Orientation 2010

RI AL celebrating the Duke & UNC-CH connection

Triangle travel without a car

Coming out on campus: LGBTQ resources

Intramural sports for the athletically challenged

21 Dorm Room Décor

Do’s and Don’ts

ORIENTATION volume 5 issue 5 / Summer 2010

RI AL

letter from the editor Orientation 2010

A huge thanks to all my fellow graduating seniors: Kaitlin Atkinson, Justin Branch, Lysa Chen, Danielle Cushing, Elizabeth Lilly, Brad Piland, Jessica Stringer, Kelly Thore and Dave Williams.

I could not have done this without you. The friendships we’ve made are some of my best memories and I’ll cherish them always. Thank you and I wish you all the very best of luck in the bright futures I know you will have.

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RIVAL MAGAZINE • volume 5 • issue 5

COVER PHOTO BY PAMELA TSENG

Courtney Roller Editor-in-chief

COVER DESIGN BY AMANDA MICHELSON

“Everyone at orientation is lying to you.”

Well, they’re at least not telling the whole truth. Sure, coming to college is a defining moment in your life, the classes are great — and challenging — the professors and administrators are brilliant, the campuses are beautiful and the next four years of your life will be some of the best you’ll ever have.

But there is more truth left to be told. Truth that your orientation leaders, soon-to-be professors and parents aren’t going to tell you.

Luckily, you have me. By the time you read this I’ll already be trying to figure out life in the real world.

And, completely envious of your position as incoming first-year students, I have four years worth of advice and guidance and things I wish I had done differently, which Courtney Roller I am more than willing to impart on you.

If I could go back four years and do it again, I would Roller is an alumna from have skipped more classes. I would have laid in the quad the University of North enjoying friends and the spring air more often and left Carolina at Chapel Hilll. She ECON 101 to the economists. can be reached via email at I would have slept in less and adventured off campus courtneyr4788@gmail.com. more. I would have gone to more parties and stumbled home barefoot at 3 a.m. with uncomfortable shoes in one hand and my best friend’s hand in the other.

I would have called my grandmothers more often and tried harder to keep in touch with old friends. I would have taken advantage of free food and gone to more events that were outside my comfort zone. I would have gotten involved with campus organizations earlier and found my passions sooner.

I wouldn’t have been afraid to share my talents and abilities with older students. I would have realized that my experiences, opinions and ideas are important and worth listening to and that the same thing applies to everyone around me.

Most importantly, I would have slowed down. Everyone says it, but I can’t express enough just how true it really is — this time will fly. Though it may seem slow during those all-night exam cram sessions, after your first failed test or on the inevitable Valentine’s Day spent alone, those moments are few and passing.

The good things, the important things, the things that make memories — like the first Halloween you spend on Franklin Street at UNC-CH, the Duke tailgating experience you’ll never forget or the ever-so-anticipated Duke vs. UNC-CH men’s basketball game — those things fly by.

So, use this special Orientation Issue of Rival magazine to prepare yourself for the memories you’re sure to make. Learn how to navigate the bus systems, find something edible in the dining hall and utilize the limited space your dorm room offers. Get advice about things from coming out on campus to getting involved with intramural sports to keeping in touch with high school friends and dealing with a rude roommate.

I hope you use these tips and the many more offered in Rival to get a head start on the transition from high school senior to college first-year. This is your introduction to college life and your introduction to Rival magazine. I hope you continue to enjoy both throughout the next four years.

content

editor-in-chief

courtney roller

duke managing editor unc managing editor

kaitlin atkinson elizabeth lilly

graphic design editors

amanda michelson adrienne wollman

photography editor

brad piland

editorial directors

unc contributing writers

duke contributing writers

emily mcginty jessica stringer kasey el-chayeb alison ives elizabeth lilly kelly thore clare white emily mcginty sylvie spewak kathie sun becca ward

food critic

claudia rupcich

columnists

valerie henry kelsey tsipis

sports columnist

evan sandoval

staff designers danielle cushing

brittian mcneel

pamela tseng

kelley wollman

contributing photographers justin branch

mary lide parker

brad piland claudia rupcich

sylvie spewak

pamela tseng

business

marketing director clare white treasurer dave williams unc faculty adviser bill cloud

Rival is a joint publication between Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that seeks to reinforce and redefine the historic rivalry. Rival is independently recognized at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is also a member of the Duke University Undergraduate Publication Board.

Funding for Rival Magazine was paid for in part by The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Student Congress and the Duke University Publications Board.

All content, pictures, graphics and design are the property of Rival Magazine © 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

the mailbag:

Tell us what you think at Rival0910@gmail.com And we’ll tell you what we think at rivalmagazine.wordpress.com

In This Issue 18 COVER: Dorm room do’s and don’ts Despite what department store catalogs lead you to believe, not all dorm rooms are picture perfect. Rival shows you the do’s and don’ts of decorating.

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Campus eats Say goodbye to homemade comfort foods and hello to half-hearted campus foods. At least the cookies are decent.

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10 LGBTQ on campus Rival discusses coming out on campus and all the resources available to students questioning their sexuality or interested in LGBTQ issues.

16 Oh the places you’ll go

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Even without a car, campus and city buses ensure you won’t be stuck with nowhere to go. Learn which routes you need to know.

24 Intramural Introductions From sand volleyball to scavenger hunt teams, intramural sports give everyone a chance to compete at a Division I university.

In Every Issue 4

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14 Devil’s Advocate Duke’s Valerie Henry talks about keeping old friends while enjoying your new life.

Tar Tracks

Athlete’s Corner Evan Sandoval explains why going to a university with a nationally renowned sports team can shape your college experience.

Top V: Reasons to befriend a rival From a visit to Shooters to the beauty of UNC-CH in the spring, find out the top five reasons why it’s OK to have friends at the university down the road.

24

UNC-CH’s Kelsey Tsipis addresses everyone’s worst nightmare, the bad roommate.

Pre-game Find out about the one UNC-CH class that encourages in-class snacking.

Plus, learn how DukeEngage can bring out your inner humanitarian.

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16

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By the Book Who has it worse? Rival compares introductory English classes at Duke and UNC-CH.

28

Out of the Blue Tired of seeing the same old people?

Get to know some new campus faces you won’t want to forget.

3 November 2009 Orientation • RIVAL 2010 • MAGAZINE RIVAL MAGAZINE

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pre-game Building a lifelong humanitarian by kathie sun, duke design by adrienne wollman. unc-ch

Students pose together outside of a school in Swaziland, where sophomore Ivy Prince taught English.

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or Dr. Eric Mlyn, director of DukeEngage, the experience of service-learning does not end with colder temperatures on a student’s return back to campus.

Duke University’s DukeEngage, a program that provides funding for civic engagement projects at sites all over the world, has had over 800 student participants since 2007. Heavily lauded when announced and highly popular among students, DukeEngage seeks to encourage students of all backgrounds to pursue volunteer opportunities and expose students to fully-immersive service experiences.

In the last three years, the program has been successful at helping students transform into worldly and humble people, aware of issues in the contemporary world and dedicated to helping others in need.

However, DukeEngage’s press has not been entirely positive. A recent editorial in Duke’s student newspaper The Chronicle lambasted the effectiveness of the program and questioned the philanthropic intent of some projects. Most participants enjoyed their stay and had positive experiences, but some felt as if their efforts had only minimal impact on host communities.

Sophomore Yangyang Guo voices her hes-

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RIVAL MAGAZINE • volume 5 • issue 5

tors are hoping to instill more of a sense of reflection in alumni. Participants attend post-project workshops and are encouraged to take service-learning classes that put civic engagement into classroom settings and an academic context.

The new trend of the program is to highlight the idea that the service experience is highly connected to one’s intellectual experience.

