Blue & White Magazine: October 2013

blue&white since

1998

U N C - C h a p e l H i l l ’s p r e m i e r m o n t h l y m a g a z i n e

HORSE SENSE The UNC-CH Equestrian Team Jumps The Big Hurdles

INSIDE: Mix Master good ratio • Students’ Global Perspectives • Party’s Over: ALE Revealed O C TOB ER 2013 | Vo lume 16 | Is s u e 1 | w w w. bl u eandw hitem ag. co m | FREE

blue&white

UNC-CH Campus Box 5210 | Chapel Hill, NC 27599-5210 Editor-in-Chief COURTNEY LINDSTRAND Managing Editor JESSICA GAYLORD Associate Editor of Content Planning & Development KATIE JANSEN Art Director LISA DZERA Creative Director BRENDAN LEONARD Vice President of Public Relations RACHEL RONDEAU Webmaster DARA SCHWARTZ Treasurer CONNOR BELSON CONTENT STAFF University Editor ANA ROCHA Arts & Entertainment Editor WENDY LU Co-Special Sections Editor CAROLYN COONS Co-Special Sections Editor KATIE KING Photography Editor MARK PERRY Columns/Editorials Editor DALE KOONTZ Blog Editor ANISAH JABAR Writers SAMANTHA BERGESEN, ABIGAIL BREWER, DAVIN ELDRIDGE, BRYAN FRANTZ, SYDNEY HARRIS, CANDACE HOWZE, MEGHAN MCFARLAND, JORDAN NASH, NANA SIDIBE, MORGAN TRACHTMAN, HANNAH WEBSTER Copy Editors JESSICA CASTRO-RAPPL, SARAH CRONIN, MADDIE FLAGER, NANA SIDIBE

Columnists KATE ALBERS, ERIK AUGUSTINE, ESHANY EDWARDS, SARAH LAMBERT, STEVEN WRIGHT Designers CAROLYN BAHAR, DALE KOONTZ, SYDNEY NARAYAN, TARA O’CONNOR, SAMANTHA SABIN, KRISTI WALKER Photographers SHAE ALLISON, CLAIRE COLLINS, LISA DZERA, KATHERINE HARRELL, HANNAH MICKEY, MARK PERRY Bloggers KELLY ANDERSON (columnist), JUANITA CHAVARRO, LIZZIE GOODELL, DELANEY MCGUIRE, SHAWANNE WANG, EMILY WIGGINS (columnist), CLAIRE WILCOX INTERNAL RELATIONS Printing CHAMBLEE GRAPHICS | Adviser JOCK LAUTERER OUR MISSION To inform readers of the unique personalities, events and traditions that define the University’s heritage and help shape its future, and to offer staff members practical and enjoyable journalism, business and management experience.

Blue & White is produced by students at UNC-Chapel Hill and is funded at least in part by student fees, which were appropriated and dispersed by UNC-CH’s Student Government.

Email Rachel Rondeau at rrondeau@live.unc.edu for advertising information.

—————— Front Cover Photo By Shae Allison

table of contents 16

12

in this issue 9 A SOBERING REALITY In the name of student safety, Alcohol Law Enforcement agents work to prevent underage drinking—a sometimes challenging task in a college town like Chapel Hill.

12 A WORLD AWAY FROM HOME International students seeking educational opportunities in the United States make the most out of their years at UNC-Chapel Hill.

16 GOOD RATIO, GREAT BEATS Student DJ Trevor Dougherty, a.k.a. good ratio, is gaining popularity in the local party scene for his electric performances and catchy remixes.

19 BEHIND THE HEADLINERS The Carolina Union Activities Board, or CUAB, strives to provide the best entertainment to a student body that harbors a wide range of interests.

22 THE DRIVE TO RIDE UNC-Chapel Hill’s equestrian team finds companionship in its four-legged friends and among

in every issue GUEST COLUMN

8

Sarah Lambert

POP TOPICS 15 Erik Augustine

SIDE(LINE) NOTE

25

Eshany Edwards

PROFESSOR PERSPECTIVE

28

Steven Wright

ON CAROLINA TIME

30

Kate Albers

teammates.

www.blueandwhitemag.com

3

that’s hot Zero Dark Thursday

Tar Heel Town on Franklin Street and a blackout in Kenan Stadium on Oct. 17. Get pumped, y’all.

Dance Marathon’s 5K Race

With this year’s “Once Upon a Time” theme, we’re ready to slap on our spandex and go for a jog down the yellow brick road on Nov. 2.

