Is Oxford, Mississippi really a nice small town to live in? (Jackson: rental, day care)

[CaptainSeaners]

I took this online quiz, and my first result listed was Oxford, Mississippi. I done a little bit of research on the city and it seems like one of the more perfect places to live. Now, I hear sometimes that the South has a history of being conservative. I am conservative politically, but in terms of courtship, dating and sex, I am more liberal leaning. Are the women there more liberal-leaning on those terms?

I like the appeal of the tax-freedom mentality and low cost-of-living, though. It takes lots of pressure off of the economic burdens. I also plan to stay unmarried there. And the arts, oh I love art, be it visual or performing, or literary. I want to be a scriptwriter someday.

I also used the quiz to find out a potential vacation destination.

[GrandviewGloria]

Yes. There are plenty of Women there who will have sex with you. Like Bunnies. But talking about it may or may not be strictly forbidden.

"Conservative" in this case means Republican. In other words, they drink like Fish, smoke like Chimneys, and still wear suits to Church. And they tend to spout all the Neocon, One-worlder sellout, SPLC-approved party line you'll hear from Republicans, pretty much anywhere these days. And if you're looking for a drug-free party scene, don't get your hopes up. "Conservative" there means "Conformist", and it's considered bad form to 'get prissy' about drug use. Scrape the groupthink red-white-&-blue righteous posturing veneer, and you'll find a less-than-wholesome milieu.

Oh, and "Conservative" in Mississippi also means you love (watching) Sports, spend huge amounts of money on Hunting, and truly believe that it matters who wins the Miss America Pageant. It does not mean you cling to the precepts of John Calvin, Ayn Rand, and Thomas Malthus. In fact, admitting you know who those people were, will probably get you labeled as weird. In Oxford/Ole Miss circles, you will be under relentless pressure to "keep it light!"...in other words, you are expected to be cute and entertaining at all times, and to never let on that you know anything about anything (other than the best brands of Bourbon and Cigarettes, and who has the best team, and who has the best coach, and some stuff about Golf).

The social climate ranges between Desperately Hip and Self-consciously Olde South Genteel. Ole Miss has traditionally been considered the Upper Class school in the state, and the community reflects that. I know an Ole Miss Alum/female IT exec who retired there. She can't say enough bad things about the place. Totally regrets moving there. But you're young, and so your experience may be entirely satisfactory.

The holy-rolling Professional Virgins go to other schools (but here's a tip: the women from the religions which forbid 'Fornication' the most are the easiest to get into the sack. And they're used to being molested by their Preachers, etc., so they won't be all like "Well he said he would call me." In other words, it's OK to use them like Paper Plates...but again...those women don't go to Ole Miss)

But I keep hearing horrible things about some Redneck Mayor who cut down the Magnolia trees on some street, and the tacky new Convention Center, and the asinine effort to import 'industry' (which would, of course, attract the very sort of people the moneyed/educated would move to Oxford to get away from).

I know a man from another state who says Mississippi Women have the most pronounced tendency toward Cinderella Complex he's ever seen. "The very first time you sleep with them, they're trying to find out where the money is in your family, and making plans for your life together." Another man parrots typical parents instructing their daughters "Honey, you only got one chance, and then you're old and ugly, and you cain't ketch no rich man no more. You can love a rich man as easy as you can love a poor man. Go fo tha GOLD, baby!"

As for the females who aren't predatory parasites, a look at the society rags' wedding writeups will reveal that young doctors are marrying young doctors. Young attorneys are marrying young attorneys. Many interracial marriages. All that counts, apparently, is the earning potential of your mate. Two big incomes means twice as big a house. What I'm saying is that you will only be able to date within your own income range (or the income range that your degree program has you on track for).

I'm told that a good portrait of the Oxford scene (the upper reaches, at least) is to be found in The Fall of the House of Zeus.

Oh, and the most valuable bit of advice I can give you is about Khakis. As you know, those things tend to make a man's hips look as big and ugly as a woman's. And they make most Butts look flat. But Khakis are big in places like Oxford. So be sure to buy the best brands, with METAL ZIPPERS (so they can be laundered, not dry cleaned), and get them tailored long enough to stack (have the legs pegged, so they'll stack well), and GO FOR THE HEAVY STARCH. This will make the pants stand up by themselves (in the world of Haute Couture, the effect of clothes standing away from the body is called 'Flou'), making your Legs look big enough to make your Pelvis look narrow. My sons have butts that look good in Khakis (narrow Hips, overdeveloped Thighs, and big Glutes...ok...and great Tailoring/advice from Great Scott, Clothiers) and were thus heavily encouraged...begged, even... go to Ole Miss so they could pledge Ole Miss fraternities (even though we're not White). They could not fathom why it was soooo important for them to go to that school (until someone told them...now that class origins and race are irrelevant, the primary criterion for getting into a good fraternity is having a butt that looks good in Khakis...well...and a willingness to become an Alcoholic...which may be why they chose virtually Frat-free schools here in Oregon). You don't have a Mississippi Mama to tell you these things, and so I'm just passing along this Northeast Jackson Socialite wisdom, because you need to know.

