#494: September 11th Memorial Flags in the Quad

Every year, College Republicans (CRs) place hundreds of American flags in the Quad in front of Wilson Library to commemorate September 11th.  Though the sight is always both beautiful and reflective, this year it is especially so.  To make this year extra special, CRs are leaving the flags in the Quad for three days (the 11th-13th).

On a related note, the flags they are using this year are brand new.  The flags used in previous years were passed out to students in Davis Library last spring when the campus heard that Osama bin Laden had been killed.


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

#495: FallFest

FallFest is an event during Week of Welcome that occurs on South Road (the road is closed for the event) the Sunday night before school starts.  It starts at 9 PM and ends at around 2 AM, and believe me there is plenty to do for all five hours.  Every organization on campus (including clubs, intramural teams, official campus organizations such as Campus Health, etc.) has a booth that provides information about the group.  FallFest is where you sign up for list-servs, find out when information meetings are, watch student groups perform (such as the Clef Hangers, dance groups, etc.), and, most importantly, accumulate loads of free stuff.  This year there was free food from Panera, Ben and Jerry's, Locopops, a local Indian restaurant, Domino's, Pepsi, and various groups gave out popcorn, snow cones, etc.  Also, if you scout out the booths well you can get free UNC shirts (last year Campus Health gave away shirts that said "Watch Your BAC"), cups, pens, koozies, etc.  Meanwhile, on the soccer fields there are inflatable playground slides and obstacle courses and areas to play football and other sports.  FallFest allows first-year students to learn about getting involved on campus, upperclassmen to refine their "niche" at UNC, and everyone to have a blast as they get ready for the new year.


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

#496: Sunset Serenade

Sunset Serenade is an event during Week of Welcome that occurs the night before classes begin.  Every year, hundreds of students sit in the grass in the Quad facing Wilson Library, where various a cappella groups perform.  Everyone scrunches together on beach towels and blankets, first-year students bonding with new friends while upperclassmen reuniting with old ones.  All of the major groups perform, such as the Clef Hangers, Lorelais, Cadence, Achordants, and many more (although one of my personal favorite groups, the Tarpeggios, has yet to make their Sunset Serenade debut).  This is the first time of the year where students experience the majority of the a cappella groups (it's difficult to catch them all at FallFest).  It's the first time of the year where students will hear the Clef Hangers sing "Carolina In My Mind", the theme of everyone's summer.  And it's the first time of the year where you truly feel like a Tar Heel, as you stand arm in arm with friends and strangers alike, singing "Hark the Sound" (the alma mater).  Sunset Serenade is a timeless tradition for every student from first-years to seniors, and it is the perfect way to start out the year at Carolina.

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

#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!