Rival, Fall 2012

RI AL celebrating the Duke & UNC-CH connection

2012 London Olympics

Lives of the Outsiders

P. 18

P. 10 VOLUME 8 ISSUE 1 / FALL 2012

letter from the editor

FALL 2012

MY WORST FEAR

A couple weeks ago, I dropped a class. This may not seem like a big deal, but I’m a senior and I’ve managed to go through my entire college career without doing that. I always figured that once I started something, I should stick with it. But after a few weeks of failing to balance dozens of responsibilities, I was faced with an unpleasant truth: mediocrity.

Simply put, I took on too much this semester. It wasn’t just that I didn’t have time for the sanity-balallie barnes ancing sanctity of fun, but I didn’t have time to fully is a senior at The University of dedicate myself to anything. I was just barely getting North Carolina at Chapel Hilll. by- something that is inevitable during brief periods She can be reached via email at barnesac@live.unc.edu of high-stress, but something that I’m completely uncomfortable doing on a long-term basis. I want to take pride in what I do and take advantage of every opportunity I have to learn and develop, especially since my days at UNC-CH are (literally) numbered.

Most of us have been programmed to excel since our first day in kindergarten.

We have learned how to get into a good college, get into a good grad school and how to land an impressive internship. To achieve our professional and academic dreams, we’ve had to be super-humans. We have avoided being anything close to just average. .. but can we indefinitely keep this up?

After May, I’ll be compared to other professionals in my field instead of fellow college students. I’ll be much less experienced and less talented, and I’m absolutely terrified of those prospects. It seems to be a cruel irony: to brightly shine in our fields of study, only to have to abruptly come to terms that your light is a neutrino instead of a fiery star.

In these last months of school, I will be working to face the fear that I have tried so hard to avoid: that no amount of hard work makes it easy to maintain superhuman standards of work and living.

Best wishes,

Allie Barnes Editor-in-Chief

?

content

editor-in-chief

allie barnes

duke managing editor

emily mcginty

aleise preslar tashiana wesley

photography editor art director editorial director

trent tsun-kang chiang

nc contributing writers allie barnes u caroline land stefanie schwemlein

duke contributing writers jake klein akshatha kommalapati emily mcginty lauren paylor

columnists laurel burk rachel fischell lilly knoepp

sports columnist ryan hoerger

staff designers traci carver moira gill

contributing photographers allie barnes aleise preslar

bloggers allie barnes arantxa moreno

cover design cover photo

tashiana wesley stefanie schwemlein

business

ublic relations director arantxa moreno p

treasurer eric kline

unc faculty adviser paul cuadros

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 provided 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 © 2011-2012. All rights reserved.

did you know:

It was not until recently that Duke students were not allowed into Chapel Hill’s halloween party on Franklin Street. In 2007, the annual event was deemed out-of-hand by the town of Chapel Hill, as almost 80,000 people crowded downtown and a number of people were injured. In 2010, then UNC-CH Student Body President Hogan Medlin sent at letter then President of Duke Student Government, Mike Lefevre, asking students to not attend in an effort to reduce the size of the event. A year earlier, Duke had restricted the Last Day of Classes (LDOC) events to Duke students only, a festivity that many UNC-CH students had attended in the past. While Lefevre offered to reconsider the restrictions of LDOC if Medlin withdrew the Halloween ban, no changes were made.

2

RIVAL MAGAZINE • volume 8 • issue 1

the mailbag:

Tell us what you think at rivalmag1213@gmail. com And we’ll tell you what we think at rivalmagazine.wordpress.com

18

in this issue Olympians: What Now? page 10

There were some amazing performances at the Olympics this summer, especially from Team USA (104 medals!). Duke and UNC-CH were both represented either by alumni, current students or current faculty members. Here is a look at life after London for some of Duke and UNC-CH’s olympic athletes.

Road Trippin’ page 21

Need an afternoon to escape? Just outside of Chapel Hill and Durham lies great adventure. We list some cool sights and destinations within a 30-minute radius of our home base. Now all that’s needed are two favorite allies and snacks and supplies.

CHINA page 18

Stefanie Schwemlein, a junior at UNC-CH, spent the summer exploring the wonders of China. While wandering around Wushan county in Chongqing Municipality, a city in southwest China, Stefanie discovered that despite the country or continent, some aspects of culture are universal.

4

in every issue Pregame

Athlete’s Corner

Let’s get spooky! Some of the iconic and historic secret societies of Duke and UNCCH are examined.

Duke’s Ryan Hoerger gives insight to why the Mayans might have been right; 2012 might be the year of the apocalypse.

page 4

page 25

Top V

The Width & Breadth Of It

Want to know a secret? Check out what we wish we’d known earlier.

Want a global perspective? Read what Rachel Fischell has to say about Madrid.

page 6

page 18

Devil’s Advocate

By The Book

Duke’s Laurel Burk talks about her senior bucket list and the woes of being a senior.

Think you’ve got it bad? Rival compares astronomy classes at Duke and UNC-CH.

page 8

page 26

Tar Tracks

Out of the Blue

UNC-CH’s Lilly Knoepp discusses the topic that seems to be on everybody’s mind: politics.

Tired of seeing the same old people? Get to know some new campus faces you won’t want to forget.

page 9

page 27

Fall 2012 • RIVAL MAGAZINE

3

Pregame

quick, pick-me-up shorts

Secret Societies of Duke

BY JAKE KLEIN, UNC-CH DESIGN BY TASHIANA WESLEY, UNC-CH PHOTOS COURTESY OF DUKE UNIVERSITY ARCHIVE

4

Y

ou’re walking to class on a beautiful morning in late spring when, suddenly, a mysterious man in a red cloak comes up and grabs you from behind. While this may seem like the opening sequence to Scary Movie 12, it was actually one of the highest honors a male student could receive for nearly six decades. Welcome to secret societies at Duke.

Order of the Red Friars

The Order of the Red Friars was one of the most well-known (read: least secret) secret societies to take up the cloak and dagger on Duke’s campus.

Founded in 1913 to promote school spirit and the traditions of then Trinity College, the Order resembled a service fraternity during its six decades in Durham. They boycotted local buses in the 1950’s when fares increased, held secret banquets, and even donated a plaque containing the Aims of Duke to the University. The plaque remains, to this day, in front of the Duke Chapel.

The Order sought candidates who stood out from their peers, so many of its members were already at the top of the campus food chain. Friars would often serve in the Student Government and were occasionally Duke Royalty such as Randolph Few Jr, the son of Duke’s first president. Since the annual tapping of the next group of seven rising male seniors (dubbed a “Septemvirate”) took place in public, the identities of the Red Friars were not particularly secret. Many students negatively viewed the Order as the “Big Men on Campus” gallivanting around in red sheets thinking they were better than the rest of the crowd.

The Red Friars reinforced this view by rarely taking credit for their charitable actions.

RIVAL MAGAZINE • volume 8 • issue 1

The Order of the Red Friars dissolved during World War II because the fluctuation in the student body made finding new members difficult. Alumni of the Order reestablished the Friars in 1949. However, the Order was permanently disbanded in 1971 when its members decided the Friars had become too elitist. The Red Friars are survived by their 500 year old bell, “Charley”, which currently resides in the bell tower of the Kilgo Quad.

White Duchy

In 1925, the Red Friars created a female counterpart, the White Duchy, to promote cooperation between the sexes. Its members were also seven well-recognized seniors whose projects sought to benefit the student body. One of these projects was an academic guide for upperclassmen. Like an early version of Rate My Professor, this guide featured comprehensive reviews of teachers in departments from History and English to Art and Music. A religion professor was described as “…a brilliant man who takes an interest in his students,” while a not so flattering review of an Economics professor read “lectures are boring—tests are difficult—beware!”

Members of the White Duchy revived the Honor System in the 1950’s and evaluated the sororities on campus in the same way that they reviewed professors. Citing inner turmoil, the White Duchy would break up in 1968. Each year, members complained that unanimously selecting a new class was difficult.

Some members also felt that the group became too elitist like the Red Friars.

It is unknown whether any active secret societies still exist at Duke today. If so, the members are much more secretive than their predecessors.

{

Of all the elusive establishments at the university, secret societies are some of the most intriguing organizations that are not well known to the general public.

}

BY ALLIE BARNES, UNC-CH DESIGN BY TASHIANA WESLEY, UNC-CH PHOTOS BY ALLIE BARNES, UNC-CH

S

ince UNC-CH’s founding in 1789, certain parts of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have been shrouded with secrecy. The sense of mystery has fostered a timeless southern charm that resonates through the school’s ancient bricks and mortar. Of all the elusive establishments at the university, secret societies are some of the most intriguing organizations that are not well known to the general public.

