#497: Drinking from the Old Well

One of the many traditions at UNC is to drink from the Old Well on the first day of classes. It is said to bring you good luck for the semester so that you will get all A's. This year, I had a class at 8 A.M. the first day, so I got to the Old Well at around 7:30. There was already a group of about 15 people in line to drink from the fountain (most of them groups of friends taking pictures of each other) and there was a local news crew doing a story about the return of students to school. It's a great way to start the year because it brings students to the symbol of the university and allows them to get acquainted (or reacquainted) with the traditions and history of the school. Plus, it's nice to think about how many other students before you have taken part in this fun tradition, and how many will take part in the years to come.


If you have any questions, please comment below or email me at nething@email.unc.edu!

#498: Week of Welcome

Week of Welcome (WOW) is the most jam-packed week of the year. From the Friday before school starts till the Saturday after it starts, there are more events than anyone could possibly attend. Not only that, but many of these events include free food! Most of these events are cherished traditions (such as FallFest) and all of them will help you start the year off right and get accustomed to life as a Tar Heel.

Events this year included:
-New Student and Family Welcome Dinner
-Cultural Show
-FallFest
-Flix on the Brix: Bridesmaids
-Out of State Students Meeting and Social
-Target Back-to-School Express
-Convocation
-Summer Reading Program Discussion
-First Years' Ice Cream Social
-Bell Tower Relighting Ceremony
-Heel Hunt (a text-message scavenger hunt)
-Sunset Serenade
-Library Tours
-Jogging and Cycling Tours of Campus
-Sessions for Succeeding at Carolina
-And much more!

More Week of Welcome information can be found at: http://nscpp.unc.edu/first-year-students/week-welcome.


If you have any questions, please comment below or send me an email at nething@email.unc.edu!

#499: OneCard

Every student takes a picture for their OneCard the first day of CTOPS (orientation). After that, this card is the "one" card you will ever need on campus. It is linked to your dining hall meal plan, your expense money (for laundry, extra printing, buying things in Student Stores, etc.), your flex bucks (for food at on-campus locations such as Chick-fil-a), and, if you so choose, your Wachovia bank account (no need to carry around a debit card, it's all on your OneCard!). The OneCard is also used for daily interactions, such as getting into your designated parking lot if you have a parking pass, reserving a meeting room in the Student Union, or getting a book from the library. If you ever lose it it costs $10 to replace it, but more importantly you lose access to a lot of amazing services on campus until you get a new one. Take it from someone who has lost their OneCard before--the OneCard isn't just important, it's awesome!


If you have any questions, please leave a comment below or email me at nething@email.unc.edu!

#500: Getting Your Acceptance Letter

Wherever you are, at whatever time, in whichever form, you will always remember getting the coveted "Congratulations" letter from the school of your dreams. In my case, that school was Carolina. I received mine on the Connect Carolina website at 2 AM in January 2010. I had been refreshing the webpage for two hours because everyone else was trying to view their decision as well. I remember seeing "Congratulations" and not even bothering to read the rest of the letter at first because I was so excited. Looking back, I'm really glad it didn't say "Congratulations on your accomplishments in high school, however..." because I woke up everyone in the house before I ever finished reading the letter.

This is an exciting part of the Carolina experience and one that everyone remembers because it is the moment when you become a Tar Heel, the moment when you join the Carolina family. From there, Carolina gives you unlimited opportunities in academics, athletics, the arts, and social settings. How you use these opportunities to leave your Heel Print is up to you, but every journey begins with the acceptance letter.


If you have any questions, please leave a comment or send me an email at nething@email.unc.edu!