SellaW
New member
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2026
- Messages
- 13
Okay so I moved from San Diego to Oxford for college. Yes, everyone asks why. No, I don't miss the beach as much as I thought I would. But exams? Nobody warned me about exams in the South.
First, the honor code thing is real and terrifying. At my high school in California, teachers watched us like hawks during tests. Here, my professor handed out the exam, said "remember the honor code," and left. Just... left. For an hour. I kept waiting for her to burst back in and yell "gotcha!" She didn't. I still don't know how to feel about this.
Second, finals during football season is absolutely insane. I had a biology final the morning after the Egg Bowl. Half the class was clearly hungover. The TA brought coffee for everyone. The professor started the exam 15 minutes late "to let people settle." This would NEVER happen in California.
Third, the library culture is different. At UCSD, the library was dead silent. Like, deathly silent. You could hear people breathe. Here at Ole Miss, the library during finals is LOUD. People study in groups. Talk through problems. Laugh. I couldn't concentrate at first. Now I love it. It feels less lonely.
Fourth, professors are more personal. I had a stats professor who noticed I was struggling and emailed me personally to check in. In California, I was a face in a crowd of 300. Here, my professors know my name. It's weird but nice.
Fifth, food during finals is different. In California, everyone brought kale smoothies and organic snacks. Here, someone brought a whole crockpot of gumbo to the library study lounge. Another person had fried chicken. I've gained 5 pounds during exams and I regret nothing.
Sixth, the weather is actually trying to kill you. Tornado warnings during finals? That's a thing? We had to go to the basement in the middle of my psych exam. The professor kept lecturing while we huddled. "The amygdala processes fear, which you might be experiencing right now." We were not amused.
I thought I knew how to take exams. Mississippi taught me I knew nothing. In a good way? Still deciding.
First, the honor code thing is real and terrifying. At my high school in California, teachers watched us like hawks during tests. Here, my professor handed out the exam, said "remember the honor code," and left. Just... left. For an hour. I kept waiting for her to burst back in and yell "gotcha!" She didn't. I still don't know how to feel about this.
Second, finals during football season is absolutely insane. I had a biology final the morning after the Egg Bowl. Half the class was clearly hungover. The TA brought coffee for everyone. The professor started the exam 15 minutes late "to let people settle." This would NEVER happen in California.
Third, the library culture is different. At UCSD, the library was dead silent. Like, deathly silent. You could hear people breathe. Here at Ole Miss, the library during finals is LOUD. People study in groups. Talk through problems. Laugh. I couldn't concentrate at first. Now I love it. It feels less lonely.
Fourth, professors are more personal. I had a stats professor who noticed I was struggling and emailed me personally to check in. In California, I was a face in a crowd of 300. Here, my professors know my name. It's weird but nice.
Fifth, food during finals is different. In California, everyone brought kale smoothies and organic snacks. Here, someone brought a whole crockpot of gumbo to the library study lounge. Another person had fried chicken. I've gained 5 pounds during exams and I regret nothing.
Sixth, the weather is actually trying to kill you. Tornado warnings during finals? That's a thing? We had to go to the basement in the middle of my psych exam. The professor kept lecturing while we huddled. "The amygdala processes fear, which you might be experiencing right now." We were not amused.
I thought I knew how to take exams. Mississippi taught me I knew nothing. In a good way? Still deciding.