Unsurprisingly, information about most of the brotherhoods is scarce and inaccessible. Some societies have made information available to non-members, but their records are dated which leaves the public yearning for more. Here’s a brief look at two of the secret societies known to exist at UNC-CH. Information about these societies was found in the special collections at Wilson Library.

Order of the Gimghoul

Perhaps the most recognized secret society, the Order of the Gimghoul, was founded in 1889 by five university students: Edward Wray Martin, William W. Davies, Shepard Bryan, Andrew Henry Patterson and Robert Wroth Bingham.

The society was founded around the ideals of the Arthurian knighthood and the legend of Peter Dromgoole, a UNC-CH student who mysteriously disappeared in 1833.

This all-male group, which include faculty members, is said to hold rituals and secret meetings at the Gimghoul Castle, located about half a mile from campus.

There are numerous relics of the Order of the Gimghoul housed in the North Carolina Collection Gallery. There are two black-and-red ribbons that were worn at an 1894 banquet and brass name plates of former members. The winged demon, the order’s symbol, appears on items like a face-powder compact, silver spoons, a menu holder and a wooden stamp.

Order of the Gorgon’s Head

This secret society was founded to “promote friendship, good will and social fellowship among its members,” according to the group’s official documents. The Order of the Gorgon’s Head was founded in 1896 by Darius Eatman, Edward Kidder Graham, Ralph Henry Graves, Samuel Selden Lamb, Richard Henry Lewis, Jr. and Percy DePonceau Whitaker.

The Order of the Gorgon’s Head was built upon the Gorgon myths in ancient Greek and Roman tales (maybe add a line about the Gorgon myths?).

The society is only open to male faculty members and male students who are junior, seniors or in professional or post-graduate classes. Meetings and events are held in the Gorgon’s

Head Lodge whose location in unknown to outsiders.

Wilson Library houses correspondence documents, invitations and financial and legal records of the group.

Other Societies

In recent years, a secret society named Infinity made a donation to the Eve Carson Scholarship fund in early 2011. The eight founding members of the brotherhood mailed a cash donation of $888.88 to the Daily Tar Heel, whose staff, following instructions left by the society, took the money to the UNC-CH Development office for the scholarship fund.

Very little is known about Osiris, a secret society that was founded by then-student Herschel Vespasian Johnson in 1914, who later became an American politician.

Fall 2012 • RIVAL MAGAZINE

5

Top V

places to grab a drink

UNC Chapel Hill

East End

Franklin Street is home to many bars, but East End is easily one of the most popular.

The dance floor, the drinks, the music, the comfortable booths, the beer pong… everything is perfect for a college night out.

East End is especially famous for Country Night; every Tuesday, entry is 18+, beers are 25¢ and only country music plays.

Wagon Wheel, anyone?

Top of the Hill A classic Chapel Hill icon, TopO offers tasty homemade brews, liquors and a balcony deck that provides a perfect view of Franklin Street. Behind the main restaurant and bar area is TopO’s Back Bar, a separate bar and lounge area, open to all guest who want a change of pace.

He’s Not Here Down on West Franklin Street, ‘He’s Not’ has been part of the UNC-CH bar scene since 1972. Generations of Tar Heels have collected “Blue Cups,” the bar’s signature giant beer cup you can keep. The trees on the terrace are the perfect backdrop on warmer nights, and the inside glow is enjoyable when temperatures drop. This bar doesn’t serve liquor, but that doesn’t stop Tar Heels from coming back time and time again.

6

RIVAL MAGAZINE • volume 8 • issue 1

The Station Southern Rail Restaurant and Bar is a charming railroad-spot, that sits in the heart of downtown Carrboro (its restaurant is housed in an actual rail car). The Station offers a quality alcohol menu and hosts Open Mic Nights on Mondays, Jazz Music on Tuesday nights and surprise DJs on Fridays. All Aboard!

Kildare’s Irish Pub This pub on Franklin Street is home to great food and great atmosphere. There are always bargains and great entertainment; Monday nightis Trivia night with 35¢ wings and $2 Yuengling beers. Kildare’s also has a dance floor and very friendly bartenders (always a big plus).

Duke

Alivia’s

Location, location, location. Alivia’s learned its business lesson well. At the intersection of Main and Gregson streets, this bar and bistro sits on prime peoplewatching real estate. Better yet, Alivia’s heaters and fire pits invite you to enjoy the outdoor cityscape even in cooler months.

Geer St. Garden Geer St. is a newer face on the food and beverage block, and the modest redbrick business is making a name for itself. Geer St.’s spacious and sparkling outdoor patio more than makes up for tight bar space inside and it’s wholesome menu leaves latewnight appetite whole-heartedly satisfied.

The Green Room This Broad Street locale allows you to get your buzz and game on at the same time.

Bring some friendly competitors to grab PBRs and shoot a few rounds of pool. Rack ’em up!

Bull McCabe’s Irish Pub

Satisfaction Restaurant

This popular pub is home to the best trivia in the Triangle, according to The Independent’s 2010 and 2011 rankings. Daily specials make your night out more affordable, and you can’t forget to hit up this Irish hotspot on St. Patty’s Day.

A list of reliable bars on Tobacco Road has to include a good place to watch a sports game. ‘Sati’s’ is popular for Thursday night Big Beers, when 32 oz. drafts are only $5.

If you’re looking to pair tasty burgers and brews with an afternoon football game, Satisfaction is always a good choice.

Fall 2012 • RIVAL MAGAZINE

7

Tar Tracks

The Circus of Campaigning

BY LILLY KNOEPP, UNC-CH DESIGN BY MORIA GILL, UNC-CH

S

o it’s November and you know what that means- all of the season’s colors are coming.

No, I’m not talking about the beautiful orange, red and gold leaves on campus. I’m talking about the red and blue of Republicans and Democrats voicing their strong opinions about the presidential election. I might even venture to say that their hatred for one another rivals that of UNC-CH and Duke (Go Heels!)

At this point in my college career, I have started to learn more about politics. The more I’ve learn, the more I realize that both parties have it wrong. Our system has become so polarized that it seems like no solution will satisfy everyone. Even worse, neither party is willing to compromise in the slightest.

I learned a lot of this working in Chapel Hill this summer for WhichWayNC, a political website developed out of the UNC-CH Journalism School. (Yep, if you read my column just before summer, you know I got what I wanted; to do something that has the potential to make a difference. Or, I at least got to inform some people about NC politics.)

I got to write and learn about issues like fracking, immigration and campaign finance. Each issue presented its own challenges. In the case of fracking, both sides use data the other side deems invalid. With immigration, each person’s story is so unique that making major policy generalizations difficult. And when it comes to campaign finance, simply learning the distinctions between PACs, Super PACs, 501(c)3s and 501(c)4s is enough to make your head spin.

I loved learning about all of these issues. Without sounding too ignorant, I have to confess that I learned a

8

RIVAL MAGAZINE • volume 8 • issue 1

lot of facts that I didn’t know before.

One fact is that there are solutions to the problems we face in the country and the economy. But both parties need to look beyond short term fixes to get themselves elected and focus on taking steps toward implementing these long term solutions.

Rather than focusing on these solutions, it seems as if the whole country gets sucked into the circus of campaigns.

My daily life this summer involved keeping up with the political roller coaster ride that is the campaign season. I scoured Twitter every day to find tales from the campaign trail ranging from predictions about who would be the GOP nominee to GIFs of candidates most recent slip ups.

The political circus is certainly entertaining, but if I start to think about the fact that this is how we choose the leaders of our nation, I often get very depressed.

There were many incidents this summer that just made me kind of sad.

But one campaign event specifically blew up the Twitterverse. At first it was very enticing, but now just makes me realize how much our campaign season has turned into a show of sensationalism.

I’m talking about the Obama campaign dinner hosted by Beyoncé and Jay-Z. It seemed like everyone on the Internet received an invitation in their inbox asking to donate to the campaign for a chance to eat dinner with the Obama’s and the hip-hop power couple. Don’t get me wrong- receiving an email from B is a very exciting occurrence and I would have been over the moon with excitement if I had gone to

dinner with the two most powerful couples in America. The dinner raised $4 million dollars for the Obama campaign, so obviously I am not the only one who feels this way. (side note: Microsoft Word is also a fan. It just automatically added the accent to the final ‘e’ in Beyoncé as I typed her name.)

