The Stresses and Strains of Being an American Student

How can Keele University have only just finished Freshers’ week when I am up to my eyeballs in quizzes, reading, essays, and midterm exams!? Don’t think I haven’t see y’all reveling in the revamped Students’ Union and enjoying the pound pints while I sit here and analyse books on the Civil War or read articles on the impact of the cotton gin.

But… The injustice I feel that I have been slogging away since mid-August while y’all have been (most likely) sleeping, and watching ‘Homes Under the Hammer’ or  ‘Jeremy Kyle’ pales into insignificance when I consider how much I’m loving life at Southern Miss.

I went to my first football game a few weeks ago. USM lost, horrifically, the heat was blistering, and I feel that’s a few hours of my life I won’t get back – but I went and experienced the wonder of the half time show, complete with a marching band with funny hats, cheerleaders, and USM’s own ‘Dixie Darling’ kick line.

I went to a meet-up of the Atheists of Mississippi. We met in the park, played Frisbee, and generally reveled in being able to speak our minds and have a laugh. A lack of faith here is extremely serious, and something children are raised to fear. Weekly I’m bombarded with pamphlets for various church events, and Bible study groups. At the Quidditch team someone told me that, “We’d been praying for more members – everyone except X because he’s an Atheist,” with the word whispered in hushed tones.

Now, I’m fully aware I’m in the Bible Belt. I chose USM for the Southern experience – go ‘Murrica! (A slang term for extreme patriotism). But have somehow avoided making friends with typical rednecks and sorority girls and instead have found the most British Americans possible. It could be my friend whose mother named her for two Queens of England, or the one who avidly adores Doctor Who and jelly babies, the Buddhist with pink hair from the coast, or shockingly a vegetarian who rides his bike religiously.

My point is, amongst the madness of the workload, the feeling of being far from home, the craziness of tailgating and football, and generally just being in the South I’ve found an oasis of friendship. I feel at home at Southern Miss, as much as I did at Keele – but with a better climate.