Typical success stories sound much like Ivy Prince’s, a sophomore who worked with children in Africa on an individual project.

She and many others gush about the lifechanging or fulfilling nature of their experiences. Mlyn describes service work in a similar vein, saying “once you do it, you can’t help but keep your eyes open.”

With its place among the most prestigious universities in the country and one of the premier sources for future leaders, Duke is an especially crucial place to encourage a love for civic service.

itation regarding a social-entrepreneurship project she will take part in this summer, “We have no consulting experience, haven’t even finished college, and we’re moving to different locations every week. It is good exposure for us, but doesn’t really help them.”

Despite these concerns, Mlyn says that one of the most important aspects of the program is how it resonates with students and encourages them to be civic-minded Children gather outside of a school in Swaziland. throughout their entire life whether or not they end up working for a nonprofit or a corporate giant.

Because the student-development aspect is so crucial to DukeEngage, Mlyn emphasizes that reflection is key.

As a young program, DukeEngage is still in a state of transformation itself, and its administra-

quick, pick-me-up shorts The best class ever

by kelly thore, unc-ch design by adrienne wollman, unc-ch

M

ost University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill students are lucky to go on a class field trip to the quad during any given semester. Imagine packing up your things and ditching the States with your classmates for a seven-day Parisian rendezvous full of fine dining and sightseeing – all in the name of academia. Some might call that the best project ever.

Agree? Well, you’d better get on the wait list now; Eats 101 fills up fast. Sofia Wilson signed up for the course her first year and had to wait two years to get in. Wilson, now a junior, heard of the class from a friend the second semester of her first year and was just accepted into the course this spring.

But most students will agree that it’s worth the wait.

“If I had to pick my favorite thing I’ve ever done at Carolina,” Wilson says, “it’d be this class.”

Professor Jim Ferguson has taught the class since it began in 1997 per the request of Robert Allen, associate dean of honors, who wanted a course that dissected food as an academic topic. But the course isn’t just about food, as Ferguson will tell you.

“We are a multi-disciplinary course,” he says. “Each week we are basically on a different topic and we start with an overview with an eye towards getting people to think about sustainability.” Other topics range from economic practices to eating disorders to biochemical epidemiology.

The course has two major components: weekly dinners at Ferguson’s house, where each class member helps cook, and various optional, food-based field trips.

“One of my favorite field trips was to Counter Culture,” Wilson says. “We did coffee cupping, which is just coffee tasting.”

Counter Culture, a specialty coffee shop in Durham, emphasizes environmental sustainability and only brews from shadegrown, organic coffee beans. During this trip, the class learned about the two main

types of coffee beans and how different “I think that my favorite part is how interbrews can vary in quality and taste. disciplinary it is, because we examine the “A coffee taste can range from smoky issue of food from every single angle you and tasting like tobacco from being fruity imagine,” Melissa Tinling, a Junior in the and tasting like a blueberry,” says Wil- class from Montgomery Village, Md., says. son.

“There’s a lot of science but there’s also a lot Other field trips have included visits to lo- of politics and economics. cal farmers markets, an art exhibit in New “That’s what makes it an awesome class York and, of course, a week in Paris. for me,” she adds. “It ties in so many differ“We fly into Paris and go to Toulouse and ent academic disciplines, and the students there’s a pretty rigorous itinerary,” Ferguson reflect that, too.” says. The group will visit museums and explore topics such as wine production.

But don’t sign up for this course expecting an easy load. One of the requirements of Eats 101, which is actually listed as a graduate course by the registrar, is a 40- to 70-page research paper.

“It seems like a lot of time and energy put into a class but really it’s like nothing because we become so close,” Wilson says. “Everyone wants to be in this class, TOP: Farmer Chris Murray examines the growing strawberry crop. so it gives for an interesting class dynamic because we know how BOTTOM: Farmer Chris Murray explains the benefits of using black much work it takes.” plastics for early season planting.

Orientation 2010• RIVAL MAGAZINE

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Top :

Reasons to befriend a rival

It’s easy to hate the faceless students at the “other” university, but trust us, sometimes it’s worth it.

1 1

by jessica stringer, elizabeth lilly and brad piland, unc-ch photos by brad piland, unc-ch design by adrienne wollman, unc-ch

Chapel Hill in Spring

If you’re allergic to pollen, you better take your allergy pill because you’ll want to be outside on the quad. But pollen aside, Chapel Hill in spring is singularly gorgeous. The colors pop and the beauty abounds, making a foul mood a near impossibility.

If you know a Tar Heel, you can say you’re here to visit a friend instead of enjoying the sights of the campus.

Tailgate

Flowers bloom near the Old Well at UNC-CH.

Tailgaters can be seen throughout downtown Chapel Hill on home football game days but Duke one-ups UNC by providing for students to tailgate—in the Blue Zone parking lot. But at this party, outlandish costumes outnumber team-colored sundresses and polos among the tailgaters. Some football fans criticize the events because they say it takes away from the actual game but what’s wrong with having a little fun?

Tailgaters celebrate before a home football game.

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RIVAL MAGAZINE • volume 5 • issue 5

by molly bierman, duke

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A student at UNC-CH grills oustide of his off-campus apartment.

Off-Campus Living

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Students dance at a foam party at Shooters. by kaitlin atkinson, duke

Shooters

We can live off campus after our first year while you’re stuck on campus ‘til senior year. Moving to an apartment earlier means sharing a kitchen, washer and dryer, and bathroom between friends rather than 25 strangers. As an added bonus, you can host events at your place and take a break from on-campus living codes.

Get your “Urban Cowboy” on at this country western bar—but there’s more booty dancing than line dancing at this saloon. Test your stamina on the mechanical bull and see if you can last more than eight seconds. Grab those cowboy boots and your 10-gallon hat and stay awhile in the cage, which is perfect for dancing. Y’all come back now, Y’hear!

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We’re Local

Midnight Disney Sing-Along

Duke represents a geographically diverse student body with 85 percent of students hailing from out-of-state. Being out-of-state leaves you at a disadvantage when it comes to knowing the local area and the state in general. At UNC-CH, 83 percent of the students are from North Carolina and we know the lay of the land and all the local treasures that can go unnoticed by the university scene.

We don’t care if you can “paint with all the colors of the wind” but “can you sing with all the voices of the mountains” or along with Duke students?

Follow the lyrics on the screen as you relive your childhood in the Griffith Theater full of students singing along to Disney classics. Past movies have included “Beauty and the Beast” and “Mulan.”

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Well-rounded Sports

Duke may be the reigning NCAA National Champions in men’s basketball, but aside from that, elite sports teams at Duke are hard to come by. Last fall at UNC-CH, the women’s soccer and field hockey teams both took home the national championships, bringing the title total of to 20 and 6 respectively. Be sure to check out baseball, lacrosse and especially our Harrison Barnes-led men’s basketball team.

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A Night Life

We’re assuming the night life in Durham leaves a lot to be desired. While we’ve never been out there, we’ve sure seen you here. Having a friend in Chapel Hill gives you the option of staying in Chapel Hill instead of having to designate a friend or cab it back to Durham.

The Feline-Friendly Housing

Miss your cat Whiskers at home? Then pop over and visit a Duke student participating in the pilot program that allows students in the 205 Oregon apartments to have cats. But tell all your potential cat lady friends out there that the program has a two-cat limit per apartment.

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Thursday Night Mac ‘n’ Cheese

Skip the dry Easy Mac and powdered “cheese,” and head over to the Freeman Center for Jewish Life with a group of friends for the real thing.

First-years can use a meal swipe to pay, so either borrow a friend’s card or bring cash with a group of friends to start off the weekend.