But should we really elect a president because our favorite music artists support him? No. It seems like thanks to the circus of campaigning, the silly things the candidates do become more important than their actual policies.

In short, I hope that you did your research this election season. Make your decision based on real information rather than the craziness of campaigns. Now go vote!

lilly knoepp

is a junior political science and Religious studies double major at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

devil’s laurel burk

is a Duke senior majoring in English and Psychology. She is a Durham native and serves as President of the Duke Women’s Club Basketball team.

BY LAUREL BURK, DUKE DESIGN BY MORIA GILL, UNC-CH

D

uring a recent Personality Psychology lecture, I learned that the commonly referenced trait known as “Type A” is defined as being “aggressively involved in a chronic, incessant struggle to accomplish more and more in less and less time.” Our professor humorously suggested that any member of the class could appropriately insert their own picture next to Type A in the dictionary. At least ten students eagerly shared examples of their own aggressive multitasking or recalled becoming frustrated with people who embrace a slower pace of life. Of course, like almost all aspects of personality, Type A isn’t a “type” at all. It’s more of a spectrum than a category. Yet Duke seems to attract—or cultivate—extreme high-side outliers.

There are no fewer than ten orange Post-it notes stuck to my desk at all times.

They’re full of to-dos and reminders—an external hard drive for my often-fried brain. They contain extracurricular responsibilities, grad school application deadlines and other tasks (appointments, car maintenance, LAUNDRY is always in all caps). The never-ending list only gets longer, never shorter. I’ve talked to many friends who casually mention forgetting to eat, not having time to take a shower or referring to their significant other as a “time drain.”

advocate

None of my Post-its show any evidence that I’m a student taking a full load of classes. They have no references to academics—I have an entire book for that. If my extracurricular life is a treadmill checklist, my academic life is a house of cards. Each essay or midterm is a new card in the stack, each acceptable grade a successful act of balancing it. I feel a rush of relief rather than a sense of accomplishment with each move. Phew. At least it didn’t all come crashing down.

Add to this mess the apparent obligation to make a social checklist. I’m in my final year at Duke, but I don’t plan to offer any Senior Wisdom in this semester. I will spare you the pain of reading yet another List of Things You Must Do Before You Die (I mean, Graduate). Duke’s senior class council sent around a survey a few weeks ago asking about Senior Bucket List items.

Nobody is dying- why the rush to squeeze everything remotely fun you can come up with into eight months?

When I was a Duke tour guide, my favorite question was, “who wouldn’t like Duke?” Incidentally, I was asked this by a grand total of one prospective student, but my answer was, “Someone wouldn’t like it here if they expected their social life to be primarily relaxing.” You don’t go watch a basketball game; you jump up and down screaming for two hours without

food or water because you’re afraid to lose the coveted spot you waited four hours in line to get. You don’t drink to unwind; you drink to wind up. The weekend may start on Thursday (or Wednesday), but you will still go to late-week classes—you’ll just be exhausted.

I understand making lists of what you have to do, and I understand making a general bank of what you want to do. But mixing the two is a recipe for unhappiness. Your pleasures begin to feel like obligations. If X is on your Bucket List, but you really just feel like staying in to catch up on your TV shows, it’s hard to make a decision that is free of regret. You are going to disappoint someone—either you-from-two-weeks-ago, who made the list, or present-you. If you avoid the social checklist altogether, then you can appreciate whatever you end up doing without the burden of unnecessary regret.

I promised not to give advice, so I won’t tell you to do anything. I will just observe that all personality traits are not adaptive in all situations. I know Duke is very concerned with integrating residential life with the life of the mind, but the attitudes that drive academic success may not be the key to a fulfilling personal life. I wonder what would happen if we all toned down the Type A outside the classroom.

Fall 2012 • RIVAL MAGAZINE

9

Abigail Johnston and Nick McCrory, both Duke ’13 and both Olympic medalists in synchronized diving, just can’t keep their feet out of the water in Taischoff Aquatic Center.

10 RIVAL MAGAZINE • volume 8 • issue 1

Tar Heels, Blue Devils &

Team USA

BY LAUREN PAYLOR, DUKE DESIGN BY TASHIANA WESLEY, UNC-CH PHOTO BY ALEISE PRESLAR, UNC-CH

A

s Abby Johnston marches through the tunnel leading into the Isle of Wonder, she is not preparing to enter a mythical world as the name implies; yet the journey that has brought her to this wondrous Isle is a real life fairy tale. Awestruck and invigorated, Johnston and the United States Olympic Team are mere steps away from entering the Opening Ceremony at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Donned in a navy blazer emblazoned with the Team USA patch, a patriotic scarf, and a navy beret, the Duke Blue Devil is surrounded by 529 other incredible U.S. athletes in similar uniform.

Over the next few weeks, these athletes will go on to win a total of 104 medals, finishing at the top of both the gold and overall medal standings. However, in this moment before competition, the team is poised and full of potential.

As Team USA’s 530 athletes file through the tunnel en route to their grand entrance, the American athletes begin enthusiastically chanting “USA! USA!” Although observers likely missed this spontaneous burst of patriotic pride, Abby Johnston is sucked in by the moment and will go on to describe the outburst as the “coolest thing that has ever happened to [her].”

“The people watching on television couldn’t see those intense emotions,” Johnston recalls. “It was something I never dreamed imaginable.”

For most college students, this American dream can only exist as a figment of their imaginations. Yet in the quiet corners of Durham and Chapel Hill, athletic talent prospers, as proven by the outstanding performances of several Blue Devils and Tar Heels in the London 2012 Olympic Games. These two schools were represented by a total of 19 current students and alumni in field hockey, women’s soccer, track & field, diving, dressage, and men’s basketball on teams from all over the world.

For Duke senior and Olympic diver Abby Johnston, her de-

scription implies that the Olympic journey was indeed a dream come true. Regardless, she is elated to return to Blue Devil territory after such a wild ride. With one year of NCAA eligibility left, Johnston is looking forward to her last year at Duke and graduating with the class of 2013. Going back to school, however, isn’t necessarily an effortless endeavor.

“It is tough getting back, especially since I am enrolled in the pre-med requirements I put off, like physics and biochemistry,” Johnston says. “But I am so happy to be back and more active on campus.”

While the silver medalist is spotted most often in Perkins Library or at practice, she still manages to cheer on her fellow Blue Devil athletes by regularly attending football and soccer games.

Johnston doesn’t only enjoy watching other sports, however, but also loves playing other sports, such as tennis (even though she claims she’s “terrible” at it).

Underneath her Olympian glory, Abby Johnston is a still a normal college girl; one of her favorite things to do in her free time is watch romantic comedies with her roommates, especially “The Notebook.” A member of Duke’s Tri Delta sorority, Abby is also an active member of the Duke Collegiate Athlete Pre-medical Experience (CAPE), which engages pre-medical undergraduate females with mentors, lectures, and clinical experiences to avoid discouragement in the male-dominated field of medicine.

Through this program, she was granted an internship in the brain tumor clinic at Duke Hospital.

Although Abby says she would be honored to compete in the 2016 Olympics, set to be in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, her passionate interest in medicine holds other options for her future. Currently, the competitive diver has her eyes set on specializing in orthopedics with a focus on sports-related injuries.

The Duke senior from Upper Arlington, Ohio is not the only Fall 2012 • RIVAL MAGAZINE 11

“If I am too focused on the competition and the stress of the situation, it is difficult to relax and do my best. I like to stay a little removed from the atmosphere and enjoy it.”

- Nick McCrory, Duke

Olympic Blue Devil with a dream to save lives, however. Abby’s Team USA teammate, Nick McCrory, is also a pre-medical student on the Duke diving team.

“I don’t know what specific area of medicine I want to go in to, but, like the Olympics, becoming a doctor has always been a lifelong goal,” says McCrory, a junior from Chapel Hill. “After I graduate, I [will] consider my options and decide if I want to continue my diving career or go to medical school.”

The London experience bonded the two divers together and, according to Johnston, sharing the Olympic dream with a longtime friend was an exceptional opportunity.

“It’s amazing to be able to talk to someone else who can empathize with everything that I’m going through,” Johnston says. “We texted each other on the first day of classes saying, ‘I’m going to fail!

School is so hard!’ Being back at Duke is definitely a transition from the professional athlete life where all we did was train.”

Returning from his year away from school leading up to the Olympics, McCrory is also feeling the pressure of a demanding academic schedule.

12 RIVAL MAGAZINE • volume 8 • issue 1

“[During my year off of school] I still trained at Duke and practiced with the team,” says McCrory. “I was really happy with [this] decision because it allowed me to focus on my diving and [now I’m] back to school [and] ready to study hard.”

