Last home football game :(

Hi all,

Well this blog post is just a smidge late! Sometimes the week just gets away from ya, you know? Anyways, this week was the last home game week, which is the first of many ends that are coming up over the next few weeks. Nonetheless, it was still an enjoyable week.

Monday 11 November

Woke up early this morning so that dad and I could quickly pop to Walmart to grab a lock for my suitcase (since I’d left it at the dorm oops) and then headed to one last meal together. We went to IHOP again (clearly a favourite for the two of us) and we both had pancakes. We then headed back to the hotel room, grabbed our things, checked out, and headed out the front to wait for dad’s uber (unfortunately the only option we had to get him to Memphis). It was a little sad saying bye, but I’ll see him in 2 months!

I raced to get the bus because I could see it was just down the road, but despite me running and waving at the bus, it didn’t stop for me. Rather than waiting 30 minutes for the next one in the cold, Dylan came and picked me up. We hung out at his for a bit until he had to go to work. My afternoon was spent watching some Netflix and writing last week’s blog post until it was time to head to class at 6pm (my professor had messaged saying class would start an hour late this week, which she revealed in class was just so that she could watch one of her kids play soccer… okay lol). As soon as I exited the dorm, I saw that it was pouring rain. I almost turned straight back around, not loving the thought of having to make the 15 minute walk to class in the pouring rain, but I’d missed the last two weeks of this class and knew I shouldn’t skip again considering I didn’t have a valid reason this time. The class ended up being a big fat waste of time because the professor’s PowerPoint wouldn’t load so she spent 50 minutes talking about what makes a good resume and then dismissed us 40 minutes early.

Dylan picked me up from class and we headed to his grandmother’s house to cook our dinner (he needed some help). After cooking our deer meat burgers (the deer meat came from a deer that his mum’s boyfriend killed the other week), we headed back to his where we heated up some fries and sat down to some Netflix. I didn’t think I was that tired, but I rested my head down on the pillow and ended up falling asleep.

I woke up around midnight and found 17 missed facetime calls from dad and some frantic messages. I called him back and he told me that his flight from Memphis to Houston had been delayed so much by snow delays in Chicago that he’d missed the Houston to Auckland flight (and they hadn’t waited for him) and was now in a hotel room in Houston. How frustrating!

Tuesday 12 November

Hung around Dylan’s this morning until he had to head to work. I hung around the room until Georgia and I ventured out in the 0 degree Celsius temperatures to class. In the drug crimes class we chatted about drug offender statistics and drug crime-related asset forfeiture. After class, Georgia and I stopped by Papa John’s and the POD market to treat ourselves to some food that we didn’t really do anything to deserve.

(This is the level of glamour we are at with class attire at this point in the semester)

I spent the afternoon watching some Netflix, and was then offered the opportunity to go to tonight’s men’s basketball game. I really didn’t want to go to my family law class, and I hadn’t been to a basketball game yet (the season started last week) so I jumped at the offer. Walking to the stadium in -2 degree Celsius weather was horrible, but it was much better in the stadium. We met up with a big group of Germans and sat in the student section where they had free t-shirts for everyone (CJ ended up leaving the game wearing 4 t-shirts and carrying about 5 or so more in her hands – that girl loves free shit). An extra bonus considering our tickets are free, too! The game was great and entertaining and Ole Miss beat Norfolk State (Virginia) 68-55! Walking back to the dorm was even worse – the temperature had dropped further to -6 degrees Celsius!! My hands and face were frozen!

(The band were playing Katy Perry's 'Firework')

(Part of the opening sequence when the players are making their official entrance onto the court)

(Every time an Ole Miss player would get a penalty shot in, the cheerleaders would do flips)

I spent the night doing washing and finishing last week’s blog post. I also heard from dad that he’d made it to LAX fine, but was still in the US (he was supposed to be home by this point). But lucky for him, both his flight to LAX and upcoming flight to Auckland were both upgraded to business because of the delays!

Wednesday 13 November

Had lunch at the grill this morning, where Declan (Scotland) was approached by an Olympian pole vaulter who went to Ole Miss. Declan was star struck (being a track athlete) not only because this guy was even in the same room as him and he got to chat to him, but that this guy approached him and knew him by name and had a conversation with him! It was so funny seeing him fangirl.

My business negotiation class was alright tonight. The scenario was Bee-Yonce vs. Jay-Zee in a partnership agreement negotiation, which was a little complicated but I was up against a super nice guy so it was heaps easier. The guy, Ward, chatted to me a bit about Australia etc. and how he thought several things I said throughout the negotiation were funny to him because they were so Australian. I also learnt that Americans don’t know what a fortnight is.

Dylan picked me up and I spent the night at his. I also facetimed dad as he was getting into Tom’s car at Melbourne Airport, so I learnt that he’d made it home alright (and also that his Auckland to Melbourne flight was another bonus business class flight!!)

Thursday 14 November

Went to Rebel Market for brunch with Dylan. Had a chilled day, and my drug crimes class was nothing special. I think I spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning my room (but tbh I can’t remember because I’m writing this post too long after the fact haha oops). We had dinner at Rebel Market and when we walked there the sky was super pretty.

Friday 15 November

The whole day was pretty chilled out and nothing special.

At around 6pm I went to dinner at Rebel Market, and rode to the Grove at around 6:45pm so that I’d be there to watch the last Grove run of the season (where those who want to set up a tent at the Grove for tomorrow’s gameday race each other to get a good spot). Unfortunately it had already happened (I’m guessing because it gets darker earlier now) and most tents were already set up. I had a little ride around anyway to check it out.