Fall Break Sure, you have 3 midterms and 2 papers due right before, but come Wednesday at 5 p.m.?

FREEDOM.

Fried Foods, Clogged Arteries That’s right, it’s fair time again. If you’ve never been, we highly recommend you go check out those deep-fried doughnuts.

Free Movies in the Union Nothing says “I’m developing into a mature adult” like watching Monsters University with friends on a Friday night.

quad This month we sent our photographer Claire Collins to find unique fashion statements around campus.

4

OCTOBER 2013

in our A Letter From the Editor Welcome to our October issue and my favorite month of the year! I can be described as nothing less than a Halloween fanatic. I start a running list of Halloween costume ideas in the summer and usually have “the one” finalized by the beginning of September. Seriously. I love dressing up, I love carving pumpkins (I’m kind of a pro), and I love eating candy. And it just so happens that all of these activities revolve around and culminate on All Hallows Eve. I feel lucky to have picked a college town that shuts down a bustling downtown area for a night Courtney Lindstrand just so we students can parade around in our ridic- is a senior from Greenville.

She can be reached at ulous costumes. Although the spectacle has gotten lindstc@live.unc.edu. smaller since my freshman year for “safety reasons” (a.k.a. “fun sucking”), it’s still a great time and has given me some unforgettable memories throughout the years. Even if you choose to take a more laid-back approach to one of Chapel Hill’s biggest annual events, like our columnist on page 30, you won’t regret gathering a

opinion

that’s not University Day on a Saturday?

gaggle of friends and marching down to Franklin Street.

Now, if you find yourself under the ripe old age of 21, you might want to take a peek at our feature on the town’s Alcohol Law Enforcement team (page 9). I want you to enjoy Halloween, but probably not so much that you get an underage drinking citation. There are few things spookier than watching a police badge unfold before your eyes. On Halloween night and beyond, you may also find yourself dancing to a set by DJ good ratio (page 16). He’s already hit the stage with Diplo and Riff Raff, so I highly recommend you check him out while he’s still spinning in Chapel Hill.

If you just hate Halloween and all that it stands for—unadulterated fun and good times to be had by all—you can, at the very least, pick up some deeply discounted candy on November 1. If you don’t like Halloween OR deeply discounted candy, I unfortunately must come to the conclusion that you are a tortured soul, much like the characters on “Breaking Bad,” which our columnist analyzes on page 15. But for me, this is my last Chapel Hill Halloween where I can dress up in whatever outfit my heart desires and adopt an entirely different persona for a night, so please excuse me while I take full advantage of that and feel no shame doing so. Happy haunting!

Isn’t the whole point of this school holiday to get a break from class?

T. Swift Cast in “The Giver” News that our favorite childhood book is headed to the big screen is spoiled by the country singer’s unlikely casting.

Seeing Double on Halloween Spotting someone else on Franklin Street rocking the same costume as you is the ultimate Halloween buzzkill.

Group Projects

A reality of college that never gets easier with time. God bless Google Docs.

Breaking Sad If you’re like everyone else, you’re devastated about the end of “Breaking Bad.” See what our columnist had to say about it on page 15.

I love vintage style. That’s why I’m wearing this headband. This outfit is a combination of modern and vintage.”

Oby Grace, senior “I put this on the because the blue in the pants balances the blue in the tank top. And a tank top and pants, well, that’s generally pretty sick.”

Avi Goldstein, freshman “If you dress well, you feel confident, and confidence is key to a good day.”

Tia Andrade, freshman “My brother and I dress similarly, so we like to bounce ideas of each other.”

Phillip Maraveyias, junior www.blueandwhitemag.com

5

from the bell Academic Advances for Athletes In light of recent scandals in college athletics, such as the 2010 UNC-Chapel Hill football scandal involving academic fraud, Provost Jim Dean has created a new program to help student athletes achieve both on and off the field. The Student Athletic Academic Initiative Working Group, created at the beginning of this academic year, will look at the entire student athlete academic system to make sure it prevents future incidents.

“We’re documenting and examining each one of those processes and then trying to scrutinize whether that process as it stands will lead to the kind of quality outcome that we want in terms of a great education for the student athletes, or if not, what we have to change in order to ensure that we get there,” Dean says.

Dean says that the Working Group members—faculty members from admission, academic and athletic departments—want to make sure student athletes have the same opportunities for academic excellence as the rest of the student body. To accomplish this goal, members will document and examine each process that a student athlete goes through, from recruitment to course selection. Four different faculty committees will then review and suggest changes to those processes, and the decisions will be posted on a website open to the public. This will ensure more transparency in the athletic program.

