The Dixie State College community has bantered about changes taking place on campus, which could potentially change the existing Dixie lifestyle.
DSC students associate “Dixie” with many different definitions, but some common themes are the warm weather, the cheap tuition and the vibe of a tight-knit community.
“Dixie applies to my lifestyle in that the word is associated with a spirit of freedom and independence,” said Luke Randall, a freshman communication major from Enterprise. “I think some people are being overly sensitive about the word Dixie. It’s just for fun and an expression of freedom—freedom to live as you want to.”
Randall said Dixie encompasses the free spirit of every person to do what makes them happy. He said it reminds us to live free and live loud. He said he feels that freedom because he can longboard through campus to classes.
“When I think of Dixie lifestyle, I refer to the on-campus student life and the many interactions that one can have with multicultural students,” said Melanie Brown, a junior biology major from St. George. “There are so many activities, clubs, and organizations that are [available] for students to participate in.”
Randall said he enjoys some aspects of Dixie life, describing it as active, sporty, non-committal, reckless and laid back.
“My positives [include] the weather, the hot girls and safe community,” Randall said. “My negatives: there are a lot of cliques. Sometimes it feels like high school continued.”
Kimberly Andersen, a senior communication major from Las Vegas, said Dixie is divided into two major groups. One crowd is the upbeat student government types of people who are constantly trying get people involved in activities. She said these people throw the parties and know everyone. The second group is a withdrawn set of people running in smaller packs of friends who “have better things to do.”
“The reality is, there is a place for both groups of people [involved or withdrawn],” Andersen said. “As well as a place for everyone in between. That’s what makes Dixie – Dixie.”
Brown said she likes the community integration with the college in that, on or off campus, she constantly interacts with people connected with Dixie.
“The Dixie lifestyle is most beneficial when the student becomes involved,” She said. “As a Dixie State student, I can always strive to become more involved within the campus community.”
Brown and Andersen both expressed the appreciation for the closeness between students and faculty. Anderson said she hopes Dixie will be able to maintain a similar standard as a university. She also said she appreciates the balance in the staff views both conservative and liberal.
“At Dixie, education is not just about knowledge,” Andersen said. “It’s about experience; it’s about human ties; it’s about life.”
