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Where should I go to college? Student stories, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill

August 27, 2015

Erica Song is a senior majoring in business administrations at Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Here, she stands in front of the Old Well at UNC.

By Erica Song

I am currently a senior majoring in business administrations at Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. I transferred to UNC as a sophomore from Penn State University, and I couldn’t be any happier with my decision.

At UNC, everyone has his/her own Carolina experience. One thing in common for all students is that we all call ourselves a Tar Heel at UNC.

Our beautiful campus has been ranked as one of America’s most beautiful college campuses for many years.

UNC provides their students with numerous career opportunities each school year. The school generally offers more than 10 annual job/internship fairs focusing on a variety of fields, biggest among them the Career Fair, which is held once each semester with a myriad of employers.

Careerolina, UNC’s online database of jobs and internships, gives all students access to career opportunities with employers from all fields.

There are over 650 student organizations on campus that range from pre-professional and career clubs, services and activism, student government, media and intramural sports leagues.

Carolina For The Kids, UNC’s largest student-led organization, holds year-long fundraising events and volunteer opportunities for the patients and families served by the UNC Children’s Hospital. Every March, more than 2,000 students get involved in UNC Dance Marathon to show their support for the organization’s cause.

Franklin Street, right outside of our North campus, is considered the center of social life for UNC and the town of Chapel Hill.

Here you can find restaurants, coffee shops, small boutiques, bars, bookshops and music stores.

Some popular eateries among students include Buns (burgers), Biskis (tortilla wrap grill), Carolina Coffee Shop (American), Mediterranean Deli, Lime and Basil (Vietnamese) Yogurt Pump (frozen yogurt), and Sugarland (cupcakes and desserts).

There are many bars and breweries in Downtown Franklin as well that serve as popular hangout spots for UNC students (over 21, of course.) At Top of the Hill, one of the go-to’s, you can see a panoramic view of downtown on the outdoor deck while enjoying an acclaimed beer collection with your friends. In addition, places called He’s Not Here, Fitzgerald’s Irish Pub, The Library, and La Residence are popular hangout places for fun weekend nights.

Franklin Street is most recognized for its Halloween celebration where they close the entire street to traffic for the event. Most Carolina students attend the event wearing creative customs and stroll Franklin Street where they observe others’ attires and take photos.

Students tend to have strong school sprit for UNC sports, especially basketball. During basketball season in the spring, every student has the chance of winning free basketball tickets to the games through a lottery system. During games, everyone chants Carolina’s praises together and sings the alma mater locked arm-in-arm with friends and even strangers. This is one of the moments that make you feel like a true Tar Heel. Fall is football season, and the same hype applies during home games at the Kenan Memorial Stadium, a historic 63,000-capacity football stadium located within our campus.

One thing I definitely want to mention is our tradition during finals week every semester: The night before the first day of exams, a group of brave students make their way up to the eighth floor corner room of Davis Library a few minutes before midnight. There, the bold crowd runs down the stairs and around the library, wild and naked, and leaves by running across a pathway made by a cheering student body to move on to their next stop — the nearby Undergraduate Library — to culminate the event. Here, all students gather and sing “Hark the Sound,” our alma mater, while embracing arms with fellow Tar Heels.

After the event, all students go back to studying for their finals as though nothing happened.

Curious about some popular UNC spots?

The Old Well is located at the heart of the campus and is UNC’s most famous icon and sacred symbol. A legend has it that if you drink from the Old Well on the first day of classes, you will receive a 4.0 for the semester.

The UNC campus is centralized by two quads: Polk Place and McCorkle Place. Polk Place is often referred to as “the quad.” On its open grass areas, you will see students napping, reading, slack roping and playing Frisbee on any given day.

The Pit is a sunken courtyard located in the center of the Student Union, student stores, the Undergraduate Library, and the Lenoir Dining Hall (the main dining hall on campus). It’s a popular gathering place for students as well as the site of speeches and a variety of performances. There’s never a dull moment at the Pit and it’s always fun to walk by or sit on the steps to feel the lively energy and chit-chat with your friends.

The Student Union is referred to as the Union — the building offers a variety of spaces for students to relax between classes, study, have group meetings and chat with friends. Alpine Bagel, located in the main lobby, is one of the best and most popular dining services on campus offering fresh bagels, muffins, sandwiches, salads and coffee.

The Morehead-Patterson Bell Tower, another symbolic UNC figure, is 172 feet tall and surrounded by a hedge and lawn. Each year, seniors are given the opportunity to climb the tower a few days before commencement.

The Korea Times is looking for college students or graduates who would be willing to share advice regarding the search for the right school.

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