Over the next two years, the bronze medalist will decide whether or not to compete in Rio. “Right now I’m focused on being back at school and finishing up my NCAA eligibility at Duke,” McCrory adds.

The Duke divers share another important element of the Olympic experience: their families are crucial factors in inspiring them to succeed.

“I would not have made it to the Olympics without the support of my family,” says McCrory. “They motivated me and made it possible for me to chase my Olympic dream. My uncle’s [bronze] medal [for swimming in the 1976 games] really motivated me as well. I [was given] the opportunity to hold it and it made me see that with hard work, it is possible. It made me want one for myself!”

Johnston says she can’t compete without first waving to her mom in the stands. Her entire family traveled to London with her

this summer where they “stayed in a flat, came to every meet, and Skyped [her] every night” since only athletes were allowed inside the Athlete’s Village in Stratford, London.

“Talking to them helped me relax… and of course they loved being at the Olympics,” says Johnston. “They were the ‘typical tourists’ and would freak out when they saw athletes like Michael Phelps. I had to constantly remind them that he’s my teammate!”

Besides waving to her mom in the stands, Johnston never competes without wearing a bracelet upside down on her left hand inscribed with the message, “Dream a little dream.”

Her teammate can relate when it comes to the importance of pre-diving rituals.

“I always listen to music [to keep] calm and in the zone,” says McCrory. “If I am too focused on the competition and the stress of the situation, it is difficult to relax and do my best. I like to stay a little removed from the atmosphere and enjoy it.”

Joining Johnston and McCrory at the London 2012 Olympic Games were several former Blue Devils, including Great Britain’s Men’s Basketball Team player Luol Deng, who left Duke as a freshman in 2004 Abigail Johnston, pre-med Duke ’13, to play for the NBA; Lithuania’s Men’s Basand her partner, Kelci Bryant outside ketball Team player of the set of the To- Marytnas Pocius ’09; day Show, proudly Shannon Rowbury showing their silver ’07, a middle-distance medals in women’s runner on the U.S. Track and Field Team; 3m synchronized Jillian Schwartz ’01, a diving, a first for the USA. Courtesy pole vaulter on Israel’s of Abigail Johnston Track and Field Team; Rebecca Smith ’03, a defender on New Zealand’s Women’s Soccer Team; and Hiroshi Hoketsu ’68, a rider on Japan’s Dressage Team who, at age 71, was the oldest Olympian at the 2012 Olympic Games.

(Top right) Abigail Johnston (top), pre-med Duke ’13 from Upper Arlington, Ohio, competes in China with her synchronized diving partner, Kelci Bryant. Photo courtesy of Abigail Johnston. (Top left) Abigail Johnston, pre-med Duke ’13, strikes a pose in her second home, Taischoff Aquatic Center. (Bottom right) Abigail Johnston and Nick McCrory, both Duke ’13 and both Olympic medalists in synchronized diving, just can’t keep their feet out of the water in Taischoff Aquatic. (Bottom left) Nick McCrory, Duke ’13 originally from Chapel Hill,poses for a picture by the diving pool in his second home, the Taischoff Aquatic Center.

On the other end of the Tobacco Road, several female Tar Heels represented their alma mater this summer in London, helping to make Olympic history by contributing to the first-ever female athlete majority on the U.S. Olympic Team. One of these talented women was midfielder Tobin Heath, who at 24 was the second-youngest player on the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team. Heath graduated from UNC-CH in 2010 after winning three NCAA championships and a gold medal for the U.S. Team in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. In the London 2012 Olympics, Heath played in all six games, performing several crucial assists to win another gold medal for Team USA. Yet even as a graduate and a professional soccer player, she is still proud to bleed Carolina blue.

“I love being a Tar Heel,” says Heath. “I [am] part of such a close-knit community. We all look after one another and we love [when] our paths cross. I’m always looking for an excuse to [go] to Chapel Hill. The relationships I have with my former coaches and teammates are special because if they [ever] need anything from me I would do it in a heartbeat and vice-versa.”

A communications major from Basking Ridge, New Jersey, Heath was often seen skateboarding around campus to class.

“One of my favorite things to do in Chapel Hill [when I visit] is just walk around campus or chill in The Pit,” says Heath. “The vibe and energy on campus is totally contagious. When I’m back I just want to act like a student. I may even sneak into a class!”

In regards to her future Olympic aspirations, Heath says she is a “take each day as it happens” kind of person who “wake[s] up [each day] with the goal of getting better.”

While she isn’t planning four years in advance, Heath still has dreams to continue playing in world championships.

“Helping the U.S. Team continue to be successful, and of course playing in Rio, would be an absolutely awesome experience.”

Unsurprisingly, Heath’s “awesome experiences” in Beijing and London have only reinforced her desire to continue playing with Team USA. The midfielder’s latest Olympic appearance this summer showcased her growth as a player since 2008.

“I think Beijing was sweet because it was my first Olympics Fall 2012 • RIVAL MAGAZINE 13

and I was just in awe of everything, but London was amazing because I played an even bigger role on my team,” says Heath. “[Of course] leaving both Olympics with a gold medal [gave] me a good feeling [for] both places.”

Heath was joined on the field by midfielder and UNC-CH alum Heather O’Reilly, a three-time Olympic gold medalist who graduated from Chapel Hill in 2009. Heather, or “HAO” (pronounced HEY-oh) as she is also known, scored the fastest goal in Olympic women’s soccer history in 2008 against New Zealand, and as a Tar Heel, helped her team win two NCAA championships.

Other female graduates from UNC-CH played on the U.S. Olympic Field Hockey Team. Rachel Dawson, a 2007 grad, Katelyn Falgowski, a 2011 grad, and Amy Tran-Swensen, a 2002 grad, returned to the Olympics this summer for their second time after competing in Beijing.

Rachel Dawson began playing for the Women’s National Team in 2005, redshirting the 2006 season at UNC-CH while representing the U.S. in international competition. The same year the U.S. team won seventh place in Beijing, her UNCCH jersey was retired as only the third in the program’s history (followed by Katelyn Falgowski’s jersey in March 2012).

Despite balancing her intense athletic commitments as a player for a collegiate as well as an international field hockey team, the midfielder from San Diego, CA still graduated with distinction from UNC Chapel Hill with a spot on the Dean’s List.

“For me, the key to a successful life balance has always been simple: do what you love, and when that is not possible, find something you love in all that you do,” expresses Dawson. “Fortunately, in school and [field] hockey, I found two of my greatest passions: a love of competition and a love of learning. I learned on the hockey field and I competed in the classroom.”

The business administration major’s goal was not to be “the best or the smartest”, however.

“I sought the excellence of self-progress,” she adds. “I never viewed school and hockey as mutually exclusive endeavors.

I wanted who I was and what I valued to transcend all that I did, and that meant optimizing my time investment in both.”

Aside from her self-motivated drive to succeed, Dawson attributes her biggest motivation to “life and the people who live it courageously and creatively to their full capacity.”

“I can’t give you all the names [of the people who motivate me], there’s too many 14 RIVAL MAGAZINE • volume 8 • issue 1

of them,” Dawson explains. “But I think Dawson. “Through them, I have been you know who I am talking about: those able to stay pretty connected to UNC field people who live with big inspiring eyes and hockey. And, obviously, I am a devout Tar rowdy grins…those people who dream big, Heel sports fan.” live pure, and push the human spirit ever Other former Tar Heels who made an closer to divinity.” appearance at the London 2012 Olympic Although Dawson is not sure what is Games include marathon runner Shalane next for her athletic and professional caFlanagan ’03 and middle-distance runner reers, she remains confident in her love of Alice Schmidt ’04 on the U.S. Track and field hockey, her love of competition, and Field Team; discus thrower Vikas Gowda her hope for America to succeed in the ’06 on India’s Track and Field Team; long next Olympic Games. jumper Ola Sesay ’01 (the first female Si“I am not as good as I can be,” says a erra Leonean to qualify for the Olympics) humble Dawson. “I can be better, much on Sierra Leone’s Track and Field Team; better. And if our Olympic finish proved defender Robyn Gale ’08 on Canada’s anything to us, it is that our country can be Women’s Soccer Team; and Illse Davis ’09 better. We have more growing to do.” on South Africa’s Field Hockey Team.

Dawson’s own position in the 2016 Rachel Dawson speaks for each of these Olympic Games is currently up in the air talented Tar Heels when she affirms that but cannot be ruled out completely.