I then rode to the Pavilion to check out the basketball game. The original plan was to see the volleyball, but the people I was going to meet ended up at the basketball so I went there to join them, even though it was halftime by the time I got there. Ole Miss had another win – 85-58 against Western Michigan, and the game was fun. The last two minutes were hilarious, because the Ole Miss coach finally put one of our two white guys on the court (probably only because we were ahead by so much). What I’m guessing were either a group of his friends or some riled up boys in the students section started cheering and telling the other Ole Miss players to give this white guy the ball. They did two or three times, but he stumbled and failed to get a shot in – at least he tried! And it was funny to see the crowd so riled up and entertained by a white guy finally getting put in for Ole Miss haha.

After the game we headed back to the dorm to get ready for a house party we were going to. Georgia’s American friend, Benton, from her journalism class was having some people over and invited all of us to join which was nice of him. When we got there, we found that some other internationals we knew were there too, but I still don’t know who they knew to get invited haha. The house was very college frat boy-ish – fraternity ‘class of ????’ yearbook-style framed pieces hanging on the walls, flags, beer boxes pasted on the walls, and even a mannequin dressed in a Library sports bar shirt with a beer box for a head. Oh, and of course a beer pong table in the kitchen.

We spent a few hours hanging out, playing some drinking games, and chatting to some Americans who were all so fascinated by our foreign-ness. Eventually I got bored so I called Dylan to come pick me up, and he took Ciara and I to Sonic to get some mozzarella sticks before dropping Ciara back at the dorm and taking us back to his.

Saturday 16 November

Hung out at Dylan’s for a little before he dropped me back at the dorm so I could get ready for the last home gameday :( The others were all pretty much ready, so they all headed off to get some food and then to the Grove while I got myself ready. I too, headed to Rebel Market to have a feed before heading to the Grove just in time to snag a good spot along the Walk of Champions to experience it one more time. I managed to get myself behind some people sitting down in chairs so I had a great view, plus they left after seeing a few players so I got to stand right on the edge of the walkway and high-five some players!

After that was finished, I found my way to the tent that everyone else was at. I sank a few drinks, watched some beer pong, and then had a little photoshoot with those around to capture some last ever Grove pics.

(Georgia and I)

(Georgia and I)

(Me, Georgia (Aus), Susanna (Scotland), Ciara (Ireland) and Paula (Ecuador))

(Ciara (Ireland), me, Georgia (Aus), and CJ (Aus/NZ))

(Me, Paula (Ecuador) and Shanna (Spain))

We decided to head to the game around 5pm knowing that it was going to be pretty full in student section because a) it was the last home game and b) because we were playing LSU. After being told by a frat boy that where we were sitting was not allowed because it was reserved for his fraternity (a.k.a. he’s a freshman pledge who, as part of hazing/initiation, has been told he has to ensure an entire section is reserved to show his loyalty to the frat – pathetic lol). We ended up finding a bunch of other internationals who were sitting right in front of the goal posts. Again, we took some more pics to capture our last time in magnificent Vaught Hemingway :(

(Me, CJ (Aus/NZ), Ciara (Ireland), Georgia (Aus) and Susanna (Scotland))

(Me, Ciara (Ireland) and Georgia (Aus))

(Me, Ciara (Ireland), Georgia (Aus) and Susanna (Scotland))

The game was enjoyable, and I was super into it (screaming, constantly cheering, clapping so much my hands hurt). It was a great atmosphere, despite it getting very chilly. We lost the game (as expected against the number 1 team in the country) but we gave them a far better run for their money than I expected so I’m proud! Here’s a few snippets:

(Ciara taking a mid-game nap/saving Georgia's seat)

(Last pic in the vaught :()

Vera and I were two of only a few who remained at the game until the end, and walked back to the dorm by ourselves after the game to put a few things away before attempting to make our way into the Square to meet up with everyone else for one last gameday night out. Unfortunately, as expected, all ubers and lyfts were busy (and super expensive) and Dylan wasn’t around, but despite the cold weather, we were determined to go out, so we made the 30 minute walk to the Square (most of it was through campus and then on a brightly lit main road so we were fine!). We met the others at Billups, sank a bunch of very cheap drinks, and danced the night away (and got pretty drunk lol). Dylan came and picked up me, Vera, Georgia and Ciara, took the girls back to the dorm and then me back to his. Apparently I was hilariously drunk and very giggly – at least I wasn’t embarrassing or sick!

Sunday 17 November

Slept in super late (midday, oops) and then Dylan and I went to Huddle House for breakfast. After a super long wait for food given the extra home game population in town, we finally left around 2pm. We then headed to the supermarket to grab some groceries, and something fascinating I saw was how many flavours of sprite they sell here! I’m pretty sure in Australia we just have standard orange, so this was kind of cool!

(Top: orange, strawberry, pineapple, green apple. Bottom: peach, grape, berry)

Another thing that fascinated me was the coke stand with a cardboard cut-out of the football team’s head coach with the display. It’s amazing how these kinds of people are such celebrities to their fans and to the towns they’re from. I don’t think I’ve ever seen something like this for any AFL coach. But then again, Matt Luke is one of the highest paid people in the state of Mississippi, so it’s not really any surprise that Coke would want to use him to advertise in the college town he coaches for.

After shopping, we then to my dorm to pick up a few things, and the back to Dylan’s. We watched the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie since I’d never seen it before, and I actually really enjoyed it! I also ate deer meat (freshly slain) burgers for dinner for the second time – they’re surprisingly delicious, but I try not to think about the fact that they were killed by Dylan’s mum’s boyfriend (that’s a bit too closely removed for my liking).

So that was my week. Not a whole lot going on but finals season and the end of my time here are approaching very quickly :( Only 4 more weeks left now, so I’m trying to make the most of it, which includes another getaway next weekend to bring in Thanksgiving break!

- Emily xx