University of Mississippi - Ole Miss Yearbook (Oxford, MS)

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Students find a community in holiday celebration By: Ka c ± Standing tall in the Circle, one would never notice the lone Leeland cvprus tree nestled in front of the Lyceum. On an average dav, most students walk right past it without a second glance. It is not until the beginning of winter that this tree takes center stage and shines a light on one of the most well loved of the University of Mississippi ' s traditions. The lighting of the Ole Miss Christmas tree occurs every year at the end of November. Students, faculty and community members alike gather in the the Circle for the annual ceremony. Each light on the tree represents a student at the uni versity. The Ole Miss Gospel Choir sang Christmas carols as special entertainment to community members and students. The Christmas season has definitely started. Peter En lert, Freshman Integrated Marketing Communications major commented while the Gospel choir sang. I never even noticed this tree was even here before. Now it ' s hard to ignore it. Chancellor Dan Jones spoke after the performance. It is a great year to be a part of the 01 Miss family. Chancellor Jones said. Chancellor Jones encouraged studen to spread cheer to those unable to go home like international students, to welcome others of different cultures, and to remember the troops fighting overseas. In that moment, said Freshman Chemistry major Gem Panicker. I felt like I had a family here who I could share my joy about Christmas with. iecause Whitman Smith, Director of Enrollment services led the countdown. An ticipation filled the air as voices young and old echoed across the cold, dark night as the countdown began. When the chorus of voices hit one , a gasp of awe spread across the crowd as the circle was illuminated in warm white light. When the Christmas tree finally started to glow, said Freshman Theatre and Economics double major Chandler Craig ' I felt as if it were a scene from the endi faculty, stude and singing— The experience impacted Craig so much that he realized what it really meant to be a watching the tree made him truly amazing Other students shared the sentiment. Eve never seen a tree that big! Amber r- Helsel, a senior Journalism major exclaimed, her eyes on the illuminated tree. I meant to come last yj gradual Happiness radiated from the crowd as the abundant, despite the near freezing temperatures. It just makes me feel a home. Said Freshman Business major Josh Moore. I missed decorating at home this year and being able to be a part of the lighting ceremony really made me teel better. Moore went on to say he would be returning every year until he graduates. I ' m making it my new tradition, for sure.

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By: Kaleigh Webb Photos: Austin McAfee As the number of enrolled students increases, Ole Miss students find cam- pus parking lots are starting to become smaller and smaller. By 9am vehicles circle lots like vultures, desperately look- ing for a place before having to dash to class. For the 2011-2012 school year, 14,590 parking decals were sold to stu- dents. Only 12,622 space are available for students to park in on campus. I think the parking on campus is aw- ful, said Hannah Arnold, sophomore Psychology major. They should put a limit on how many parking passes they sell to students. Commuters received the shortest end of the parking stick. 7,722 decals were sold and only 3,454 parking spots are available. I usually try to leave my apartment 30 minutes before a class starts, just to find a parking space and be at class on time, said Sophomore Public Policy Leadership major Adam Blackwell. It ' s often quite difficult to find a spot in the central parking lots on campus, unless you have class at 8am. Blackwell said he would build a park- ing garage near the Tad Pad or the Foot- ball stadium, if he had the choice. It would be perfect for game days and would work very well during the school year, as well. said Blackwell. However, lack of parking isn ' t just restricted to commuting students. Stu- dents who live on the Ole Miss campus are also finding it difficult to park their vehicles on campus. Guess Hall had an overflow of cars when 107 parking deals were sold for a parking lot of only 95 spots. Unlucky Guess residents found themselves parking in the commuter lot up the hill in the Kincannon lot. Sophomore Journalism major Ca- mille Mullins was forced to circle the parking lot for the Luckyday Residential College for forty five minutes searching for a spot. Dorms only have enough parking for the students who live in the build- ing, said Mullins. So if anyone else parks there the students are out of luck and we get a ticket. The opinions on how to fix the park- ing problem varied from student to stu- dents. Ideas ranging from limiting park- ing passes, ending ticketing and overflow lots were all mentioned. However, the call for a easier ticketing and a parking garage was the most Senior Managerial Finance major Ben Whitehead proposes that at new ticketing process could ease the pain of paying for tickets. He pro- posed a more relaxed ticketing method that would allow students to gain three strikes before having to pay for a ticket. I recently paid an $85 parking ticket on campus for parking some- where for ten minutes, said Whitehead. There was no reason for that ticket. I should have gotten a warning instead. Whitehead has accumulated over 30 parking tickets this year alone. He is only one of many students who have fallen victim to the pain of Ole Miss parking. 1 18 ■ Student Life