“After all these years, it’s still true: I bleed “Who knows…anything is possible,” Carolina blue.” No matter how high these hints Dawson. “I love an uphill battle [so] Olympic athletes may climb in their athmaybe Rio is on the horizon.” letic endeavors, UNC-CH will always be a Although she is constantly growing, part of them. The same passionate sense Dawson will never forget the place she of belonging holds true for the numerous called home during her undergraduate caathletic Duke Blue Devils as well. Like reer. In fact, there is not much the talented every alumnus, Duke and Carolina blood athlete doesn’t love about Chapel Hill. will forever run through these athletes’ “[As an undergraduate] I loved long, veins. And as every Tar Heel and Blue early morning walks to class through Devil knows, it is impossible to forget their campus, broccoli and cheddar pizza from glorious years competing, learning, and P&P, study sessions at Caribou coffee, and living on Tobacco Road. daily trips to the Yogurt Pump,” Dawson describes with a hint of nostalgia. “I miss early summer evenings at He’s Not [Here] and late winter nights at Players. I miss everything about Chapel Hill.”

But even more than she misses living in Chapel Hill, Dawson misses being a lighthearted and enthusiastic student at UNC-CH. “[I miss] the warmth and unity of the Carolina community, the freedom and diversity of thought and endeavor, and the passion and charisma of Carolina Athletics,” Dawson proclaims.

“Mostly [however], I miss my friends and teammates, and all those uncertain, yet dream-filled, ‘life is at our finger-tips, so let’s explore it well’ moments that we shared.”

Fortunately, Dawson does not have to try too hard to stay in touch with her alma mater.

“Lucky for me, my two younger sisters followed in my footsteps and became Tar Heel field hockey players. Meghan Nick McCrory, Duke ’13 originally from Chapel Hill,poses for graduated last December, and a picture by the diving pool in his second home, the Taischoff Melanie is a current junior,” says Aquatic Center.

the width and breadth of it STORY BY RACHEL FISCHELL, DUKE DESIGN BY MOIRA GILL, UNC-CH PHOTOS BY RACHEL FISCHELL, DUKE

U

pon arriving in Madrid, Spain, at the end of August, I quickly began adapting to the Spanish way of life. I am only just now beginning to realize Spanish culture is one of incredible depth and history.

Sometimes, the little things matter most. I’ve started to kiss people on both cheeks in greeting. I’ve tried to adjust to military time, but when I speak, time still works on a 12-hour schedule. (Go figure).

I now eat lunch, the biggest meal of the day here, between 2:00 and 3:30 p.m. and dinner between 9:00 and 10:30 p.m.. Not only are the mealtimes so different they might be called unhealthy in the United States, but the types of food I eat are distinct and even sometimes disgusting.

Recently, I received a salad with mayonnaise instead of Ranch or Italian dressing:

here in Spain, salad dressing simply doesn’t exist. I can also expect some type of bread at every meal, and along with some forms of ham or eggs. Whenever you think you’re done eating, there’s always more food to be consumed. You filled up on the giant plate of spaghetti you ate for lunch? Too bad!

There’s an entire chicken still waiting to be eaten. Plus dessert. And then coffee.

Interestingly, in any given South or Central American country, you can almost always find someone who speaks enough English to understand your question. In Madrid, however, very few people speak English, even though it is taught in all schools. I couldn’t really imagine living here day-to-day without being able to speak at least a little bit of Spanish, although I know it’s certainly possible because non-Spanish-speakers travel here

all the time.

However, Spain is certainly a great place for complete immersion for those who want to learn to speak Spanish well. All of the Duke-in-Madrid classes are taught solely in Spanish and we are living with host families who also only speak Spanish.

In a matter of weeks, my comprehension of what is going on around me has skyrocketed.

When I first arrived here, I had trouble understanding anything without lip reading, which of course made talking on the phone in Spanish a nightmare. Now I can sit in the back of a car with my host brother, with his fiancée in the front seat, and have a full conversation while looking out the window, no problem.

The city itself is gorgeous; the architecture is beautiful (I don’t think I’ve seen Fall 2012 • RIVAL MAGAZINE 15

16 RIVAL MAGAZINE • volume 8 • issue 1

a rundown building) and the streets are unbelievably clean. Every night around 3:00 or 4:00 a.m., people come to clean the streets with giant hoses and mops. Yes, they mop the streets of Madrid with soap and water. Every. Single. Night.

Another strange thing I’ve noticed is the seemingly booming economy despite the fact that Spain has officially been in a state of economic crisis for the past four years If you go out on the streets any day of the week, all the terrazas (outdoor restaurants, translating to terrace) are packed at every meal. Every discoteca (club) is packed every weekend with locals and tourists and yet still, somehow, the country is in a state of crisis. The unemployment rate in Spain is about 25%, so I often wonder what every fourth person is doing to be able afford going to nice restaurants and shopping districts.

Another interesting cultural shock nobody drinks water here. All of the Dukein-Madrid students are always desperate for water because most places will charge you for water unless you specifically ask for agua de grifo (tap water), and the water is just as expensive as any glass of wine or can of soda.

On top of having to pay for water, you have to pay for the bread they bring you before a meal, even if you don’t ask for it.

Living in Spain is certainly not cheap.

Despite all of these minor cultural differences, one incredible facet stands out to me– the cultural influence of the United States.

Spain has such a rich, unique culture and yet to them, our 250-year-old American culture is so fashionable. They watch almost exclusively American movies and TV shows, almost every shirt with text

is in English, and everywhere (especially in clubs), there’s often American music playing, even if some club-goers cannot understand it. American styles are very much de moda (in fashion) here.

I’m already sure that upon my return to the United States, I will be in a state of serious culture shock (again). Life in Spain is undeniably different from what Americans consider the norm, but in my opinion, that’s the best part about traveling. Being able to stay in a new country long enough to adapt and learn about the culture is an incredible experience that everyone should be lucky enough to have at least once in a lifetime.

Fall 2012 • RIVAL MAGAZINE 17

the lives of the

BY STEFANIE SCHWEMLEIN, UNC-CH DESIGN BY MOIRA GILL, UNC-CH PHOTOS BY STEFANIE SCHWEMLEIN, UNC-CH

I am an insider to the world of the outsider. As a mutt of sorts, I don’t feel comfortable at family reunions with either my father’s German family or my mother’s Chinese kin. I grew up in the American Deep South, attending primarily white, religious elementary and middle schools. As the product of an extremely non-traditional family in the most conservative part of this country, I felt a little out of place. More recently, I spent a semester as a Duke student, though I am a Tar Heel through and through. I have necessarily extended my comfort zone to include being the out-of-place weirdo. But this summer, while I was studying and travel18 RIVAL MAGAZINE • volume 8 • issue 1

ing across China, I learned that being an outsider often means much more than a bit of middle school-style social discomfort that I have experience with.

Discrimination is everywhere and it comes in many forms. In many cases, this sort of intolerance can seem like a permanent and impossibly high barrier to social equality, but it is often a hurdle that can be (slowly) worn down.

“You look more Chinese when you wear your glasses.” This odd comment from my research assistant was enough to get me hiding behind my frames every day I was in China. I had never previously felt such a strong desire to just blend in—to be in no

way exceptional or noticeable. But in China, looking different gets you more than just the long, unabashed points and stares that every foreigner in the country is familiar with. Taxi rides are longer, prices are higher, words are sharper and patience is thinner. I wanted to blend in for two simple reasons: 1.

I do not like it when people point and stare at me, and 2. It would save me money and time. Semi-camouflaged with half of my mother’s Asian genetics and an inoffensive Mandarin accent, I often got by without much more than a questioning glance.

Despite my disguise, I was often called out as a laowai by Chinese

outsiders nationals of all ages. This term for foreigner translates to something along the lines of “always outside.”

The phrase does not necessarily carry a negative connotation, but it clearly hints at the idea that the outsider can never be a part of the “inside” of Chinese society. Once an outsider, always an outsider. Children would light up and run to their mothers, screaming the term between bursts of laughter.

The elderly would often throw me a dirty look while muttering the phrase.

Others would give me questioning looks, muttering in wonder as to why this silly laowai with her big backpack was walking around alone. As a laowai, it does not matter how standard my Mandarin becomes. I will always be outside. This concept of outside versus inside is not reserved for the foreigner, though. Even within China itself, some are in, and others are out.