Orientation 2010• RIVAL MAGAZINE

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Dinner a la Dining Hall

The joys of home-cooked meals stop the minute you move into your college dorm room. We know you’ve heard the dining hall horror stories, but Rival food critic Claudia Rupcich assures that edible and even delicious food can be found in campus dining halls — if you go on the right night.

Rams Head Dining Hall

C

onveniently located near the first-year students’ residential halls on South Campus, the vast Rams Head Dining Hall offers an array of foods with a convenient all-youcan-eat plan. Five distinct food areas each have their own décor and menu, which makes it easy to mix up your meals during the week.

The Chop House features traditional American cuisine that usually includes some type of meat that is slowly cooked.

The BBQ pork loin is fatty and a bit rough, but has a pleasing taste and is served with

Baraccas’ creamy white ricotta cheese and spinach pizza baked in a fired brick pizza oven.

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RIVAL MAGAZINE • volume 5 • issue 5

by claudia rupcich, unc-ch

photos by claudia rupcich, unc-ch design by brittain mcneel, unc-ch

flavorful and seasoned black beans with sautéed onions, grilled Southwestern vegetables including cubed carrots, green beans, corn and peas, and of course, corn bread.

The Chop House Grill usually serves grilled sandwiches, burgers and Philly Cheesesteaks. I tried an interesting invention: a grilled cheese sandwich with a burger patty inside, which was almost addictive but surely an attack on my arteries. While the sandwich may not be advisable on a daily basis, I recommend the crispy curly fries for any meal.

Bright blue old-school chairs, comfortable red booths and a fun jukebox that will play a tune of your choice decorate the friendly and spacious Diner that offers home-style cooking. Unfortunately, the atmosphere is a lot friendlier than the food made in the kitchen. The tough steak was drenched in an oily dark sauce and the color of mashed vanilla sweet potatoes mirrored its bland taste. The country corn–onthe-cob was a successful tasting venture, as was the extremely sweet and delightful cherry cobbler.

The Lean & Green section, usually my favorite, offers vegan and vegetarian options like firm sweet and sour tofu and an extensive salad bar. The tasty curried eggplant has an inviting and sharp aroma with a smooth and not-too-spicy flavor that compliments the hearty broccoli and Jasmine rice that are lightly seasoned with parsley and pepper. The salad bar boasts a wide

variety of toppings like juicy cherry tomatoes, fresh cucumbers, hearty chickpeas and crisp peppers.

One of the best foods Rams Head offers is the white ricotta pizza garnished with silky spinach and baked in a fire oven with soft dough that’s neither too thick nor too thin.

Baraccas pizza and pasta deli also presents an average cheese pizza, crunchy vegetable pizza, pepperoni pizza and dense but delicious baked macaroni and cheese cooked with ham.

Undoubtedly the best part of this dining hall is the Rolling Pin, the dessert section that welcomes you into Rams Head Dining Hall as soon as you walk in. Its warm and soft chocolate chip and M&M cookies will make your mouth water as you walk by.

Refreshing key lime pie, fluffy strawberry cloud cake, chocolate mousse cake and strong pecan pie can surely satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth. I like to make a savory sundae with a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie topped with a swirl of chocolate and vanilla soft served ice cream and thick chocolate syrup. Here are some words of wisdom: you can never go wrong with Rams Head cookies.

HOURS: Monday - Friday 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.

11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

4:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Saturday - Sunday 10:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Marketplace Dining Hall

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he Marketplace in the East Campus Union Building hosts several food options presented in differently themed sections of the relatively small dining hall.

The Durham Market serves home-style dishes and, on the day of my visit, featured a delicious and tender pink flank steak served with their own successful version of chimichurri sauce made of red wine vinegar, parsley and garlic. The steak was served with filling mashed potatoes and a flavorful sautéed green and yellow squash medley. Unfortunately, the oven roasted lamb carved–to-order was dry, hard and tasteless. I was surprised to find chicken cordon bleu, which consists of chicken breasts and sweet diced ham tossed with spinach, soft bowtie pasta and a white Swiss cheese sauce, so addictive and sweet.

Celebrating Southeast Asian cuisine, the Pacific Rim offered hard fried white rice and chunks of pork cooked in a soy and black pepper sauce that was too spicy for me. The firm Seitan (wheat meat) was moistened in a ginger broth with bok choy, red pepper, scallions and shiitake mushrooms that created a pungent but satisfying taste.

Vegans and vegetarians can appreciate foods in the Earth’s Fare section of the Marketplace. The sage gnocchi sautéed with

peas, heirloom beans and carrots was a bit dry, but overall carried a tasty earthy flavor. Portobello mushroom caps stuffed with sweet potatoes were spiked with ground chipotle chillies, which gave them a strong kick. The braised red cabbage that actually had a purple tint to it was light and hearty, as well as the smooth green beans. The bright salad bar is fresh and healthy, providing a wide array of salad toppings, soups, fruits and yogurt.

Calzones, strombolis and pizzas can be found in the Pi section. Featured on the menu was the chicken luau pizza made with tomato sauce, mozzarella, fresh pineapple and smoked bacon that would have been a great invention were it not for the jalapenos, which, I swear, someone besides me also probably mistook for green peppers. The mix-up harshly attacked the palate. Nu Degrees hosts a grill that prepares hamburgers, including veggie patties and sandwiches served with soft French fries.

I was almost shocked to find that the Cucina that served Italian specialties doesn’t

The Bakery’s sweet and satisfying fruit forest pie made with strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and apples, and a buttery and crumbly crust.

always serve pasta. Instead, I tried thin palm-sized slices of baked potatoes served with cheddar cheese, sour cream, and bacon topped with warm and creamy melted white cheese. The filling and savory baked potatoes are a good option when nothing else seems to satisfy your appetite.

The petite Bakery displays toothsome pecan pie, slightly-bitter but lively raspberry pie and heavy apple pie. My favorite was the fruit forest pie, a cheerful alliance of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and apples baked in a sweet crumbly crust. An ice cream freezer includes strawberry, chocolate, vanilla and cookies ‘n’ cream flavors for those who like a frozen sweet ending.

HOURS: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Noon - 2:30 p.m.

(A la carte Service) 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Saturday - Sunday 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

The Marketplace’s impressive salad bar: fresh lettuce, bell peppers, sweet corn, cucumbers, shredded cheese, green beans, banana peppers and an array of tasty dressings.

Orientation 2010• RIVAL MAGAZINE

9

Coming

Out

Story by Alison Ives, UNC-CH Design by Kelley Wollman, UNC-CH Photographs by Christy King, UNC-CH

For many students, college is the first chance they have to explore and identify their sexuality. With plenty of resources available, coming out at Duke and UNC-CH can be a safe and supported experience.

10 RIVAL MAGAZINE • volume 5 • issue 5

E

ach year, many of the new students who enroll at Duke University and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill face the anxiety and challenges of coming out and identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or queer. Diversity is a term that is closely associated with Duke and UNC-CH, but few people acknowledge how diversity extends to sexual differences as well as religious and cultural ones. Due to the numerous organizations and resources available to those who are questioning their sexuality or those who are openly out, students can rest assured that they will quickly find a home in these welcoming, accepting communities.

The UNC-CH Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) department defines coming out as “the process of recognizing and accepting one’s sexual orientation, gender expression and/or gender identity. It is also used to refer to the act of disclosing one’s sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity to others.”

Most individuals hear the phrase “coming out” and don’t quite understand that it is as much of an internal process as it is an external one. “Coming out is admitting to yourself and to your peers that you’re openly gay,” says UNC-CH first-year Joseph Paquette, an art major from Wake Forest, N.C. Although many people see the first year of college as one of the most common times for an individual to come out, statistics show otherwise. The director of UNCCH’s LGBTQ chapter, Terri Phoenix, has used her Ph.D. in Counseling and Human Development to research the most common age ranges for people to come out.

