Is Oxford a good fit? General feel of Oxford? (Pass Christian: chapel, schools)

[NC77]

Hi everyone!

What is the general feel of Oxford?

I see there is a farmers market. Are people there interested in a healthy/natural lifestyle? I love how bikeable it is. Are there any health food stores? Small bakeries? An organic lifestyle is very important to me.

Is it a very preppy/conservative vibe as far as attitudes? Are there post collage "hipsters" there?

Thank you so much!!

[bemer]

Yes, Oxford is a comfortable town for both preppies and for rural hipsters, particularly for creative types (hot spot for musicians and writers). There are a couple of excellent bakeries, and the food scene is superb. I believe there is a small health food store, but you could always stock up at Whole Foods in Memphis. Oxford can hold its own with any college town its small size (but do plan to be elsewhere on football weekends, unless you're a sports fan).

[Desert kid]

Originally Posted by bemer

Yes, Oxford is a comfortable town for both preppies and for rural hipsters, particularly for creative types (hot spot for musicians and writers). There are a couple of excellent bakeries, and the food scene is superb. I believe there is a small health food store, but you could always stock up at Whole Foods in Memphis. Oxford can hold its own with any college town its small size (but do plan to be elsewhere on football weekends, unless you're a sports fan).

I'll have to back this up.

Oxford is awesome. The college environment and kids you'd have to adjust to, but it's a quaint little place where most folks get along.

[NC77]

Thanks for the help, guys! I need to visit soon. Just seeking a smallish place, good to raise a family, pretty simple. I'm a little concerned it is a bit too small. Is it a place with a "funky" vibe to it? Do you all have any experience with Athens, GA or Asheville? How does Oxford compare? I'm a little concerned about our lifestyle there and not being able to get organic produce, etc.

[cyber-Hoodlum]

Oxford is not some happening locus of activity or enlightenment. It has the University of Mississippi, a state school that thinks it's somehow akin to the fine ivy league schools found in the NE. I've never been able to understand that sort of projection coming from a public state university in such a state like MISSISSIPPI. There is s strange brand of "preppyness" with no license or foundation for being so....this is MISSISSIPPI, not Massachusetts or Rhode Island. In others words there exists a sort of phony, almost elistist air that it wants to promulgate, which sort of owns the small town of Oxford.

Oxford is not at the pinnacle of anything, it's in MISSISSIPPI. It's a SMALL Mississippi town. I would never rear children in the schools in Mississippi...never.

Asheville and Athens are on a different level - based on their sphere of influence (large cities around). Either of these two cities are FAR better choices.

Oxford is of course near Memphis TN. Memphis is somewhat of a dump IMHO, but might as well be in the State of Mississippi. That's why folks even in Nashville call Memphis, "The largest City in the state of Mississippi"....and it's not intended as a compliment or praise.

Good luck. Keep doing your own research.

[Listener2307]

Originally Posted by NC77

Thanks for the help, guys! I need to visit soon. Just seeking a smallish place, good to raise a family, pretty simple. I'm a little concerned it is a bit too small. Is it a place with a "funky" vibe to it? Do you all have any experience with Athens, GA or Asheville? How does Oxford compare? I'm a little concerned about our lifestyle there and not being able to get organic produce, etc.

I grew up in Auburn. Great town! But that was years ago.
Been to both Athens and Ashville, but can't say as I know much about them.

Oxford can be a bit expensive for us 'civilians'. And a bit stratified if you are interested in social networking and have arrived in town without pedigree and title. Your children will be informed at their schools exactly who the princes and princesses are.
The Fuhbawl mentality may rub off on your kids, but if you are a sports fan you won't really care. Fuhbawl and Bassitbawl are king in Oxford. This time of year everyone is "all tore up" about the baseball team. As you can tell, I ain't impressed.

Best college town I've ever seen? Boston. But then you said small towns and Boston isn't.

I gotta ask: Why the college towns? I see a lot of people who want to live in a college town and all of them have different reasons, so I'm just curious about your reasons.

[Rock Climber]

Originally Posted by cyber-Hoodlum

In others words there exists a sort of phony, almost elitist air that it wants to promulgate, which sort of owns the small town of Oxford.

Pretty spot on. I don't get it. Its a cute town, but there's a pervasive falseness that we really disliked during the time we spent there. Its a quaint college town with tons of trees and some history that is interesting. Its a shame that that isn't "good enough" for some reason. People will actually un-ironically call "Ole Miss" the "Harvard of the South", which is hysterical if you know anything about the academic reputation of the school (which isn't awful, but doesn't really even compare favorably to neighboring state flagship institutions).

That attitude (which is pervasive, btw) about Oxford betrays a lack of perspective and worldy experience more than anything. Uptight, socially conservative, and a bit of image-obsessed delusion is how I would describe the general tone of Oxford. I wouldn't consider it being a place for "crunchy" people, and that's probably how some people would describe our family.

[NC77]

And this I'd why this forum is so helpful. The search continues. I had basically concluded the same thing through research online, but that's only research online, it's so helpful to hear real opinions. It's the right size, and has some of the right qualities we're looking for, but not enough of them.

Listener, I found Oxford by way of one of the umpteen "best" lists out there. I'm interested in collage towns, because you can find a small town with lots of culture. Kind of the best of a city and small town. In theory...as you can see it isn't quite that easy!

[cyber-Hoodlum]

No, it's not that easy to find that sort of attractive balance in a small town. I know one thing, Oxford isn't it either.

I almost spit out my coffee reading that some people in Oxford consider the University of MISSISSIPPI the "Harvard of the South". Now THIS is pure insanity, and is delusional at a minimum.

Mentioning The University of Mississippi and Harvard University in the same sentence is insulting. Who on earth came up with this bogus claim?

The University of Mississippi is the ONLY university in the nation that officially goes by a NICKNAME. Yes, that would be "OLE MISS". That's right, no other college officially uses a nickname as a proper name/nomenclature. (I'm not talking about mascots).

Again, I would never send my son or daughter to the University of MISSISSIPPI, or live anywhere near Oxford. I might consider living on the coast, like Pass Christian....maybe.

There are a bit better schools, yes, in the south, in larger cities and small towns as well. I can think of a number of them:

University of Alabama, UAB, U of N AL
Auburn
University of Georgia
Georgia Tech
Birmingham-Southern College
Samford University, Birmingham
Vanderbilt University , Nashville
Sewanee
Rhodes
Rice
University of Virginia
DUKE
Stetson, undergrad and Law
New College (small town of Sarasota, FL)


Nope, there are some great schools throughout the SOUTH, and none of them are really in The State of Mississippi.

In some areas of study, I would even recommend Mississippi STATE University over University of Mississippi.

[eddie gein]

Oxford and Ole Miss seem to be the quintessential shrine to southern white gentility. Ironically, the small piece that you are seeking also keeps it the most liberal place in Mississippi as well.

I think Athens is the only place in the south that has that "vibe" and even it is still solidly southern gentility at it's core. I would however say that in Athens the music brought the vibe to town. In Oxford, the big deal is writers.

I suppose Chapel Hill, NC, Asheville, NC and maybe Boone, NC would be worth a look.

Sounds to me you need to check out the west.