Dear UNC,
As a kid, I was raised hearing of your splendor. How beautiful the campus is, how great the people are. You took care of my dad while he was there. You held a mythical quality in my eye.
I grew up in awe of Raymond Felton, Tyler Hansbrough and Ty Lawson. UNC greats.
But, and this is the only time you will ever catch me saying this, basketball means very little in the grand scheme of things. Not after spending 4 years with you
There is so much more to you.
Had you told the 18-year-old kid wearing a goofy grin in 2016 when he decided on Chapel Hill what was in store over the next 4 years, I actually don’t think he would have believed you.
2016-17.
Move-in day. Buzzing with energy he arrived at your dorm, Craige Hall. Bottom floor. Right next to the basketball court. Oh, was he excited to get buckets. He had to move everything in first though.
Waltz in, inspect bed, hang up clothes. A bit of mold, ew. Oh wait, a lot of mold. Oh, check out the top cupboard on the wall closet. It’s bulging like a pregnant mother, water dripping. Laugh it off, he wanted to sustain the excitement, but definitely call some UNC workers over for help.
He watched as they inspected and proceeded to poke the bulge. Water that had been collecting all summer above the cupboard came gushing out.
They said he couldn’t stay there for the week and needed a temporary place to stay. Not ideal.
Thankfully, Craige North had a room. 2nd floor. It turned into his permanent home for Freshman year.
First couple of nights, he and his roommate, Billy, watched Netflix.
Then they realized that everyone on the hall was gathering each night in the middle of the hallway to talk about life.
Right, a social life is important.
So are classes. It only took him one semester to get exposed by a class.
Comp 110. He earned his first C. Congratulations.
Fast forward a couple months and education didn’t matter because guess who won a National Championship?
YOU’RE DAMN RIGHT WE DID!!!!!!
OOOOOOHHHH-WAH-AH-AH-OOOHHH-OOH… REDEMPTION, AT LAST.
2017-18.
New dorm, new classes, extra roommate, same RA.
What up, Jason. What up, Basil.
The goofy grinned kid moved from his teen years on to 20. He met a girl. She brought some west coast flavor to this east coast town. They hung out a lot, people got suspicious. Were they a couple? Nah. Although, the east coast kid may have caught feelings at first. Little did he know how much a friendship could change a life.
What up, Cambria.
Both he and Cambria learned that year what it was like to have a college sleep schedule. Go to bed at 3. Wake up at 9. Repeat.
It was pretty much due to the class they met in.
Sports Xtra. Student-led sports television? Sign him up. Little did he know that class would be the foundation for his career endeavors moving forward. And also allowed him to do some special things that year.
It allowed him to film UNC beat up on Duke in the Dean Dome. Sorry, Marvin Bagley.
It allowed him to create bonds with people that he would grow very close to by the end of his time with you.
It allowed him to start working with GoHeels, which would eventually branch into the ACC Network.
Oh, the places you’ll go.
2018-19.
New home off-campus. New house-mates.
What up, Turner. What up, Sam.
Puff’s Palace became a treat. Many exist on the Wall of Fame. IYKYK.
Returning from an internship with a summer league baseball team, he was ready to really push hard in the J-school. He became the executive producer of Sports Xtra. He started working a lot with GoHeels. He put in a lot of credit hours.
Then he drove to Louisville.
And he watched/filmed the UNC Field Hockey team take home a National Championship.
He stayed up for nearly 40 hours through that Sunday and Monday as he remotely produced a show for Sports Xtra, pieced together a lot of the National Championship content for it and drove the 8 hours back.
He then collaborated with his professor and one of his mentors, Dr. Charlie Tuggle, to form the idea of a documentary detailing the historic run by the Field Hockey team. With the help of others, they made it happen.
Talk about a life changing moment.
Oh, he also turned 21. :)
And by the way, he met more people who he considers to be some of his closest friends.
What up, Cam. What up, Sydney. What up, Bode.
He also started working with the UNC Women’s lacrosse team, something that he would really grow fond of in a year. You should have told him there was light at the end of the tunnel, because that Spring he was nearly crucified by work.
He thought it equated to an internship. It didn’t.
So you helped inspire him to start a YouTube channel that summer.
2019-20.
How did he arrive at senior year already? This was not supposed to happen quickly.
He must have lost track of time while he was consumed by work.
No matter. Time to enjoy life.
When Cambria came back from San Diego working with the Padres, you made sure he picked her up and then you convinced him to just spend a week with her at her new apartment to start the semester. It had virtual golf!!!
He also strengthened some friendships from good to life-lasting.
What up, Adam. What up, Blake.
He was instructed by a new journalism professor who had a ton of hype among the student body and exceeded the now 22-year old’s expectations by a country-mile.
What up, JR.
He traveled to Wake Forest because guess which team won another National Championship? It wasn’t basketball.
Although, he got to go to the Bahamas to cover basketball with a dope person as a travel partner he might add.
What up, Caroline.
As the fall semester dwindled to a close, he had to face the fact that you were taking his best friend away from him. You reminded him that not only was Cambria’s college career coming to a close, so was his. No more Cook Out runs.
So he made the most of his final semester.
He traveled to Morehead City twice, with a person he drew very close with in his final year.
What up, Jilly.
He was nominated for an Emmy.
He padded his portfolio and created a website for it.
And you pushed him so that some of his final work was his best to date. Working with UNC Lacrosse and the incredible people who comprise that team. He couldn’t have asked for a better group to be sent off with. And he knew that you were going to allow him to witness a 3rd championship in person if the season were to come to its completion.
Unfortunately, something happened that was out of your control. The semester ended on Spring Break.
Commencement was postponed. The world came to a standstill.
But in 20 years, he doubts he will remember the crisis as the dominating factor in his 4 years of college. Just like he doubts he will remember the 2 hurricanes that hit Chapel Hill while he was there, or the two water crises that occurred.
He will remember all of these other moments that you provided.
He will remember that you adopted him.
He will remember that he is now, and will forever be, a member of the Carolina family.
Born a Tar Heel? Yes.
Bred a Tar Heel? Yes.
Will die a Tar Heel? Yes.
And since he can’t sing O’ Hark the Sound with his friends on campus one more time, he asks that you do it with him now…
Hark the sound of Tar Heel voices, ringing clear and true
Singing Caro-lina’s praises, shouting NCU… (N-C-U)
Hail to the brightest star of all, clear its radiance shine
Carolina priceless gem, receive all praises thine
I’m a Tar Heel born, I’m a Tar Heel bred and when I die I’m a Tar Heel dead
So Rah-rah Carolina-lina, Rah-rah Carolina-lina, Rah-rah Carolina-lina
GO TO HELL DUKE!!!!!!!!!!!
The 18-year-old turned 22 with the same goofy grin wants to say thank you... I want to say thank you... Dear UNC, I will miss you.
Adrian