sorority recruitment before classes start
Going through primary panhellenic recruitment was a big step for me as well.
I am from the Florida panhandle and had no idea what to expect. I was absolutely blown away by all the positivity, kindness, and respect I received throughout the process and after.
I received a bid for AOII and opening my bid card and running to the house was an experience I will never forget. Through recruitment, another piece of my college experience snapped into place.
The semester begins
Classes started two days after bid day and to say they were easy would be a lie. It is an adjustment from high school to college.
All of a sudden, the way you have formatted things for years is inadequate. You learn where all your classes are and realize what a mistake it was at orientation to schedule your classes across campus from one another. And, worst of all, syllabus week comes to an end and you have a ton of homework to do.
My intro to chemical engineering class has mostly focused on engineering calculations and learning what chemical engineers may go into after graduation from Ole Miss. I really like hearing from the guest speakers and older chemical engineering students who give us insight on the degree program and where we might end up in industry.
We’ve also been learning about process safety and how in the workplace there are many components to maintaining a working environment’s safety. This class gives a good glimpse of what my college years and beyond will look like.
I’ve already been to my first engineering college fair. It’s early to be job hunting but I enjoyed talking with a few companies and US military representatives.
Overall, I love the things I’m learning and the new learning experiences I am involved in.
In conclusion
It can be overwhelming but at the same time the amount of fun and joy that can fill your days make it worth it. Learning about things you’re passionate about, new opportunities to get involved on campus, and meeting new people who are also going through the same things as you.
The thing about Ole Miss is that everyone is going to find their place. Your college bingo card might not be full from the minute you walk on campus, and that’s 100% okay. Your dreams and aspirations will be achieved in your own timing.
The School of Engineering has been such a welcoming place for me so far in my college journey and I full-heartedly believe that everyone has accepted me with open arms. I am excited to see what the future holds for me in Ole Miss Engineering.
Hotty Toddy!