In the ‘90s, college age students (19-23) were coming out for the first time in large numbers. But, as recent studies will show, it is currently more common for individuals to come out and accept their sexual orientation between the ages of 13 and 17.

Still, a fair amount of students are just beginning to come out in their first year of college. This is essentially because students are now away from family origins and they are making new friends. “At Carolina, there are so many students and we’re in such a big environment that you won’t be judged like you would be in a high school setting,” says Paquette who came out prior to college. “It’s also hard for news to spread here, so you

Painted cube in the Pit at UNC. Southeast Regional Unity Conference was April 9-11 and is an annual student-run gathering for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and allies. feel more comfortable knowing that your sexuality won’t be scrutinized by strangers.”

In terms of the resources on each campus, both Universities have very accessible LGBTQ departments that are meant to serve the entire student body. Heterosexual students and straight allies, heterosexual people who are activists for LGBTQ rights, are gladly received as well. The UNC-CH branch of LGBTQ has a goal and mission to create a welcoming environment for all identities by using three broad areas that are comprised of multiple programs.

The first area is education. This portion of LGBTQ works mostly with speakers, special presentations, educational sessions and its Safe Zone program. Safe Zone is primarily interested in making the campus a supportive place for people of all sexual orientations and gender identities. This program promotes a network of allies for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer and allied students. Safe Zone training consists of a four-hour workshop that is offered at least once a month. Safe Zone signs or placards are given to allies to dis-

Orientation 2010• RIVAL MAGAZINE 11

play in their living spaces or offices. Displaying these placards serves to strengthen comfort levels when addressing LGBTQ social issues and to build a deeper understanding and awareness of the services that support LGBTQ and allied individuals.

Currently, there are 1,490 Safe Zone allies that are active on the UNC-CH campus.

The second area that LGBTQ focuses on is direct service. Direct service refers to discussion groups, weekly meetings and coming together to talk with students who need support.

The third area is focused on advocacy and policy. Whether this is maintaining provost committee connections across

campus or advocating for a wide range of social subjects such as mandatory health care and domestic partnerships, LGBTQ has strong investments in all areas of educating, service and advocacy.

What most probably do not realize about the LGBTQ Center is that it is also involved in training student leaders. LGBTQ plays a role in Resident Advisor training and orientation leader training, among others, to ensure positive change around campus. The LGBTQ Center has a booth during CTOPS summer sessions (UNCCH’s first-year orientation summits), and assists in the development of the diversity section with the Interactive Theatre

Carolina during summer orientation.

The Duke LGBTQ branch works in much the same way as the UNC-CH department.

Like the Safe Zone program at UNC-CH, Duke created its own version called the Ally Network. Other campus groups include Blue Devils United and Women Loving Women at Duke. On a graduate level, there is Duke Out, Outlaw, Duke with Pride and Sacred Word. These affiliations advance the networking of the LGBTQ and its campus communication. The Duke sector of LGBTQ also holds small weekly discussion groups and has its unique Fabulous Fridays where students are invited to spend time together at the Center. Apart from the LGBTQ

“At Carolina, there are so many students and we’re in such a big environment that you won’t be judged like you would be in a high school setting.”

-Joseph Paquette, UNC-CH art major

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Center, Duke hosts events like the NC Pride Parade and honors graduates with the Lavender Graduation commencement ceremony (UNC-CH does this as well). There are a handful of other annual events that students can look into if they are interested in learning more about gender and identity issues.

Joy Messinger, a master of Public Health student at UNC-CH in health behavior and health education from Rochester, N.Y., says that the LGBTQ group was quite instrumental in reinforcing her courage throughout the many stages of coming out. Messinger kindly shares her story of her own coming out process as a sophomore in college. At that point, she had an identity as a feminist and as an advocate for social justice, so she says coming out to herself was “a pretty easy process.” Messinger ultimately took on the esteemed role of president of

the LGBTQ group for two years. Joy did not encounter significant adversity until she discussed the matter with her parents.

“The intersection of my racial and ethnic identity along with my sexual identity created conflict in my family, and I eventually became estranged from my family.” Born in South Korea, Joy was adopted by a white family. Looking back on her time as an undergraduate, Joy says that she doesn’t know if she had the emotional strength to make it through school without the support of her friendships and LGBTQ connections.

To those who may be questioning their sexuality and identity, Dr. Janie Long of the LGBTQ Duke branch says that for help “there are certainly a lot of books, movies and of course the internet, but they’re not always accurate. If you are curious,” she says, “look into many sources and get

to know LGBTQ students.” Joy Messinger stresses the importance of network building. “Try and build your own community of social support during your journey,” she suggests, “and look for fellow students who will be supportive.” Terri Phoenix reminds students that “you are not alone.

Find out what the resources are and connect with them. If faith is central to you, and that is where your struggles are, know that there are multiple interpretations of religious teachings and that you can be a person of faith and be LGBTQ-identified.” And finally, Paquette adds that you shouldn’t “be afraid to be yourself. We’re lucky to be in this diverse and nurturing community. When people show who they are, it truly makes campus a better place.”

Left: A lesbian couple holds hands in their Carrboro home.

Middle: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender- Straight Alliance office in room 3512D in UNC’s Student Union. The organization’s weekly meetings are every Thursday at 7pm in room 3209.

Top: “Equal Rights” stickers being recycled at The Scrap Exchange store near Duke campus.

Orientation 2010• RIVAL MAGAZINE 13

advocate Going home again devil’s

By Valerie Henry, Duke

I

n the weeks leading up to my departure from home for my first year of college, I said goodbye to everything. I thought this was the end.

Never again would I live in my hometown. The book of my first 18 years of life would be closed and a new story would open up, filled with a new set of characters. I visited all the familiar places one last time. I took my last walk downtown, my last look at the high school, ate at the restaurants one last time.

More than anything, I devoted as much time as possible to my high school friends. We were a close group, and we were about to be scattered across the country, never to live in the same place again. Most of the adults who offered me advice on leaving for college told me I wouldn’t stay close to them.

My lifelong friends would be my college friends, they said.

You won’t stay close with your high school friends.

Thank God they were wrong.

The biggest shock of my first year away at school was going home for Thanksgiving break and realizing everything had stayed the same. I was home again, seeing all the familiar, favorite places. Suddenly the goodbyes seemed so silly. I called up my high school friends and we all got together, just like it was any other weekend before college.

Three years later, for New Year’s of our junior years in college, we all sat around my living room sharing inside jokes from years ago. We hadn’t forgotten any of the stories that made us laugh. I’ve realized that when it comes to the real people you truly enjoy spending time with, that enjoyment re-

mains even if the frequency of the time you spend diminishes.

It may be unrealistic to stay close with everyone, however.

Some people change so much, so quickly, during their college years that it can be hard to keep up with them through long distances. Some friendships will inevitably be harder to maintain than others. It comes down to how much effort you are willing to put into them. My best friend has been my best friend since sixth grade. I am not willing to give her up at any cost. So we Skype, call, check-in on Facebook and we see each other as often as we can. We put in the effort to make sure we stay in touch. It never feels like a burden. When we talk, it is not routine maintenance.

That is how you know someone is worth keeping up with: When you call them because you want to hear their voice, not because you know it’s “that time again”. When you have big news to share and you think of that friend right away as someone you just have to call and tell— you know the person still plays an active role in your life.

Don’t ever let distance be an excuse to stop talking to someone whose company you truly enjoy. For those of you headed into your first year, think about people from back home whom you miss uncontrollably. Act on those thoughts. When you hear something funny that makes you think of a friend, call them and tell them about it. You may be surprised how little it can take to maintain a powerful connection.

