Fellow Ole Miss Mom Shares her 2,000 Mile Stretch From Her Children

"If I had a dime for every time someone asked me why I moved to Mississippi

this weekend I would have a lotta dimes" ~ Ellie Dickens

The above was from an Instagram post that my daughter, Ellie, had posted last spring, but it pertains to my husband and I just as much. I also would have A LOT of dimes if I got a dime for every time someone asked us, (often with a befuddled look,) "Why in the world did you send your girls to The University of Mississippi?"

My name is Elizabeth Dickens. I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, in Vancouver, Washington with my husband Dan and our high school sophomore daughter, Mary. Our two oldest daughters Rachael and Ellie, a senior and a sophomore respectively, currently attend The University of Mississippi. Back in 2015 when my oldest chose Ole Miss, we would often get asked: Why Ole Miss? I would answer with a list of what I had read about the school:

It’s rated one of the safest campuses in the country.

A beautiful campus.

It has a very good business school:

It’s a perfect size and;

…. the beautiful campus.

The fact is, a college counselor had recommended it to us and we knew very little about the school. Fast forward three years later. Our oldest is now a senior (wow!) in the business school and our middle daughter also chose Ole Miss to get her mechanical engineering degree.

Now when asked, I can boast about the education that our girls get and about the pride and traditions. It’s impossible for anyone to understand these traditions unless you have attended an Ole Miss football game. Also, a sorority system that encourages and insists that the girls get involved and offers tremendous camaraderie while providing tremendous support for them.

How could we not forget Mr. Willie, who is always there with a wise word and something positive to say to the girls. And Miss Barbie who turned into their Southern Mamma, I can’t express how grateful I am for these people they have met through this university. The list of why is too long to tell people. Now we can simply tell them, “It’s the best decision we ever made.”

I’m not going to lie. It is tough having your kids 2000 miles away from you, but when they are at a place like Ole Miss you are so grateful for their experiences. I’ve often heard people say that Ole Miss and the charm of the South gets in your blood and stays. Well, I’m here to tell you, they are absolutely right. Hotty Toddy!

#risingfreshman