Traditional society in the Middle Kingdom is built on the concept of community, and if you are outside that community, there is not much you can do to weasel your way in. Regional

differences within China also create pockets of tight-knit groups. Northern Chinese can relate more to each other than they can to Southerners. When girls from the same province meet each other in another region of China, it is common social practice for them to grasp hands in a display immediate and unquestioned friendship, even if they had never met previously. Dialects vary greatly across regions (and even between villages in the same region) of China, so even sharing a common language can serve as an automatic link. The tie between two people from the same village can be as strong as that between kin. For those who do not share that tie, that immediate trust is often replaced with suspicion. For this reason, if a group of Chinese people relocates to another part of China, the experience of the relocated individuals can be similar to that of a foreigner.

About eleven years ago, a resettlement project began that has since resulted in the relocation of somewhere between one and five million people.

This resettlement was put in place to

accommodate plans for the development of the Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydroelectric project in the world, on China’s Yangzi River. The approximately 170-meter rise of the mighty river flooded the villages of millions of Chinese in areas upstream of the dam. Among the many displaced regions is Wushan, a county in the Chongqing municipality.

Citizens of the submerged county either moved up or moved out. Both options meant abandoning homes inhabited for centuries by ancestors who had populated the region. The Chinese government built a new city further up the mountain, and those who moved up occupied this new mid-level urban project overlooking the Yangzi. Those who moved out, however, encountered an entirely different experience.

While in China, I lived with a small group of one hundred Wushan migrants who moved out. They were displaced to a factory village outside Foshan, a mid-level metropolis in the southeastern province of Cantonesespeaking Guangdong. The move to Guangdong may have provided them with some economic opportunities, but it also scattered families to opposite corners of the country and placed migrants in the middle of regions where languages and cultures were far from recognizable. They arrived alone, could not speak the local language, and were not welcome. The locals did not care to bother with the new additions to their community. They believed these migrants to be rude, lazy and unintelligent.

After the relocation, the lives of these transplants were completely altered. With so few families to join celebrations, important festivals were diluted, once common ingredients needed for Wushan’s spicy cuisine were now hard to come by and close friends and family had been left behind or had moved to a distant part of China. They had become outsiders.

The migrants of Wushan, once farmers in the lush and mountainous Fall 2012 • RIVAL MAGAZINE 19

“Traditional soci-

ety in the Middle Kingdom is built on the concept of community” area surrounding the famously beautiful Three Gorges, became factory workers in a flat, hot, industrial region of southern China. Unable to speak Cantonese, they were socially isolated from the local population. When migrants and locals did communicate, interactions often resulted in frustration. The outsiders were shunned and resented, and they could not hide behind a veil of lucky similarities like I could when I came to China. Foshan was their new home, but they remained outside the established social structure of the region. The migrants were in a sense a form of laowai. Perhaps they were not from a foreign nation outside of China, but during their initial resettlement, it seemed that they would be, just as the foreign traveler, always outside.

The migrants of Foshan were displaced over eleven years ago. The hundred villagers are still struggling with integration in their new community.

They are still outsiders, but they are chipping away at the barriers that traditional Chinese society set up centuries previously. Their progress is slow… but it is progress. The children of the migrants attend elementary school alongside their local counterparts— and they are learning Cantonese. The migrant village head has taught herself Chinese to facilitate communication

between her own community and the local community. They remain outsiders, but they are chipping away at the ancient wall that divides out from in.

Being an outsider is difficult. By the time students like ourselves reach college, we like to pride ourselves in our unique ability to be inclusive to everyone of all shapes, sizes, and colors.

We insist that there are no outsiders.

Everyone is welcome in this diverse and open society we have built! Well… not quite.

20 RIVAL MAGAZINE • volume 8 • issue 1

Duke and UNC-CH alike often tout their commitment to diversity and inclusiveness, but there are pockets of fellow Tar Heels and Blue Devils that do not have a spot in that fold of acceptance. There are people on campus who might not speak your language (and I don’t just mean English). Not all your fellow classmates share your background—cultural, educational, financial, or otherwise. Remember that.

Be cool with that. Let’s not make our peers laowai.

The 30-Minute Road Trip Forget weeks of logistical planning for long road trips. A few minutes down the highway, you’ll find yourself strolling through North Carolina’s most prized historic hotspots.

BY EMILY MCGINTY, DUKE DESIGN BY TRACI CARVER, UNC-CH PHOTOS BY EMILY MCGINTY, DUKE

E

veryone loves North Carolina’s geological bookends. The western mountains burst with color this time of year, and NC’s coastline beckons visitors with the promise of sun and sandfilled relaxation. For the average student, however, a trip to Asheville or the Outer Banks could take weeks of careful planning.

Organizing a group of friends to clear an entire weekend is nearly impossible, and soaring gas prices don’t make longer road trips any more enticing.

Students with cluttered schedules, tight budgets, and a healthy sense of historical adventure can enjoy North Carolina beyond the Triangle without planning ahead or breaking the bank. The solution: The 30-Minute Road Trip.

Ground Rules

The 30-Minute Road Trip is a simple idea: an adventure outside the Triangle that is only a 30 minute drive from Duke University and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The 30-Minute Road Trip is also designed to include walkable sightseeing and adventuring once you arrive at a particular destination. Immediately beyond Tar Heel and Blue Devil territory, students can enjoy local food, art, history, and a soothing dose of small-town charm.

The main destinations explored here are Hillsborough and Pittsboro, two of North

Carolina’s lively historic towns. With one eye toward preserving the past and the other toward embracing contemporary development, towns like these have a unique place in North Carolina’s historical and modern social, political, and economic schemes.

Perfect for a special meal, a meandering afternoon, or a spontaneous weekend adventure, a 30-minute road trip is hassle-free and as relaxing or educational as you choose.

Grab your friends, hop on the highway, and learn what Tobacco Road has to offer beyond campus walls.

Hillsborough: Getting Started A brief drive down Interstate 85 South from Duke University will land you in the heart of Hillsborough, a town known for its art offerings and historic buildings. From the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a similarly easy ride on Highway 86 North and Interstate 40 West gets you to the same spot.

If you need at least a little direction when you arrive in the new town, The Hillsborough Visitor Center has you covered. Located in the elegant late-18th century Alexander Dickson House, the visitor center is home to maps, menus, and most importantly, people who can tell you where to go and what to see in Hillsborough. If you prefer complete spontaneity, you can start wandering and find outdoor town maps on a few street corners. Hillsborough, like many small towns, has consolidated shopping and historical districts, which make for easy navigating

and their answers will include something about the artistic flair that defines much of the town’s local talent and economy. A visitor could spend countless hours surveying the contemporary and antique pottery, paintings, jewelry, and crafts offered in galleries and shops that anchor the Hillsborough arts scene (consider this a suggestion and warning; your wallet could leave Hillsborough a little lighter).

A gallery that is particularly noteworthy for its variety and business model is the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts (HGA). Located on bustling Church St., HGA is owned and operated by local artists. More than 20 artists display and sell art in the shop, and the contributing artists take turns staffing the gallery during business hours. “It’s impossible not to walk around and stare for at least a little

Art Walk

Ask passersby what they love about Hillsborough,

Pittboro’s The City Tap hosts open mics and live music most nights of the week. Check out thecitytap.com for details.

Fall 2012 • RIVAL MAGAZINE 21

The Roadhouse sits across from the Pittsboro Courthouse, which burned down in 2010 but is currently being rebuilt. while,” says Michelle Yellin, a painter who studied Studio Art at UNC-CH and now lives in Cary, N.C. “The variety is enough to keep your attention.” Yellin’s prints are surrounded by a mixed group of neighbors: sculptures, wooden carvings, metal jewelry, photography and more. HGA appears to focus less on one particular material or subject theme because its founding principle is to house local art in a cooperatively owned and maintained space.

HGA hinges upon variety, which makes the gallery an appealing stop for a gaggle of 20-somethings or your art-literate relatives who want to explore the local craft scene. You can purchase postcard prints and distinctive jewelry for $2-$10, and you can peruse monstrous, highly complex works worth thousands.

Your visit to HGA will likely include a friendly and informative exchange with the artist on duty. There is no better opportunity to meet local talent than to stroll into HGA and ask about the gallery’s offerings and founding philosophy. There is also no better reminder to avoid tight scheduling --- leaving room for unplanned interaction is a must.

After viewing and chatting (and pos22 RIVAL MAGAZINE • volume 8 • issue 1

sibly purchasing) at HGA, you can walk a block back down Churton St. to another art hotspot. The ENO Gallery represents contemporary artists who mostly work in ceramics and painting. The intimate gallery space offers a quiet retreat after time spent wandering Hillsborough’s bustling streets.