I’ve had valuable friends tell me when we part that we should “keep in touch.” Unfortunately, I’ve found this phrase almost always guarantees the opposite. If you have to tell someone that they should continue to contact you, something is missing. For those friends who will stay with you your whole life, I believe there is a level of mutual understanding that precipitates the need to verbalize these intentions. You don’t need to say it, because you both know it cannot be any other way. When I say goodbye to a truly close friend, we say “I’ll see you soon.” Because for those people who you just can’t do without, you will find a way to see them again.

“That is how you know someone is worth keeping up with: When you call them because you want to hear their voice, not because you know it’s ‘that time again.’”

-Valerie Henry, Duke 14 RIVAL MAGAZINE • volume 5• issue 5

tar tracks

Where crazy happens

By Kelsey Tsipis, UNC-CHt

College is where crazy happens. You start the day with enough motivation to change the world and you find yourself waking up in the middle of the quad not knowing your name, covered with a [B]Ski’s stain on a shirt that’s not yours, missing any piece of evidence that could possibly identify you. Or maybe those are just my friends.

Regardless, college has a tendency to break even the most psychologically- sound human being. This may be due to the jail cells they hold us in, but I found in my first year that the hardest adaptation I had to make in college wasn’t the academics aspect. (Yes, attention should be paid to the academic world in college.) Instead, one of the hardest things you will have to adapt to is sharing close corridors with a complete stranger.

Even if you come in your first year rooming with your best friend, you will begin to question whether you were intoxicated the entirety of high school; suddenly, that same person will be a complete stranger to you in about three weeks.

Before I begin with my personal roommate experience, let me clarify so I do not sound like Harriet the Spy. I cleared with my roommate everything that is written in this article. I will call her “Jess” for privacy purposes.

On our first week together while we were just getting to know each other, a moment that broke all barriers took place. As soon as I walked into the room, Jess hugged me… naked. I’ve known this girl for four days and I just got a Naked Burrito from her.

“I just got out of the shower, and my TOWEL FELL OFF!” she claims now. Nonetheless, it was an unforgettable opening chapter to our relationship. I can’t give any advice if this happens to you. Because if it does, you’ll know there’s nothing more awkward and really nothing you can do other than scan the room for an extra towel.

Jess proceeded to date every type of man on campus. My friends were amazed at how many single men she coerced into having relationships with her. And we all know single men are RARE here at UNC-CH. As a result, I’ve been sexiled more

times in one semester than had I been a member of the “Jersey Shore” cast. But I consider it taking one for the team and know Jess would do the same for me. (Not that she has to, Mom and Dad!) Jess hasn’t had it easy either. I tend to have a problem setting things on fire. After the seventh fire, even I am questioning whether they are “accidents.” This is something my whole suite has to endure, as most of these accidents end up making our rooms smell like a microwave fire for days. One time I put a cinnamon roll in for 15 minutes instead of 15 seconds. There was another time I forgot to put the water in the Easy Mac. And one time I feel asleep with my study lamp on and woke up to my bed sheets in flames. (Don’t worry, I’m fine) Oh, and the time I left a glass of milk under the futon for two months, which doesn’t entail a fire, but smells a lot worse. I wish I were exaggerating.

What I’m getting at is that it won’t be easy living with a person whose habits, choices and quirks are different from your own.

It’s difficult to share your personal space with someone else.

You’ll find yourself with very little alone time. This, coupled with homesickness, stress from finals and difficulty finding your niche here at college, makes dorm life possibly the biggest adjustment you will make come August.

(Note: a fire extinguisher is a good investment.)

But if you end up like me, you’ll discover that you found your best friend. I don’t know how they did it, but UNC-CH Housing really found my other half. I’m not making any guarantees on your end. You could get the Mute, the “In Bed by Nine! No Boys!”, The Toenail Clippings All Over the Room, among other Crazies. If this happens to you, take a deep breath, repeat that nine times and go sleep on your friend’s futon. If the toenails get out of control, talk to him or her about it. People are more mature in college and are able to have adult conversations about discrepancies. Right. Well, at least try talking to him or her about it.

But, more likely than not, you will end up with a lifelong friend. Jess is someone that I know will be in my life forever.

It’s impossible to break these bonds after the time we’ve shared living in the pigsty together for a whole year.

Yes, college is where crazy happens. But I have no doubt you will adjust beautifully. And like me, you’ll find the beauty in the close, lasting friendships you’ll make.

“Even if you come in your first year rooming with your best friend, you will begin to question whether you were intoxicated the entirety of high school...”

-Kelsey Tsipis, UNC-CH

Summer 2010 • RIVAL MAGAZINE 15

From

Point A to Point B by kasey el-chayeb, unc-ch design by danielle cushing, unc-ch photos by mary lide parker, unc-ch

James Fulmore has been driving the Roberson bus for seven years.

Duke: C-1 and C-2 routes & DATA routes:

Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill provide safe and reliable transportation for students and campus commuters. “We post a lot of information on our website. That’s the first place for people to go to learn about the system,” says Peter Murphy, assistant director of transit at Duke. Duke provides transportation on campus and in some neighboring areas through Duke Transit buses and vans. The system operates more than 30 buses with routes throughout the campus and health system. Campus routes connect residential, academic and perimeter lots on East, Central, North (Trent) and West campuses. Campus service is in effect during the academic year.

“The most popular route at Duke is your East Campus to West Campus route, especially for freshman. There are 10,000 passenger trips a day on just that route alone,” says Murphy. The C-1 East-West weekday route travels between East Campus and West Campus and immediately becomes

familiar to first-year Duke students. Service is every three to six minutes from 7:40 a.m. until 4:20 p.m. and subsequently every 10 minutes until 2 A.M. On the weekends, C-1 service is only every 10 to 20 minutes.

The C-2 East-Central-West weekday route is the second most frequented campus route. The C-2 bus travels between East, West and Central Campuses. Service is every 10 minutes until 8 p.m. It serves Alexander Avenue, Trent, Anderson Street and Swift Avenue (Eastbound only) bus stops.

Durham Area Transit Authority (DATA) provides service throughout the city of Durham. DATA buses serve many routes in Durham, including to and from Duke’s campuses and hospitals. “Route 6 and 11 DATA routes come through town to the downtown terminal,” says Murphy, “which is close to the American tobacco district and the ball field. That would be a good route to be aware of.” DATA bus fares are inexpensive, and unlimited-ride day passes are available. DATA operates from 5:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. every Monday through Saturday and 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Sundays and holidays.

UNC-Chapel Hill 16 RIVAL MAGAZINE • volume 5 • issue 5

UNC: U/RU/NU routes & P2P

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Public Safety Department is an accredited agency committed to the interests of the University community. The Town of Carrboro and UNC-CH are partners in the operation of the transit system. All transit is free of charge. “You can tell how long until the next bus arrives through a GPS tracking system,” says Department of Public Safety information specialist Randy Young. Commuters can track the exact arrival time of buses on townofchapelhill.org or nextbus. com. Transit authorities advise commuters to be at bus stops a few minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive, exit through the rear door when possible and not cross in front of the bus. Drivers will announce stops upon request for passengers having difficulty recognizing their destination.

“Go to the website and educate yourself. It would be a challenge to find a place that’s not going to be served,” says Young.

Some of the most popular routes at UNCCH are the U, RU, and NU campus shuttles.

The U route loops around campus to

Duke University Chapel Hill downtown and the RU follows the reverse of this route. Both routes make stops at critical campus and town locations such as South Road, student stores, hospital parking decks, Health Sciences Library, and East and West Franklin Street. “I ride the U route the most. Usually to Carrington Hall on Columbia,” says Mary Hope Weiser, a second-year UNC-CH nursing student from Winston-Salem, “and Next Bus tracking is pretty useful for getting to stops on time. I check it from my phone anytime I need to.”

