Follow along and take a look in what senior, Ainsleigh Cunningham, does in her average day
In the past 8 months, I have had to completely change the routine I have known for the past three years as an Ole Miss student. A mask has become my new fashion accessory and my nights now come to an end no later than 11 p.m. It has taken a great deal of flexibility to get this “new normal” figured out, but what better place to figure it out than in Oxford, Mississippi?
7:30 a.m. — My internal alarm clock wakes me up around this same time every morning, and I know it is time to get the day rolling. I grab a large iced white mocha with an extra shot from Common Ground Coffee Bar and head to the square with my golden retriever, Houston. We walk a couple of laps around the square almost everyday. Recently, he has become very intrigued with the tiny gnome homes sporadically placed around the square for Christmas decoration.
9 a.m. — I head home to get ready for brunch at Big Bad Breakfast, my all time favorite place to grab breakfast in Oxford. My order includes the “Cathead” chicken biscuit with a side of cheese grits, along with one of their famous Bloody Mary cocktails. I can’t forget my favorite part of the meal…being with my closest friends.
11 a.m. — With the holiday season ramping up, Christmas gifts for friends and family stay on my mind. Oxford truly is the place to find the perfect gift for everyone on my list, with so many options like Chaney’s Pharmacy, Sugar Magnolia Antique Mall, and Neilson’s Department Store.
1 p.m. — Saturdays are typically my grocery days, so I head to the newly remodeled Kroger and grab some groceries for the week. I think I could spend hours in the new Kroger, it brings me a sense of inner peace.
3 p.m. — After unloading the groceries, Houston and I watch an episode or two (or five) of New Girl or The Office. Time flies when I’m lost in my shows and before I know it, it’s time to get ready for my hostess job at Jinsei. Coincidentally, Jinsei happens to be my favorite restaurant in Oxford so it is really not a bad gig. I end up ordering to-go dinner from there almost every night after my shift. And when I’m not working at Jinsei, you can usually find me there eating a Rebel bowl and drinking a strawberry mojito with friends.
9 p.m. — At this time I start to wind down for the night. I find the cheesiest romantic comedy on Netflix, light a candle, and settle in.
The pandemic has impacted my life and the lives of others in so many ways, but for now, this is our new normal- mask and all. It is important to find the good in the midst of this pandemic. I like journaling about my experiences during the pandemic that I will be able to look back on someday. Now that it is the holiday season, the Christmas decorations around town are a real reminder that not everything is all bad.