“I’m coming home, coming home. Tell the world I’m coming home!” Ya’ll, I promise I almost cried when I found out I was assigned to this review. I have dreamed of teaching at my Alma Mater, and it finally came true. I got to teach at Southern Miss, and it was AWESOME!
The University of Southern Mississippi is located in Hattiesburg, MS. Hattiesburg, affectionately known as the “Hub City,” is a great location to live due to its close proximity to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Jackson, Mobile, and New Orleans. Hattiesburg is a lively college town, bustling with sweet, southern charm. To most “Hattiesburgers,” (the cutest name ever used to refer to the residents of Hattiesburg) black and gold are closet staples, and “SMTTT” (Southern Miss To The Top) is one of the first phrases children learn to say.
The University of Southern Mississippi is a beautiful campus, boasting a complimentary mix of southern charm and modern elegance. USM is home to some well-known greats including, but not limited to: Brett Favre, Jimmy Buffett, Clarence Weatherspoon, and Cat Cora. This review was held in the gorgeous Thad Cochran Center. I was a little sad that I wouldn’t be teaching in the nursing building, but for the students, getting out of their natural environment makes for a better review. Just being back on USM’s campus for business and pleasure was enough for me!
This group of students were great! This group consisted of students from multiple schools of nursing from across the state and even a few students from neighboring states! They were extremely engaged, welcoming, and responsive. The Southern Miss students loved my daily black and gold attire! These student were also very sweet and concerned for my sweet tooth. They provided a tray of brownies and chess squares on the last day of the review in exchange for my daily candy bag. The perfect ending to the perfect review!
I am extremely grateful to the students, faculty, and staff of Southern Miss for their graciousness and hospitality. It was an honor and privilege to teach at my Alma Mater and I hope I am so blessed to have the chance at an encore in the future. I’m proud to be a Golden Eagle!
SMTTT, Nasty Bunch, and Black and Gold forever,
A.G.
*photo credit from Pinterest
