Listen, living on your own in a new town can be really overwhelming. Here are some tips I picked up from living in Stark that might help that.
1. Walmart
There are 20,000 residents that live in Starkville, plus 22,000 undergrads at State. Don't go to Walmart during the day. The lines are long and you will waste your time. The best time to go is at 11pm-12am. You might think this is too late but trust me, nobody sleeps in college. You will be up. Just bring some friends and carpool. (plus if you live on campus you could find better parking after hours)
2. 3:00-5:00pm
I'm from a big city, I know what after-work traffic is like. But Starkville traffic is the worst. If there's any way for you to avoid the rush hour do it. It's not worth it. But if you do get caught in it DON'T TAKE THE BACKROADS. Stay on Hwy12, trust me it's faster
3. Sprintmart
One of the cheapest and easiest places to get gas is at Sprintmart on Hwy 182. I've never had any problems there and the easy access to the interstate makes it really convenient when I'm trying to leave to go back home on a Friday afternoon. Another notable mention is the Neighborhood Walmart gas station, the prices are good but there aren't a lot of pumps.
4. Monsoon Season
Ever heard of the saying "April showers bring May flowers"? Well, Starkville brings Monsoons. Make sure you know someone that has a car so they can drop you off to class when it thunderstorms. (Thanks Sofia) Also, bring rain boots and a raincoat.
5. Wendy's
Where I'm from, nobody goes to Wendy's. So it was a real shocker to me when I found out everyone and their mother loves going here. The line is always long, no matter what time. My advice to skip the line, is to order inside or just go to Cookout next door. (it's cheaper)
6. Nail Salons
The nail salons in Starkville aren't great and very expensive. An acrylic refill is $50!! Outrageous. As someone who loves getting my nails done, I've found the best place to do it is at Lee Nails and Spa. They are fast and the prices aren't that bad. Just ask them to file the underneath of your nail so its straight and not crooked.
7. Student Discounts
Starkville is the only college town I know of to not offer many student discounts. But I did find an article written by Colby Williams that highlights them. https://www.theodysseyonline.com/22-places-starkville-offer-student-discounts
8. Sundays
I never realized what the bible belt was until I attended State. With that being said, Sundays are a pain in the ass. The same time hungover college students wake up and eat lunch is the same time churchgoers get out of service. Restaurants everywhere in Starkville are packed. My advice is to just bite the bullet and eat during the lunch rush. It's going to take longer to get a table anywhere, but it's better than starving.
9. Gamedays
Starkville is completely dead on Gamedays. If you aren't going to the Football game, now would be a good time to get any errands done while everyone's at the game. Just make sure you're back on campus or done before the game ends or else you'll get stuck in traffic.
10. Make your own fun
College is as fun as you make it, and undergrad is only 4 years. Most of us aren't going to be in Starkville forever, so just cherish it and have fun! Change it up every weekend. Find people that make this small town in Mississippi worth it because time flies. I understand that Starkville is a very small town and sometimes we just need a change of scenery. And that's ok! Some of my favorite places to go outside of Starkville are Tuscaloosa and the Noxubee Wildlife Refuge.