An eye toward history

A trip to Hillsborough has to include at least a small nod to the history around you.

If you’re a formal buff, you can stop into the Orange County Historical Museum to learn about notable Hillsborough figures and view memorabilia from wartime periods and the Industrialization era. You can take a free guided tour at the Burwell School Historic Site, a school for ‘young ladies’ from 18371857, or stop into the Old Orange County Courthouse or current Town Hall, which once belonged to Chief Justice Thomas Ruffin.

If you’re a more casual historian –or just someone who enjoys beautiful old buildings and good stories – you can stumble upon landmarks as you go. Churches abound in Hillsborough, and although many of the

structures have undergone some restoration since their establishment, the buildings convey a sense of deep historical roots. Originally built before 1768 and the site of the N.C. Constitutional Convention of 1788, St. Matthew’s Episocal Church has been restored and includes an open churchyard. The cemetery’s stately gothic tombstones are viewable from the sidewalk, but it is worth taking a few quiet minutes to peruse the town’s history.

Local Food and Brews

No trip is complete without embracing the local cuisine. Hillsborough has deep agricultural roots and honors that history by showcasing local foods and beverages in its restaurants, bars, and cafes. The Wooden Nickel sits a few doors down from the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts on Churton St. and is bustling with customers all afternoon and evening. When asked, countless passersby prescribed the pub because it’s “a town favorite,” “the place you don’t skip,” and home to “some damn good beer.”

‘The Nickel’ does rotate a menu of local and seasonal beers in celebration of North Carolina brewers and ingredients. The pub is

beloved for its central real estate and conversational atmosphere. It looks and feels almost like a typical sports bar, but lacks the aggression and grime typically associated with one.

A menu that includes burgers and fries and a variety of sandwiches and salads could satisfy any group. For more formal dining, Saratoga Grill and Antonia’s are within close walking distance and also incorporate local ingredients into traditional dishes.

Pittsboro

The Town of Pittsboro lies south on 15501 from both Duke and UNC-CH (OK, the drive from Duke is a few ticks over the 30-minute mark, but it’s close). The town center itself has seen significant development in recent years. Businesses entering their second and third calendar years bring a contemporary feel to a historic town. Hillsboro Street, Pittsboro’s version of a commercial main street, boasts places to find antiques and gifts, hear live local music, or enjoy coffee and art with friends.

Things to Sip

Enjoy an old-fashioned float at S & T’s Soda Shoppe in the heart of Hillsboro Street.

The building has been home to sweet treats for decades. Initially owned by Doctor George Pilkington in 1880, the building housed a pharmacy and soda foundation.

The shop changed hands after Pilkington’s death and became a jewelry repair shop that sold ice cream on the side. In 1966, Gene and Vicky Oldham and restored the building to honor its traditional look and purpose. From behind an old marble counter, the Oldhams

now operate an old-fashioned ice cream and soda shop named for their sons, Steve and TJ. Pittsboro’s calm demeanor and pleasing backdrop make for an enjoyable evening getaway from crowded Franklin and Main streets in Chapel Hill and Durham, respectively. Treats for the over-21 crowd are abundantly available in restaurants and bars in town. Many of these spaces also host live music multiple nights a week.

Stephan Meyers, a bartender at The City Tap, says his friendly customers and lowstress environment mean tending “doesn’t feel like work.” The City Tap is around the corner the Hillsboro St. shops, and includes both indoor and outdoor space for eating, drinking, and listening to bluegrass, jazz, or soft rock.

Meyers’ customers swig their beers – many from nearby Carolina Brewing Company – with satisfactory sighs and converse with the approachable and unassuming bar tender.

Meyers, who lives in Bynum, N.C., exhibits the community-centered attitude that defines Pittsboro and commends the culinary prowess of his commercial neighbors. “Angelina’s [Kitchen] has absolutely wonderful food with a Greek twist and [The Pittsboro] Roadhouse is whole new cool place worth checking out.”

Although Meyers sounds generous to laud folks who might be called his competitors, he isn’t kidding; the just-opened Pittsboro Roadhouse and General Store is a place worth checking out. Much like S&T’s Shoppe, the Roadhouse honors its building’s original intent and design.

“The building was once a Chevrolet and Oldmobile car dealership,” explains restaurant owner Maria Parker-Lewis, “So we just had to (Left picture) Even the sidewalk has artistic appeal in Pittsboro. This boot-turnedplanter sits outside the The Tack Room, a new shop for gently used equestrian gear.

(Bottom picture) Historic markers line the streets in Hillsborough to honor community founders.

take that history to heart.” Roadhouse’s wall decorations include multi-colored car parts, antique car brands and painted gas station logos. A three-dimensional installation that borders Roadhouse’s ceiling depicts a vision of the old town center, cars included.

Parker-Lewis knew preserving a strong sense of place would be her priority when she opened the restaurant. “People stop in and say, ‘Hey my granddaddy used to fix cars here!.’” she says. “And that’s when you know that even though you’re in a new business, you’re in an old building that is an important part of this community.”

The Roadhouse is a catch-all kind of space: it includes a traditional restaurant, a comfortable café area, a stage and bar for live music and events, and a general store that sells locally-made crafts, jewelry, teas, and more. Parker-Lewis says she and her husband opened the Roadhouse because they believed it wasn’t enough to simply promote more rural but vibrant towns like Pittbsoro.

“You have to actually support and live locally if we want these towns to thrive,” says Parker-Lewis. “We have to think of this as a true center of commerce, and a center that values its older history and its potential for new growth.”

Immediately next to the Roadhouse is Pittsboro’s Courthouse, which has been under construction in recent years and is slated to re-open in Spring 2013. The Courthouse is a central feature of this town and is an easy visual for reference as you stroll around.

Hillsboro Street is also home to antique and gift shops that offer unique crafts with hints of country charm. Liquidambar Gallery and Gifts showcases both older and contemporary styles, since owner Kitty Mecham says “[she] can’t make up her mind so [has] a bit of everything.

The gallery and its neighboring shops reflect Pittsboro’s place in historical context.

Like Hillsboro, the Town of Pittsboro aims to look both backward and forward in appropriate proportions. Preserving history is at the forefront of Pittsboro’s commercial and political interests, but the business owners also want to attract visitors who may only stop for a beer or quick gift. The town strikes a balance by embracing historical charm on Hillsboro Street, and infusing that charm with a modern twist as you turn corners.

Students should explore the town themselves to understand Pittsboro’s strong sense of historicy and potential for growth in an ever-changing North Carolina landscape.

Fall 2012 • RIVAL MAGAZINE 23

Stops Along The Way

Just outside our campus limits and Hillsborough and Pittsboro’s historic boundaries lie countless sites for further exploration. On your way home from a 30-minute road trip, consider visiting another N.C. historical site, taking a walk in a state park, or stopping for a sweet treat.

Eno River State Park Botanical Garden 6101 Cole Mill Road, Durham NC

Stressed with papers, tests, and too many activities? Get out to the Eno River and wander through stunning wooded trails. In warmer weather, the Eno River offers fun swimming holes for friends and families, but the cooler weather showcases our state’s vivid foliage. Forget your academic and extracurricular woes; go take a hike!

2828 Duke Homestead Road, Durham NC 100 Old Mason Farm Road Maybe you’re not a fanatic of flora and fauna, but the North Carolina Botanical Garden is a perfect stop on the itinerary when family or out-of-towners come to visit. The kidfriendly space showcases North Carolina’s diverse ecological features and is educational for gardeners of all types.

Washington Duke Homestead

Maple View Creamery

The Washington Duke Homestead offers visitors the chance to see the earliest home, factory, and farm where the University’s benefactor first grew and processed tobacco. Duke’s sons established the American Tobacco Company, the largest tobacco company in the world. Next time you pass one of the Duke statues on East or West Campus, remind yourself to make a trip out to the Homestead. It is certainly worth learning about the economic foundations that underlie Duke’s enormous endowment.

As you wind your way to Pittsboro, you don’t want to miss a sweet-treat jem on the back roads.

More adventurous students even bike their way out to Maple View Creamery and say the ride is both scenic and well worth the sweet reward. Chapel Hill students will be familiar with Maple View’s commercial outlet in Carrboro, but the actual creamery is the real deal – more flavors and front porch rocking chairs with a vast view of the country. What could be a better way to spend the afternoon?

24 RIVAL MAGAZINE • volume 8 • issue 1

Athlete’s Corner A

ccording to the Mayan calendar, the world will come to an end on December 21, 2012. That still might give the state of North Carolina enough time to experience its own football apocalypse.

