Idiot's
Guide to Carolina...
ESSENTIALS
THE ESSENTIALS: GETTING STARTED AT CAROLINA
· The Campus
· History and Traditions of UNC
· OneCard and PID
· Transportation
· Campus Safety
· Hours of Campus “Hot-Spots”
· University Services
· What’s Going On?
· Food
The Campus
Nestled in beautiful Chapel Hill, UNC-CH has an awesome campus, full of history and emotion. To most people, it can seem overwhelming because it is so large. We suggest you take advantage of the resources available to get to know the campus.
Jason says: “There is no doubt about it, Carolina has a huge campus. One of the best things I have learned is to carry a map of campus, free from Student Stores, in my backback at all times. You never know when you'll need to double check the location of that once-a-month meeting. Ain't no shame in looking like a tourist - I know where I am!”
Check out this interactive
map of campus.
Campus Tours—The University has several virtual tours for anyone to learn the campus.
· Virtual Tour – Geared toward visitors and prospective students, this tour provides an overview of campus.
· Facilities Walking Tour – Provided by the Facilities Services department, these tours look at some of the important campus buildings from a historical perspective.
History and Traditions of UNC
Jason says, “A history buff I'm not, but at Carolina, it is an obligation to realize the rich and intriguing history that surrounds UNC - the oldest public university in the
country.”
Carolina is full of history and traditions. All students need to know some of our campus traditions.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was the nation's first state university to open its doors and the only public university to award degrees in the 18th century. The cornerstone was laid for Old East, the nation's first state university building in 1793. Hinton James, the first student and namesake of the South Campus building, arrived from Wilmington, N.C., Feb. 12, 1795. By March 1 of that year there were 41 students and two professors, and by 1860 only Yale University had a larger enrollment.
Our school colors and mascot are very unique. People around the world recognize Carolina blue and white as it is very fashionable. Also, people know what a Tar Heel is. Check out Tar Heel Traditions, a site that tells the story behind our mascot, colors, and University Day.
Our school songs are quite important. The Alma Mater, “Hark the Sound,” is sung immediately before and after all sporting events. It is also sung at convocations and University events. In addition, you will hear other songs at events, especially during pre-game activities at sporting events. The libraries have set up a nice webpage with the words, music, and audio of our school songs. School Songs
Derwin says: “I made sure I learned the Alma Mater. The Alumni Association gave us a wallet card with the song, and I still carry it around to this day. Hark the sound!”
OneCard and PID
Your OneCard is one of the most important things on campus. It is your campus identification card, meal card, and campus expense account card. You will soon learn that you have to set up a campus expense account and use your OneCard to do laundry. Your OneCard is also your only way, other than cash, to spend money at most campus retail dining places. Always keep up with your OneCard, and get a new one as soon as you lose it.
Your PID (Personal Identification) number is also vitally important. It is the way the University knows they’re talking to you. Most people are asked for it so much it is difficult to list the circumstances you’ll need it. We recommend memorizing it as soon as possible. It will make life much, much easier.
Transportation
Okay, Okay, we realize that very few of you guys have parking permits. Therefore, you have to get around this place. The campus and the area have set up transportation systems for our use.
Chapel Hill Transit provides buses for the Chapel Hill and Carrboro areas, including campus. The exact routes are on their website, but we will tell you that the U and the RU routes are your friends as they are the campus shuttles. Check out the Chapel Hill transit website for maps and routes.
The Point-2-Point Service offers a variety of transportation
services. Disabled students may call for rides on campus, and
sick students who need to go to Student Health may call for
transportation to and from the doctor. The “P2P,” a part of
the campus glossary, is most commonly used to discuss the P2P
Express. It gives late night transportation to students. It
starts running after 7 PM and goes until 3 AM, and has several
stops on and near campus. If it’s after 3AM, you can call them
for a ride home. P2P
Website
Neepa says: “If there is one bus that I do occasionally use, it would be the P2P- it can be a HUGE relief when it's either really late at night, super cold, or you're just plain lazy. It is a great thing to use when you are by yourself. Sometimes it does take longer to ride the P2P as opposed to actually walking the distance yourself, but just use good judgment and decide what you want to do. I must admit, I have had my fair share of crazy experiences on the P2P, so it can be highly entertaining, especially on Thursday nights. But please, stay away from the wheels of the bus.”
Safe Ride offers late night transportation for students who need to get to various places off campus.