The NU bus route provides service to several campus locations, especially focusing on the Park and Ride lot on Estes Drive and UNC Hospitals.

“The Point to Point bus route is meant to get folks back to housing from libraries and other campus locations that are open late.

It picks up where the U bus leaves off,” says Young. The P2P Express offers free, regularly scheduled transportation to all students and employees along a fixed campus route. “The P2P Express is really helpful for getting around late at night. Friends and I can hop on whenever we feel like going over to Franklin for a bite to eat or to meet up with friends,” says Mary Ann Antine, a political science major and first-year UNCCH student from Chapel Hill. The Express operates seven days a week during spring and fall academic semesters, from 7:00 pm until 3:00 am. After dark, the P2P provides transportation to and from open campus buildings not served by the P2P Express route. It also provides transportation to and from remote on-campus parking lots and the PR lot off campus. One-touch directline call boxes are located in the Manning S11 Lot, Bowles S11 Lot, Craige and Cardinal Parking Decks, and in the PR Lot. Call 962-7867 (PTOP).

SATURDAY TRIPS

DUKE-Durham Area Transit Authority To Visit For Northgate Mall

Brier Creek New Hope Commons

South Square

GameStop, Lane Bryant, Charlotte Russe, Spencer Gifts, Orange Julius Regal Brier Creek (movie theater) Walmart, Old Navy, Best Buy, Dick’s Sporting Goods Super Target, PETCO, Office Depot, Sam’s Club

UNC-Chapel Hill Transit To Visit For Carr Mill Mall/Weaver St.

Eastgate University Mall

Timberlyne Shopping Center

Harris Teeter, Weaver St. Market, CVS Trader Joe’s, TCBY, Rite Aid A Southern Season, Spice Street, Bath & Body Works Chelsea Movie Theater, Timberlyne Movie Theater

Take

Route 1 Route 15 Route 10 Route 5

Take CW DM FG T

Megan McGrath and James Fulmore, both second-year graduate students at UNC-Chapel Hill, ride the Roberson bus to volunteer at the Preservation Department at Duke.

The Robertson Bus

The Robertson Express Bus facilitates cooperation between Duke and UNC-CH. The bus is available free of charge to students at both Universities. Buses depart from and arrive at Duke (Chapel Circle Stop) and UNC-CH (Morehead Planetarium Stop). It does not stop in between these two locations. The trip is scheduled to take 30 minutes each way. The Robertson has a reputation for being one of the most ontime buses, so make sure you’re ready and waiting for its arrival!

Orientation 2010• RIVAL MAGAZINE 17

Dorm room dos and don’ts Start planning your dorm room now with these organizing and decorating tips from current students

Dos:

BY EMILY MCGINTY, DUKE, CLARE WHITE, UNC-CH, COURTNEY ROLLER, UNC-CH PHOTOS BY ESYLVIE SPEWAK, DUKE PHOTOS & DESIGN BY PAMELA TSENG, UNC-CH

1.

Duke sophomore Allie Yee makes organizing easy with her multi-compartment plastic shelving unit. Yee has owned the organizer since she was seven years old, when her mother bought it to store toys. Now, Yee says, it stores “those random little things you need.” Lesson: Whether they’re school supplies, hair ties, or Band-Aids, everything needs a home. Organizers are key.

2.

Duke sophomore Caleb Duncanson’s floor is spotless, his bed is made and his books are neatly stacked on an orderly desk. Not only is Duncanson’s room tidy on the surface, his organization continues behind closed drawers. As pictured to the right, Duncanson keeps his T-shirts tidily arranged instead of stacked so he can “see what’s there.”

Lesson: Doing laundry takes motivation and folding clothes takes serious motivation, but keeping clothes organized will likely save you time when you’re already late to catch the bus.

1.

2.

3.

Duke first-year Jessica Vellas improved her room’s ambiance by stringing lights around her bed.

“With the regular light, everything is too harsh,” Vellas says. “It’s like you’re in an institution.” She likes the “warmth and hominess” the decorations give the room and is surprised by how much light they provide.

Plus, the small lights have a cool nighttime effect: “At night,” Vellas says, “everything glows.” Lesson: Be creative with lighting!

It’s an easy way to help you enjoy your room.

4.

3.

4.

After moving in Duke senior Katherine Cho asked her hall mate if he could spare half an hour to help decorate her room. “Two hours later, we had this,” she explains, referring to the labor-intensive swirl of lights taped to her and fellow senior Jessica Nicholson’s ceiling. The lights are held up with packaging tape and make for a popular attraction at dorm parties. Lesson: Again, be creative with lighting. Just make sure you know what you’re in for (or, in this case, up for).

5.

On the left, Katherine Cho uses hooks to hang jewelry on her wall. This method is convenient because items are visible and can be found without fumbling through boxes or drawers. On the right, Cho employs the same hooks to keep her desk clutter-free. Lesson: Plastic hooks may not be the most attractive organizational tools, but they’re good for easy access to the things you need.

6.

Megan Weinand and Marianne Leonhardt strategically placed mirrors to create the illusion that their small room is large. The mirrors also brighten the room because they reflect colorful posters, books and bedding. Thanks to the mirrors, Weinand, a sophomore premedical student from Tucson, Ariz., and Leonhardt, a civil engineering major from Guatemala, are able to enjoy their room despite its size. Lesson: With small rooms, strategic placement is everything.

5.

5.

7.

Rachel Way makes her room colorful with multi-colored polka dots that stick to her walls. The Duke sophomore, who designed a Program II major entitled “Health Across Cultures: Ethics, Collaboration, and Disparity,� first used the dots as decorations while in boarding school in Costa Rica. She liked them so much she brought them to college, where the colors brighten up the corners of her room. Lesson: Cool designs are a fun alternative to large posters.

6.

7.

8.

Free things are everywhere during the first few weeks of school.

Take advantage of this just like these UNC-CH student in Morrison Dorm who stay eco-friendly by collecting water bottles. But all that free stuff has to go somewhere. Keep things neat and tidy by storing them on top of the refrigerator.

Lesson: Use surfaces as unexpected storage spaces.

8.

9.

Most UNC-CH first-years end up living in the furthest dorm from main campus, Hinton James. These dorm rooms have overhead storage spaces that are hard to reach for anyone who is not on the basketball team.

Lesson: Investing in a sturdy stepladder allows you to utilize this space without breaking a leg.

10.

One thing all dorm rooms have in common is that they don’t allow much in the way of privacy. One way to at least give the appearance of more privacy is to put your desk under a lofted bed. This tiny cave-like personal space closes you off from the rest of the room. Lesson: Even if it’s minimal, finding a space that gives you alone time is necessary for your sanity no matter how much you like your roommate.

9.

10.

11.

The best dorm room decorators know that working with what you have is key.

This Morrison dorm resident made the most of the support beams under her bed by using them as a scarf rack. Bedposts also make a good place to hang bags or ties. And desk chairs can double as a coat rack when you have nowhere else to put your fluffy winter wear. Lesson: Keeping things organized is often hard to do in such a small space, but being creative helps you making the most with the space you have.

11.

12.

College usually means saying goodbye to all the expensive entertainment equipment from your parents’ home. This UNC-CH first-year student living in Hinton James makes the most of movies and Rock Band marathons by taping surround sound speakers in the corners of his room.

Lesson: You can always find ways to modify must-have luxuries from home for college.

12.

13.

13.

For some students with a little extra space, their rooms become safe havens for all sorts of things. This first-year student in Hinton James dorm at UNC-CH keeps his bike inside the room to avoid the troubles of finding a bike rack or losing his transportation to some sticky-fingered bike thief. Lesson: If you have room for it, why not?

Dont’s:

14.

Austin Stanion, a Dukesophomore urban studies major from Chapel Hill has to be careful when waking up in the morning.