UNC-CH has a time-tested tradition of solid football teams. The Tar Heels have appeared in 29 bowls, posting a 13-16 record in those contests. They’ve won the conference championship nine times.

Many Heels have since gone on to stardom in the NFL, including Lawrence Taylor, Julius Peppers, and Hakeem Nicks.

The Wolfpack of North Carolina State University has sustained similar gridiron success. They’re 11-time conference champions, and in 26 bowls have an overall 1411-1 mark. Their football alumni boasts a pair of recent first-round NFL draft picks, Philip Rivers in 2004 and Mario Williams in 2006, as well as Torry Holt in 1998.

The last time Duke football played in a bowl game (1995), I was learning to crawl. The last time Duke football won a bowl game (1961), my dad was learning to crawl. Duke’s most esteemed football alumnus is Hall of Famer Sonny Jurgensen.

Bonus points for anyone who can name his position and the team he played for.

(Quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, for the 99% of you who had no clue.) Duke has a total bowl record of 3-8, so the Blue Devils’ Triangle rivals have more bowl wins than Duke has bowl appearances.

The rabid apocalypse theorists have overlooked a key factor in their analysis

of just how and why the world will meet its demise. Amid all the Mayan hoopla are promises of global warming, a shift in Earth’s magnetic field, a nuclear Holocaust, and a collision with a mysterious Planet X, etc. But the real danger to Earth’s continued existence is prevalent right here in North Carolina, and it’s a concept more radical than any of the wacky predictions listed above: 2012 could be the year Duke is the sole Triangle school playing postseason football.

This incredibly rare phenomenon could turn the universe inside out at the drop of a hat. Duke has been ranked in only three years since 1962, and hasn’t been in the Top 25 in the last 253 AP Polls. (Hey, that’s still shorter than 12 other schools.)

Once the owner of a proud, respectable program, Duke has of late been mired in football futility.

But under the guidance of fifth-year head coach David Cutcliffe, some of those atrocious streaks might be on their last legs. The Devils jumped out to a 5-1 start to the season, their best opening mark since 1994. The memories of a regrettable drubbing at Stanford were nearly erased by a gutsy performance in the rain on September 29, as the Devils stole a win on the road against Wake Forest, who they hadn’t beaten since 1999. With the tougher part of its schedule still to come, the Devils need just one more wins to be bowl-eligible (through October 9). Their best remaining opportunities to steal wins

against formidable opponents look to be at Georgia Tech on November 17 or against Miami on November 24.

Meanwhile, UNC-CH has been temporarily derailed by self-imposed and NCAA-imposed sanctions. The Heels are ineligible for a bowl in 2012, despite early-season success. With a manageable schedule down the road, it would’ve been easy to project UNC-CH bowling yet again this December. But we won’t be seeing any Carolina blue this winter; that’s the price of cheating.

Similarly, NC State is off to a 4-2 start.

The Wolfpack have a winnable schedule the rest of the way, and look bowl-bound following a huge upset over Florida State.

Besides Clemson, the Wolfpack have lots of expected wins the rest of the way, while Duke has to play all of the ACC’s perennial powers.

If NC State slips up down the stretch, and Duke can steal one more game, maybe the Durham community will have to ask its Raleigh and Chapel Hill neighbors for instructions on how to throw a bowl-game party.

Brace yourselves, Triangle. The end is near.

Ryan Hoerger

is a freshman from Duke.

He is undecided about his major.

Fall 2012 • RIVAL MAGAZINE 25

by the book:

IN A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY

In our By the Book section, we compare the syllabi of two similar courses—one from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and one from Duke University. This issue we take a quick look at the introductory astronomy classes at each univeristy.

UNC-CH

DUKE

course name:

Introduction to Astronomy

Introduction to Astronomy

course number:

ASTR 101

PHY55

professors:

Dan Reichart

M. Ronen Plessar

offered in fall 2012?

yes

yes

required books:

Astronomy Today with MatsteringAstronomy, 7th edition by: Chaisson and McMillian

Universe, 9th edition by: R.A. Freedman and W.J. Kaufmann III

number of quizes: number of exams:

at the beginning of each class 3

0

course grade:

homework: 25% participation: 25% exams: 50%

homework: 20% quizes: 15% observations: 10% midterm: 15% final exam: 40%

attendance policy:

mandatory

lectures optional, observations mandatory

beyond the classroom:

office hours, use of Morehead Planetarium

office hours, use of Duke Observatory

Starry Night for all

3

Students who don’t enroll in courses can still learn about astronomy by visiting experiential learning sites on campus. UNC-CH’s nationally recognized Morehead Planetarium (www.moreheadplanetarium.org) offers shows and events for students, families, and community members, and the Duke Observatory (http://www.cgtp.duke.edu/~plesser/observatory/) is known for its public stargazing events held on Friday evenings.

26 RIVAL MAGAZINE • volume 8 • issue 1

OUT OF THE BLUE David Winegar

Politics is something of a calling for David Winegar, the sophomore coPresident of Duke Democrats. Winegar’s political involvement began in high school when he volunteered to campaign in in his hometown of Cary, NC for local democratic candidates. The sophomore is passionate about organizing college students to participate in politics because college students are often perceived as apathetic constituents. According to Winegar, politicians will begin to represent students’ interests when students start to vote—he points to the extensive student involvement with the recent debate over doubling student loan rates as one of the key factors in Congress’ decision to extend low student loan rates for a year. David also finds inspiration for political activism from influential speakers such as President Obama, Joe Biden and Michelle Obama. Although David is currently studying computer science and aspires to become a software developer, he will always find a way to merge his interests and remain political.

By Akshatha Kommalapati, Duke (photo self-submitted)

Carl Becker a 20-year-old junior from MillwoodNew York, is majoring in Chinese and business administration at UNC-CH. During the school year, he is involved as a mentor and fund chair for UNC-CH’s Scholars Latino Initiative. He is also part of with the International Student Buddy Program and Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity.

Carl has been a intern for Heritage Auctions, located in New York City, NY, since July, 2011. The auction house is the third largest in the world, so Carl has been able to see some pretty impressive things. “Notable things include working behind the podium at a Natural History auction, watching a near-complete Tyrannosaurus skeleton sell for over a million dollars.” Specializing in numismatics (rare coins and paper currency), Carl has been collecting coins since he was around 7-years-old. “It’s my dream job,” Carl said. Addressing his Chinese passion, Carl spent this past summer in Shanghai, China. “I wanted to test myself and get practical experience of actually speaking Chinese with native speakers.”

By Allie Barnes, UNC-CH Duke (photo self-submitted)

Martina Bresciani

is a junior sociology major from Miami, F.L. New to North Carolina, Martina transfered from Miami Dade College after completing a two-year honors program where she recieved an associates degree.

While this is her first year in the Tar Heel state, she says that she especially enjoys the weather here and the school spirit. “There is a fun atmoshere here. In Miami, everyone is sullen,” she said. Outside of her classwork, Martina is involved in Tar Heel Transfers, a UNC-CH stduent lead program that helps transfer students acclimate to the new environment, social dynamic and work load. And with over 2,000 transfer students at the university, many are able to make lasting friends. Martina also likes to spend time sewing and making her own clothes.

Beginning in middle school, Martina took an interest to sewing. Her passion for creating and changing clothes stayed with her through her high school and college years.

“I’m really small, so I alter my clothes a lot. I can’t imagine what it would be like if I couldn’t do that.”

By Allie Barnes, UNC-CH (photo self-submitted)

Eric Le Yang a 2011 Duke University graduate from Beijing, China, is making serious strides in the Chinese film industry. Yang’s roots are in show business: his father, Lixin Yang, is a famous Chinese actor best known for his role in one of the country’s first sitcoms, “I Love My family.” After finishing high school in the United Kingdom and beginning college at Virginia Commonwealth University, Eric transferred to Duke and completed a theater studies major. Upon graduation, Eric assistantdirected “Aftershock,” a well-received drama that China submitted as its entry for Best Foreign Language film at the Academy Awards. Eric is currently wrapping up a sequel, and eventually hopes to become the “master behind the curtain” by producing films himself. Although life in the public eye has its down sides, Eric loves how his job encourages him to think on his feet and maintain strong relationships on set. The free swag that comes with big-ticket films isn’t a bad perk, either.

By Emily McGinty, UNC-CH (photo self-submitted)

Fall 2012 • RIVAL MAGAZINE 27

RI AL rivalmagazine.wordpress.com

JOIN OUR STAFF!

Contact us at rivalmag1213@gmail.com