“Mundane practices are what form habits, stabilize norms, and reproduce culture. This begs the question: What culture am I reproducing by repeating the words Ole Miss?”

As someone not originally from the South, I find it difficult to pronounce the words “Ole Miss.” Saying it feels like playing dress-up because it forces me, even if just for a moment, to put on someone else’s accent (and I am terrible at accents). Every time I try to put the words in my mouth, I feel an immense sense of discomfort, as if I’m mocking someone unintentionally. Ole. My mouth unsteadily rounds to accommodate the foreign sound, but it always feels awkwardly incomplete. “Can’t I just say ‘Old’ instead?”