[jhadorn]

Captain, I would suggest you take GrandviewGloria's posts with a grain of salt most of the time. Nearly all of them are pretentious, drawn out novels.

Read a few of her posts from other topics and you will realize she is much better and smarter than we Mississippians could hope to be. She just loves that every one of her neighbors in Oregon is MENSA worthy, as well as the "lack of diversity" in her community.

Hunting and sports, while popular in Mississippi, are not prerequisites for being conservative, and I know few people who consider Miss America important in the grand scheme. Khakis ARE popular in Oxford, so is dressing up for football games, and alcoholic beverages.... but it doesn't define Oxford. If you prefer to keep company of a different nature, you will find it in Oxford... just like anywhere else.

49% of the student population of Ole Miss is from out of state, and 3% is international. Ole Miss and Oxford represent people found in every state, it's people aren't subpar or lacking when compared to the rest of the country, however, it is a more wealthy environment when compared to typical non-college small towns, and does have it's share of frat boys and sorority girls living off daddy's dime.

I suggest you visit, spend some time in Oxford, and form your own opinion. If you don't like it, at least you experienced it firsthand. Many people from around the world (80 countries and every state), have called Ole Miss and Oxford home. Ole Miss is top 10 in the nation for producing Rhodes Scholars, and Mississippi is birthplace of many world famous artists and writers, a far cry from the picture GrandviewGloria paints.

A few accolades Oxford has earned:

Oxford's Awards

Opinions of other CD posters:

Is Oxford, MS a nice place to live???

[An Einnseanair]

Originally Posted by jhadorn

Captain, I would suggest you take GrandviewGloria's posts with a grain of salt most of the time. Nearly all of them are pretentious, drawn out novels.

More like a bag of salt. That post was pretty much worthless from a factual basis.

[FallenIntoGreatness]

Oxford is not a small town, at least not by Mississippi standards. I have several family members that have lived or currently live there, I've visited enough to know I don't want to. But based on your wants/needs, it might be a place you would enjoy. Depending on where you are coming from and what you do for a living the costs of the move may not be the bargain you expect. Being a college town does have an impact on local prices but in exchange you get the more "liberal leaning" population you are searching for.

Basically, you get a taste of the Olde South without giving up any modern comforts in Oxford. Like others have suggested, plan a visit first. And if you really want to see the impact the school has on the local populace come during football season, the Princeton Review doesn't include it on the Top Party Schools in the Nation list for nothing, although I think it dropped from 3 to 5 this past year.

[pomona]

My husband and I will retire/work in about 10 years and hope to find a safe town where you can live off social security alone and maybe a part time job if lucky ~~ we love the feel of a university town but are hoping to find apt. rental in a walkable neighborhood that has useful stores (hardware store, grocery, book store, coffee place) not just tourist boutiques. Any farmers markets? Health food stores? A funky feel to the town (street art, art galleries, etc.) Public transporation? No gated subdivisions ~~ also are there carriage houses behind big ones that one can rent? Are there lots of shade trees and flowers in the town? Any pros and cons are helpful, alsois there a mix of religious views?

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by jwkilgore

More like a bag of salt. That post was pretty much worthless from a factual basis.

Yeah, but it was funny as heck. I like the starched khakis bit.

[chasnbrannon]

My husband and I are looking to relocate to Mississippi next year after our oldest son graduates,we will still have one son at home he will be a freshman in high school so i want somewhere that hast a good school system will caring teachers,because he is ADHD. My husband is a farmer so he will be looking for a good farmer to go to work for,ive always had an in home day care. Is Oxford the place for us

[AppalachianAngler]

Oxford is a great college town. For young professionals, unless you already have a group that you have known for years in town, not so much.

Pretty much everything in Oxford revolves around drinking. Sporting events, bars, social functions. There is occasionally good music and good art, but it is not that prevalent. There is a small scene of liberals you'll find out at the bars, but these groups are overwhelmed by the undergrad population who won't want to have anything to do with you.

I say this as someone who actually loves Oxford, but if you are not in the good ole boy network, your experience may not be all it is cracked up to be.

[Chris Balducci]

Originally Posted by chasnbrannon

My husband and I are looking to relocate to Mississippi next year after our oldest son graduates,we will still have one son at home he will be a freshman in high school so i want somewhere that hast a good school system will caring teachers,because he is ADHD. My husband is a farmer so he will be looking for a good farmer to go to work for,ive always had an in home day care. Is Oxford the place for us

Oxford's schools are highly rated. As for farming, much of the land around Oxford that once had farms and cattle pastures is now covered in subdivisions. The cost of living in Oxford is high by Mississippi standards, but it has been highly rated as a retirement community.

God bless,

CKB