Safe Shuttle gives transportation to people studying late at the library. The new campus "Safe Shuttle" is now operating during the late night hours, offering regular service every 20 minutes from libraries, with pick-ups at the Student Union's South Road entrance. Sundays through Thursdays, 11:00 p.m. - 3:00 a.m., the shuttle delivers students to any on-campus housing location (including Granville Towers).
The Triangle Transit Authority offers transportation all over the Triangle area. This is your way to get to the Southpoint Mall, among other Triangle attractions.
The Robertson Scholars’ Bus is not just for Robertson Scholars. The service is an express route to Duke. Check the schedule out.
Campus Safety
We want to focus on safety at night as that’s the time when most students feel vulnerable.
First and foremost, stay on the “lighted corridor” at night. The school has set up lighted paths at night for us to walk on and be safe. There are emergency call boxes all along the lighted path, so you can have quick access to police in case of emergency. Emergency Call Box Info
Secondly, we suggest that you never walk alone. If you are alone, catch the P2P Express or call for the P2P escort service. Safe Shuttle is great during the week.
Be sure to program the P2P (962-7867) in your cell phones. You never know when you’ll need a lift back home.
Hours of Campus “Hot-Spots”
As you will soon learn, there are certain places that are deemed campus “hot-spots.”
· The Libraries: You have to read, right? Get to know the hours of UNC’s numerous libraries. Libraries Website
· Dining Locations: You have to eat, right? You need to know
the hours of the food sources on campus. Find
Out What's Open - UNC Dining
· Student Stores: If you want Carolina paraphernalia, magazines, textbooks, school supplies, computer equipment, books, or coffee, check out Student Stores.
· Student Recreation Center: To those of you who want to get
buff in the coming year, you need to check the SRC out. SRC
Hours
University Services
Carolina has some awesome student services, paid for by your student fees.
If you ever get the Mutaba virus from the movie “Outbreak” or if you have a cold, check out Student Health. Not only does Student Health offer a medical clinic, services deal with issues ranging from substance abuse to nuturition to stress management to STDs. Check them out to see what they can do for you. (LINK)
The Student Recreation Center (SRC) is the student opportunity to get in shape. They offer weights and workout machines, classes, personal training, fitness consulations, and other things.
Jeanne says: “I found that the SRC really does help all levels of students who simply want to exercise. Whether you want to lift among the sweaty guys and girls on the big machines or use the lighter free weights, whether you want to run on the eliptical and treadmill machines or just do some crunches on the mats, whether you want to fashion your own routine or go to a more structured butt and gut class, the SRC offers all of these activities.”
SRC Website
Campus Recreation offers intramural sports, club sports, and a ropes course, among other things. Club Sports are quite a popular part of campus life. Campus Rec
We hope that none of you will have to use Student Legal Services, but incidents come up where students need legal help. It’s good to know in advance that they are available. Their staff can assist you in many circumstances. Just contact them for details.
Student Legal Services
The Carolina’s Women’s Center offers many campus groups and programs on health and violence prevention. (LINK)
Did something break in your campus dorm room? Did you break the chair in your study lounge? Is the toilet overflowing? Don’t fret! Check out the people at Maintenance. They will take care of you. Send an email with the problem, room number, your name, and your phone number to fixmyroom@fac.unc.edu, and it’ll get taken care of.
What’s Going On?
There is always a plethora of activities going on at UNC every day. The campus events calendar has a lot of the things. Campus Events Calendar
Be sure to ask around as campus organizations have activities and the local clubs have fun parties.
Also, pay attention to the mountains of papers and flyers you will get in your mailboxes and under your door. Check out the bulletin boards in the dorm and around campus, and make sure to look at the big cubes in the Pit.
Food
Be sure you know about all of the campus eating locations. The Top of Lenoir and Chase Dining Hall are the cafeterias and are a great way to have fun and meet people. Everyone loves Chick-Fil-A, Burger King, and Subway. Be sure to notice the other restaurants there which serve soups, Mexican food, and Pizza. Also, Outta Here is the to-go option for people with the school's meal plan.
Don’t forget about the South Campus Mini-Mart with Subway and the Circus Room. These places give you late night snacks, among other things.
People don’t usually know about South Campus’ hidden food places. The business school, right across the street from HJ, has Café McColl, a cafeteria-like place, and a Chick-Fil-A. There is also a Wendy’s on South Campus, located in the UNC Hospitals.
The Blue Ram, in the Campus Y, is a convience store with good stuff and is catered by Cosmic Cantina for lunch!
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IDIOT's
GUIDE TO CAROLINA
. The Essentials
. Getting Involved
. Academics
. Discover the Town
. Thinking Long Term
. Jobs and Internships
. Thinking About the Summer
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