Due to the odd shape and cramped nature of his room, Stanion’s bed rests perilously close to the ceiling. When choosing to loft your bed, it is hard to strike a good balance between enough headspace while sleeping and enough maneuvering room while sitting at your desk under your bed. Stanion admits his set-up is “pretty hazardous.” Lesson: Be careful about how high you bunk your bed.

14.

15.

Bernard Jiang, a Duke firstyear from Chapel Hill, tries to explain the explosion on his desk by saying “it kind of just happened. It’s always like that.” Jiang, who is undeclared, says he can navigate the clutter to find what he needs. He admits, however, that his desk would “look better if [he] cared more.” Lesson: You know you’ll waste at least 15 minutes per night on Facebook anyway, so use that time once a week to clean your desk a bit. Clutter adds up.

16.

15.

16.

17.

Julia Rose, a Duke first-year public policy major from Germantown, P.A., starts each day navigating the same roadblock in her room. “I’ll wake up in the morning, still half asleep,” Rose says, “and try to get my flip-flops from the closet before I realize there’s a couch in the way.” Despite her mornings being a bit more difficult, Julia considers the couch a great addition to her room. “It’s right by the window,” she says, “so you can sit and read with the wind in your hair.” Lesson: Make your room comfortable, but navigable, as well.

17.

Mary O’Hare, a Duke firstyear visual arts major from Seattle, Wash., insists she can find anything she needs in her messy room because everything is out in the open.

“If things are put away,” O’Hare says, “I can’t see them, and it feels like they’re not there.”

Her mess, however, is mostly a result of small space, which prevents her from hanging out in her own room. “If I had a way to save space,” she says, “I think I would spend more time in my room.” Lesson: Reference many of the Do’s for space-saving ideas.

Places like Target will be more than happy to help you out.

18.

The less-than-perfect design of most Morrison dorm rooms at UNC-CH leaves few options for students who choose to loft their beds. This student’s living space is so cramped she has to do an obstacle course routine just to get in bed. Lesson: Make sure you have easy access to everything you need before arranging your room.

19.

Tiny trash cans are cute and probably match your bed spread if you bought the one suggested by your local department store catalogue. However, they are completely impractical for a busy, messy college student who doesn’t have time to take out the trash every day. Lesson: You, of course, don’t have room for a 50-gallon trash bin, but choosing a good-sized trashcan will actually keep your room cleaner.

18.

19.

20.

20.

Most students agree that having some type of floor cover in your dorm room makes it feel more like a home and less like a hospital. Opening and closing the door is a constant struggle because their too-bigfor-the-room carpet always gets stuck on the door. Lesson: Make sure your rug fits before you buy it, otherwise you’ll end up like these UNC-CH students.

21.

21.

Keeping a decent amount of snacks in your room is a must. Whether you need some energy during a late-night study session or the dining hall wasn’t serving anything you like, you’ll need to have some food nearby. Just make sure you have a designated spot to store your goodies, unlike these Hinton James residents at UNC-CH who keep their abundance of snacks in a pile on the floor. Lesson: Don’t buy in bulk because you won’t have the pantry space you did at home.

(Athelete’s Corner)

: e t e l p m o c s n o i s s i m d A

the missing sports element.

By Evan Sandoval, UNC-CH Design by Adrienne Wollman, UNC-CH

S

omething was missing. It just didn’t feel right or complete.

“Our life is your vacation,” is the unofficial motto at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where I started out my first two years of college. I was, at first, living the dream.

At the UNC-W, dorms are, in practice, for first-year students only. Naturally, this encourages new students to roam the halls and hang out with each other. The beach is only 10 minutes away and downtown Wilmington is one of the coolest places in North Carolina. The campus had such a relaxed atmosphere – it had to, when every walk to class was a walk down the boardwalk.

One of my favorite memories came on Midnight Madness, when all the Division I college basketball teams across the country are allowed to officially start practice.

What’s ironic though, is that the memory had nothing to do with basketball. It had everything to do with some college kids having an excuse to drink.

And that was the missing piece of the puzzle. At UNC-W, students’ idea of revving up for basketball season meant gearing up for drunken nights on the beach, not big victories on the court. Nobody really seemed to care for the basketball side of Midnight Madness; basketball wasn’t even the primary sport. (Actually, there wasn’t really a “primary” sport, but if you had to pick one, it would have been baseball.)

Then I transferred to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and it all came together. The college experience was complete. People may not realize it (well, you’d have to live under a rock at Duke or UNC-CH not to notice it), but sports greatly influence a college campus. Going to school in the Triangle, an area with countless outstanding sports programs and the famous rivalry between the Duke and

UNC-CH’s men’s basketball teams, provides the element of the college experience that I lacked at UNC-W. Here, sports are serious business. Any incoming first-year students living on South Campus at UNC-CH will notice the massive Dean E. Smith Center nearby seats just as many, if not more, fans than an NBA arena. More so than the Dean Dome, neighboring Cameron Indoor Stadium is often recognized as the hallowed hall of college basketball, possessing an atmosphere unmatched by other stadiums.

It is also a proud feeling to know that two of the nation’s most renowned college football and baseball stadiums stand a stone’s throw away from each other on UNC-CH’s campus.

So, unless you went to a high school with a major football program in Texas, prepare to be impressed and consumed (maybe unexpectedly so, just wait) by the sports atmosphere at Duke and UNC-CH. When I transferred in the fall of 2008, UNC-CH brought back a loaded men’s basketball team that went on to win the national championship. That whole year, the vibe around campus was amazing. Tournament time was like Christmas. After each win the whole student body became more and more excited for the prospective championship. And I don’t need to tell you what it’s like when your college’s beloved team wins a championship – just see pictures of Franklin Street.

This year, the vibe went in the opposite direction at UNC-CH. The basketball team’s struggles permeated throughout the campus. Come tournament time, there was no excitement on UNC-CH’s campus and March was void of its usual excitement.

Across town in Durham, the Blue Devils experienced the same exhilaration as UNCCH did last year, when Duke won this year’s national championship.

At UNC-W, March Madness consisted of everyone pulling for their favorite teams, whether that meant UNC-CH, Duke or North Carolina State University. There were no Seahawk jerseys worn around campus the day after a game – only jerseys with Hansborough on the back. During football season, it was much the same. Saturday mornings were spent discussing some other college’s game instead of preparing for their own.

I have been a lifelong Tar Heel fan and felt proud of being their fan while at UNCW. I would get jealous watching games in Wilmington as I imagined the energy in UNC-CH’s stadium. Whatever pride I felt for Carolina at UNC-W is incomparable to the unique feeling of being a part of UNCCH now.

Being at UNC-CH is like being a part of a family who can find a common passion in sports. So, for all incoming first-year students, whether your high school cheered wildly under Friday night lights or didn’t even have a tennis team, appreciate the atmosphere of Duke and UNC-CH. It can be maddening at times to care so much about your teams, but the past two basketball championships show your morale boost is well worth it and that the rewards are well worth the emotional investment.

Some kids never get to know the complete college experience. Take advantage of what is around you. Here, there is nothing more exhilarating than being a face in the crowd.

Orientation 2010• RIVAL MAGAZINE 23

Intramural Sports

Unexpected active outlets for the high school athlete or social butterfly by becca ward, duke design by danielle cushing, unc-ch photos by brad piland, unc-ch

A batter prepares to take a swing in the second round of the UNC-CH men’s intramural softball playoffs at the Fetzer intramural fields on April 15, 2010.

D

uke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill both have an impressive sports resume that can be daunting to the average student athlete. Luckily, both schools offer exceptional Intramural (IM) sports programs that are perfect for athletes of every skill level seeking to keep up their high school sport, or just try something a little different.

