BY JON HAYWOOD
jontarius@gmail.com
I had no idea what I was getting myself into four years ago when I joined the Ole Miss family.
I first heard about Ole Miss when I was 12 years old. I came here for an engineering competition during the spring. As with anyone who witnesses Ole Miss in the springtime, I absolutely felt love for the campus. So, I promised myself that I would make my way to Ole Miss.
I worked as hard as I possibly could at my little high school in the Mississippi Delta, eventually graduating as my class’ salutatorian.
I got a few scholarships and even snagged myself a pristine spot in the honors college. I was well on my way.
I absolutely hated my freshman year here. Nothing made sense to me. I did not like my premed classes – heavy in biology, chemistry and mathematics.
Thanks to that monster known as Biology 160, I quickly changed my mind about being a doctor.
The decision to not be a doctor was a huge blow for me. Not because I hated the classes, but because I’m an idealist, I believe that everything works out for the best. So, I did not know what to do with myself when what I thought were lifelong plans evaporated within a year.
After that experience, I was certain I wanted out of Ole Miss and Oxford.
Then that plan changed.
Towards the end of my freshman year I read a column in The Daily Mississippian written by then-opinion editor Mia Camurati.
She mentioned that she was looking for new writers. So, I gave it a shot.
I started writing columns for this paper once a week. I liked it so much; I would eventually appear in these pages twice a week.
Joining The Daily Mississippian was not just an opportunity for me to write or gain experience, but, for the first time, I felt like I belonged at Ole Miss.
Some of you would stop me on campus to discuss a column you read or to tell me how much you enjoyed reading my work.
You made me feel like I was doing something of worth.
I eventually stepped away from my role as a writer for this paper, and I went to on to work as an opinion, news, and more recently, online editor.
This newspaper and this university have meant more to me than I could possibly express.
I have had the opportunity to meet and work with some of the most talented people I have ever met in my life.
Just like any young person I have made a hell of lot of mistakes, (leaving the honors college was not the best move I have ever made) but even with all of the mistakes, life still goes on. I learned that here.
Ole Miss has changed the way I view the world and myself.
Ole Miss is the only place that I believe a story like mine could have played out.
A young black man, the son of a 16-year-old girl from the Mississippi Delta, graduating from college on time just does not happen as often as most of us would like to believe.
I will always be grateful to this institution for making me the person I am.
So, I only have two words for you Ole Miss: thank you.
Jon Haywood is a senior journalism major from Shelby. Follow him on Twitter @jontarius.
