<p>Okay. so I'm an OOS student from New York and I have never been to the south. As incoming freshman coming to UNC and want to know what the back to school festivities are like? I know Carolina has great traditions and I know they'll do something special to welcome current and new students. Oh and are people from the North, specifically New York, celebrated becuase they're from the big Apple. Just wanted to know. I'm very excited to go to Carolina. Go Heels. (Ain't nothin like that Carolina Blue!)</p>
<p>nobody cares that you are from NYC. in fact, if you make it a point to constantly bring it up, it will get fairly annoying, and you'll become "the kid who talks about being from THE CITY"</p>
<p>also, tradition = basketball. and some nonsense about kissing a statue if you're a virgin. school festivities = drinking (did you expect a moonwalk?). go unc</p>
<p>And I'm SURE what elp meant to say was, "Welcome to Carolina!"</p>
<p>LOL, with the student population over 80% from UNC, I would recommend not treating your fellow students like "hicks", but yes, you will be able to eat grits and sweet tea with about every meal at the food service. (and sorry, but you probably won't get any star status for being from NYC). But hey, we do have running water down here now, and most kids do wear shoes and pants other than hand-me-down overalls.</p>
<p>melo, you'll love the south!!! Welcome.</p>
<p>Honestly, I doubt people are celebrated at all unless they're basketball players. I'm originally from NY (Syracuse) and when I moved down here there was nothing special. I can't imagine college will be much different. Though it probably is a better idea not to go around flaunting that you're from NYC rather than letting it come up in normal conversation. Just my two cents.</p>
<p>(And yeah, they are real people down here and being in a city like Chapel Hill will be a lot less of a culture shock from NYC than a town like Elkin or something)</p>
<p>People don't care where you are from, you're not going to be celebrated for being from NYC.</p>
<p>Welcome, melo! I think you'll find the people at UNC are pretty "chill," and nonjudgmental, whether you are from the South, the North or from China. I don't think people are either shunned or celebrated, but you will be welcomed with open arms. </p>
<p>Don't forget FallFest, where all the clubs and activities congregate on South Campus. </p>
<p>Hopefully, you will love it!</p>
<p>While Chapel Hill is certainly tiny compared to NYC, the overall population of the Research Triangle (Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill) consistently ranks as either number one or number two in level of education achieved.....in the lists of America's "Smartest Cities" which indicates a fairly sophisticated and certainly more cosmopolitan group than more rural areas of North Carolina and other "Southern" cities. </p>
<p>I guess what am trying to say is that while it isn't Manhattan, it certainly isn't Mayberry either. Youll be fine as long as you don't exhibit any type of superior attitude. The thing you're going to find is that UNC and Chapel Hill are both pretty laid back and VERY friendly places that are extremely welcoming.</p>
<p>Welcome to Chapel Thrill otherwise known as Blue Heaven!</p>
<p>Don't forget about the tradition of drinking from the "well." :)</p>
<p>Not exactly a tradition, but Halloween is definitely a big celebration.</p>
<p>...and they call people from the South ignorant. Typical example of northern elietism.</p>
<p>Ok, I don't want to turn this thread into an argument but I do resent the northerner comment. Honestly, it's that sort of attitude that makes people from above the mason dixon wonder if they should venture into the south for fear of being called a damn Yankee and being looked at like uptight snobs. While I'm not saying everyone from the north is a nice person, you can't assume everyone wondering what it's like in the south is an ignorant Yankee with a better-than-thou mentality.</p>
<p>Anyways, I've heard of the well thing for the beginning of each new semester but are there other traditions including the well? And there are some other things that aren't so much tradition as folklore about the campus such as the big tree in the quad needing to be there or the school will close. I've even heard they cloned the tree in the event of the tree dying completely, it's already suspended by wires because of a lightning strike I think.</p>
<p>Even though I sympathize with my fellow Southerners when they get annoyed at the question at hand, I don't think your tone was too arrogant, even if the question was... well, in a year's time look at it again and see how you respond. :)</p>
<p>Anyway, from summer camps at Duke (gasp) and scholarship weekends at UNC, etc., I've found a common pattern. If you have an accent and it goes detected, then that brings up a conversation about accents. Then inevitably the Southerner will ask, 'HAVE YOU HAD SWEET TEA?' That will lead to a discussion about regional foods, regional activities, etc.</p>
<p>I hate it when someone from either region disses the other. For instance, the Northerner saying 'I hate Southern accents' or the Southerner saying the same. Or the Northerner insinuating that the Southern system is in any way more stupid or lazy than the Northern system in living. That's when I'm bothered, and that'll be when North Carolinians are bothered. Cultural differences, not cultural weaknesses.</p>
<p>My guess is you might find an occasional kid from a very rural area asking you 'what's that like,' but... celebrated? That image makes me laugh.</p>
<p>I could be wrong but I really think everybody is taking melo's comment about being "celebrated" out of hand. I bet she just meant that are people shocked or excited when they meet someone from the north because the majority of the school is from the south.</p>
<p>This is a joke, right? Although the percentage of NC residents is 80%+, the students aren't all from the South originally. Between Bank of America and Wachovia, Charlotte has imported entire suburbs of bankers and lawyers from NY, NJ and CA. There are so many transplants in Cary that the town name is considered an acronym for Containment Area for Relocated Yankees.</p>
<p>^^^I'd never heard that for Cary---lol--but how true!</p>
<p>I do not know about other students celebrating that you are from the Big Apple, but my daughter might. She has been wanting to go to the Big Apple, so maybe you could take her home with you on a break. It sure would save me some money. Just joking - have a good time at Carolina. My daughter is very excited about starting college.</p>
<p>Agree alcook, they could do a whole group road trip. My son has a friend originally from NYC area and visited there with her a couple summers ago--he loved the city. I'm sure he would sign up for a visit.</p>
<p>As far as the north/south thing goes, I'd say that although some 80% of students are "from" NC probably half of those are what you might call the New South: students who either moved at some point from the north or whose parents did. Most of my friends here meet that definition, actually.</p>
<p>thanks guys for all the replies..... Just to reassure, I wasn't trying to sound arrogant or boast my eliticity about being from NYC. It was a just a common freshman inquiry. Besides that, I'm glad that I'm being welcomed so warmly. I think the replies are indicitive of the campus atmosphere or at least I am confident its that way. Blue Heaven huh? I've been a UNC basketball fans for the past three years and when I got accepted, I felt I like was going to my uptopia. I think UNC is the perfect combination of athletic tradition and reputable academia. Tar Heels rule!!! And ummm.... I told one of my counselors about my acceptance (she's a dooky), immediatley she disowned as a student and began her rant. I knew the rivalry was serious, but man, I'm already seing signs of the fierce tension. Oh, before I forget, how do you get tickets to the games anyway? I badly want to go.</p>
<p>online system that gives everyone an equal shot at obtaining tickets. lame if you ask me...those who arent huge bball fans have just as much chance of going to games as the diehard fans...ridiculous. too bad...i was looking forward to camping out</p>