Coming into college, many students find it hard to balance their activities and social engagements, but IM sports offer a great way to do both by meeting new people, having fun and staying active in college.

“It’s a great way to be social but in a sporty and competitive setting,” says Duke sophomore Matt Greenberg, a psychology major from New York. “And it’s a very minimal time commitment.”

As a new student, IM sports present a great opportunity to join an activity and make friends without too much of a time commitment. With no organized practice or training times, IM sports allow students to pick and choose what games they want to play, which allows sports to fit into virtually everyone’s schedule.

Duke and UNC-CH offer a mix of sports

24 RIVAL MAGAZINE • volume 5 • issue 5

and leagues: Duke offers five fall sports, three winter sports and two spring sports including flag football, soccer, kickball and basketball. UNC-CH offers a more eclectic and comprehensive mix of sports, including indoor soccer, sand volleyball, ultimate disc and even a scavenger hunt league, with 45 activities in total.

Each program offers different leagues for any skill level: UNC-CH has men’s, women’s, and co-rec teams with intermediate, competitive and recreational leagues in most sports. Duke offers graduate, undergraduate, first-year and fraternity league.

The programs are immensely popular among the students; at UNC-CH, one out of three students participate in an IM sport and at Duke, the vast majority of IM players participate in two or three different sports.

At such athletic schools, IM sports serve to do more than keep students active, they are a networking and social outlet. “IM sports are both a mix of competitive and social interactions that includes almost everyone,” says UNC-CH Sports Director Justin Ford.

“It’s not just the Greek system dominating the sports.”

Duke’s system facilitates first-year bonding by giving new students their own

league, which has a distinctly more social aspect than the other divisions. “The fraternity league is definitely more competitive because in addition to just wanting to win, you’re playing for your [Greek] letters,” says Duke sophomore Tyler Donahue, a math and economics double major from Avon, Conn.

That not to say the fraternity league has a competiveness monopoly over the rest

“It’s a great way to be social but in a sporty and competitive setting.”

-Matt Greenberg, Duke sophomore of the leagues, even the unusually social sports show sparks of battle. “Last year, the scavenger hunt turned really competitive, we had the first team come in, and then the second team a few minutes later, completely drenched in sweat from running around campus,” Ford says.

While the IM systems should be lauded for their ability to give students an athletic and social outlet, it is not to say they are without their faults. Duke’s system sees a much higher rate of male participants than female, for instance. “There just isn’t enough interest to stem girl’s leagues,” says Donahue. “That’s why we only have a girl’s basketball league.”

UNC-CH suffers from a very different problem in that 90 percent of their activities have waiting lists, though Ford doesn’t see that as a downside. “I would rather have a waiting list for the sports,” he says “and have a valid claim when I go to the administration wanting higher fees to make new fields or offer more programs because I have all these students very interested in the program.”

Despite these minor flaws, UNC-CH and Duke’s IM sports present students with a great opportunity, “It’s about being able to go out and do the things you loved in high school, but that you couldn’t do full-time in college,” Donahue says.

Any incoming first-year should consider IM sports if there is that sport they can’t let get away, want to meet new people, or just play kickball or dodgeball again. Duke and UNC-CH offer everything new students need in terms of organizing tournaments, networking to find people to play and a chance to stay active and meet your classmates.

BOTTOM: A player watches a fly ball during the game.

MIDDLE: A batter prepares to take a swing.

TOP: A player throws a pitch duing the game.

Orientation 2010• RIVAL MAGAZINE 25

By Course name:

Discourse Communities: Writing in Academic Disciplines

The View from Above: Google Earth’s Impact

Course number:

ENGL 102

Writing 20: Academic Writing

Professor:

Patrick E. Horn

Christine Erlien

Offered in fall 2010?

Yes

Yes

Required texts:

The St. Martin’s Handbook

Outside readings

Price of book:

Approx. $45

N/A

Number of projects or papers:

3 unit projects

2 major projects 1 blog post

Number of exams:

0

0

Course grade:

Unit projects (3) 60% (3 x 30%) Contribution to learning environment 40%

Major projects (2) 60% (2 x 30%) Homework

25% Blog post 15%

Attendance policy:

You may lose points toward “contribution to a learning environment” in each class if you are not mentally and physically present in class.

Miss no more than three classes. After that, your course grade will decrease by half a letter grade per class missed.

Extra credit

There are two opportunities to earn extra credit: First, if you apply and get hired with the resume and cover letter you create for the unit two project and second, if you attend a pre-approved humanities performance and write a short review of the performance.

None listed on the syllabus.

the book: English UNC-CH DUKE

26 RIVAL MAGAZINE • volume 5 • issue 5

f o the t u O Blue...

Encouraging first-year students’ involvement in campus activities is an all-encompassing goal of Student Body President Hogan Medlin. The senior political science major is planning an open house, with a common application to assess students’ passions and place them in suitable committees to keep student government from being a “big impenetrable machine.” The Eden native also wants to incorporate students’ passions while rewriting the academic plan, which occurs every five years and falls during his administration. “Our student organizations already do social entrepreneurship,” says Hogan as he strives to determine how to reward that sort of push for social innovation on campus and get class credit. He’s taking time off as a Clef Hanger after three years to focus on his role as SBP, but encourages first-years to jump into campus activities immediately. “Bring that fresh perspective to everything on campus. Then you’ve got three years to figure out how you want your Carolina life to be.” By Elizabeth Lilly, UNC-CH

Amy Plasencia is interested in your mind. The sophomore from Glen Rocks, N.J., helped found Active Minds, a new student organization dedicated to raising awareness of mental illness and mental health through education and advocacy on Duke’s campus. Active Minds teaches students about the risks and signs of mental illness and exposes them to related resources on and off campus. The group hosts speakers and events, which cover depression, anxiety, eating disorders and other mental illnesses. The biological anthropology and anatomy major hopes Active Minds will promote a “positive, supportive, and stigma-free campus where students feel comfortable discussing their difficulties and fears without feeling judged.” Particularly because the group is new, Active Minds is looking to the Class of 2014 to help make a big difference on campus. “Active Minds can truly change the way Duke students perceive mental illness,” Plasencia says. By Emily McGinty, Duke

When Adrienne Wollman started working with Rival in August 2009, she was hoping to gain more design experience — she ended up becoming the 2010-2011 editor-in-chief. The UNC-CH senior journalism major has big plans for Rival’s future that include expanding Rival’s presence through strategic marketing and regularly updating Rival’s blog, www.rivalmagazine. wordpress.com. “I’m going to use the blog to keep people interested in Rival between issues,” Wollman says. A former staff designer and graphics editor for Rival, Wollman has already begun assembling staff members for the fall. Though Rival will certainly keep her busy, Wollman still plans to make time for her extra curriculars. As next year’s art director for Blue & White magazine at UNC-CH and a high school and beginner diving coach in her hometown of Chapel Hill, this Rival magazine editor-in-chief has a full schedule. by Courtney Roller, UNC-CH

Duke International Relations Association (DIRA) member, Bethany Horstmann, enjoys traveling with DIRA’s Model United Nations Away Team. Although the first-year student plans to double major in public policy and political science, she insists that DIRA members’ academic interests span many fields. “It’s a pretty even split,” Horstmann says. “Some people were really into politics and policy before college and some weren’t; you don’t have to be familiar with it to join.” The competitive Away Team is one of four components of DIRA. The other pillars include Campus Affairs, Duke University Model United Nations Conference (DUMUNC) and the Duke International Security Conference. Horstmann says that DIRA is a great way to meet upperlevel students and continues to be a “great resource not only for learning new things, but for networking, faculty connections, and campus functions.” By Emily McGinty, Duke Orientation 2010• RIVAL MAGAZINE 27

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28 RIVAL MAGAZINE • volume 5 • issue 5