In less than two weeks, it’ll be time to vote in this year’s ASB elections. And, look, you’ve got to vote. There’s no way around that. It’s vital that you voice your opinions about the big conversations on campus by selecting candidates who will stand for what you believe in.
To do this, you’ll have to log in to MyOleMiss, click some things, yadda yadda yadda. I’m sure you’ve already heard the instructions in your sophomore year Geology 104 or “Sigma Apple Pi <3s Iota Ribeye” GroupMe.
What I’m here to remind you about is the most important, yet often neglected, tradition of ASB election season: going down to a local convenience store to get yourself an ice-cold, ultra-refreshing Coca-Cola or PepsiCo brand soft drink.
What better way to celebrate your participation in this time-honored ritual of representative democracy than by washing it all down with a Coca-Cola or PepsiCo brand soft drink purchased from a local convenience store?
Convenience stores, if you haven’t had the pleasure of visiting one, are some of Oxford’s favorite hometown establishments. They work double time as places where locals and visitors alike can fill up their gas tanks but also fill up their own “tanks” with the great food and Coca-Cola and PepsiCo brand soft drinks they have there.
At all of these classic spots, you’re sure to find a soda fountain dispensing either Coca-Cola or PepsiCo brand soft drinks. Some of the town’s best even pour out Coca-Cola and PepsiCo brand soft drinks side by side. The truly adventurous among us mix and match Coca-Cola and PepsiCo brand soft drinks for a truly tantalizing taste experience.
I’m not talking about politics when I tell you these soda machines are centrists. They are right in the middle of the action! If you’re in front of the beer coolers, you’ve gone too far right. If you’re contemplating getting some boiled peanuts, you’re too far left.
Ah, the taste of them all. The Coca-Cola and PepsiCo brand colas are like the sweet feeling when your ASB representative votes for a piece of legislation that you support. Buried under the innocent appearance of Coca-Cola and PepsiCo brand lemon-lime soft drinks, you’ll get a little twist of sour, almost like when your ASB representative sends a real “zinger” across the senate floor.
The tradition of going down to a local convenience store to get a Coca-Cola or PepsiCo brand soft drink after an ASB election began last year, when the student body voted to replace the Rebel Black Bear with Tony the Landshark.
The day after the big reveal in August, Tony took to Twitter to announce that he went down to Captain D’s, a local eatery renowned for its seafood specialties, to “crush” some fish dishes. Though no one knows for sure what our mascot gulped down that day, many intelligent people have guessed that the chiseled ocean-dweller was drinking a Coca-Cola or PepsiCo brand soft drink.
But, when these minds had put the pieces together, it was too late to run down to Captain D’s, which closes at 10 p.m., so they went to one of the late-night convenience stores, where they enjoyed some Coca-Cola and PepsiCo brand soft drinks. Thus, an Ole Miss tradition was born.
With Tony in mind, please remember these two Ole Miss traditions during the upcoming ASB elections. Vote, then go down to a local convenience store to enjoy an ice-cold Coca-Cola or PepsiCo brand soft drink.