“I think that this is a turbulent time in college athletics, and there’s a lot of discussion about what’s important,” Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham says. “I think the timing is good because there’s an appetite for the dialogue.”

Cunningham, who is helping Dean lead the group, hopes to help people understand how all the procedures involved in the athletic program work. He says he aspires to improve retention and graduation rates for student athletes, as well as give the campus community greater confidence in the established systems.

“I’m very excited about it,” Cunningham says. “I think for many, many years we have had an incredible athletic program, and students have been highly successful in the classroom. We will continue down that path, but I think it is very helpful for an institution to take a step back and analyze how they work together and how things function and to see if there are ways to improve it. I think this is a good opportunity to do that.”

&

Rameses walks along Fetzer field mingling with Carolina fans.

6

OCTOBER 2013

BY MORGAN TRACHTMAN PHOTO BY KATHERINE HARRELL

alumni profile: BRYAN TUCKER “Live from New York—it’s Saturday night!”

Bryan Tucker, a UNC-Chapel Hill alumnus from the Class of 1993, not only gets to hear these words at NBC Universal Studios every week, but he also helps decide what comes next.

Before the sketches that are shown on “Saturday Night Live” become part of popular culture, they are written by a group of comedy writers that includes Tucker.

“One of the best things about it is that everybody knows [SNL], whether you are 10 years old or 80,” Tucker says.

Tucker is now in his ninth season with “SNL.” The current season premiered Sept. 28. What starts with a Monday pitch meeting trying out around 45 sketches turns into a final show featuring six to 10 sketches that air on national television every Saturday night.

Tucker discovered his love of comedy in college, where he performed stand-up comedy on UNC Student TV and wrote a comedy play that was performed at the ArtsCenter in Carrboro.

“I have been doing stand-up since I was 17 years old,” Tucker says. “I just didn’t understand that I could make a living out of it until later.”

Tucker says the road to SNL was a difficult one with many obstacles along the way.

After college, Tucker toured the country with Selected Hilarity, a group he helped start at UNC-CH. After three years, the group broke up and Tucker moved to New York City to perform.

In 1998, Tucker began faxing in his jokes to “Late Show with David

Organization Through Anarchy The UNControllables, a student anarchist group created in the fall of 2012, will use the $4,005 that they were awarded by Student Congress to bring two speakers from Brazil to campus as part of the organization’s campaign to raise awareness about social inequalities.

One of the speakers was involved in Brazil’s June 2013 uprisings. The other speaker, who has been involved with social movements in Brazil, will discuss milestones that led to the protests. The group says bringing the two speakers will help the student body realize that things are not only changing in Brazil, North Africa and Turkey but also on UNC-Chapel Hill’s campus.

The UNControllables, which has no clear criteria for membership, encourages students to attend its events and engage in critical discussion; the group’s aim is to inspire students to fight against any form of injustice.

Vincent Neuman, a religious studies doctoral student and member of the UNControllables, says a starting point could be the boycott of sweatshop manufactured merchandise sold in UNC-CH Student Stores.

“We want a student body that is more rebellious,” Neuman says.

“People don’t have to be anarchists to do that.”

The latest event held by the UNControllables was a fundraiser for College Republicans. The aim of the fundraiser was to help College Republicans raise the equivalent of the amount denied by Student Congress. Peter McClelland, the president of the UNC College Republicans, had accused Student Congress of favoring liberal organizations.

“It’s funny that [the UNC Young Democrats and UNC Young Repub-

to the well Alec Baldwin has hosted “SNL” 16 times, the most in the show’s history.

Letterman.” If his jokes were chosen to be on television, he received $100.

During the next six years, Tucker brought his comedy writing talents to several popular shows, including “The Chris Rock Show,” “Chappelle’s Show” and “MADtv.” Working for “Chappelle’s Show” boosted Tucker’s reputaSource: Buzzfeed.com tion in the industry. As a result, he was recommended to “Saturday Night Live” and has been writing for the show since 2005.

Not only does Tucker get to write jokes for a living, he has also met many of America’s household names.

“I said ‘hello’ to Sarah Palin as she walked down the hall,” Tucker says.

Through “SNL,” Tucker has met Steve Martin, Tom Hanks and Robert De Niro, just to name a few. He also knew Jason Sudekis before he made it big in the film industry.

“Because of ‘SNL’ history and clout, we get so many famous people that I have gotten to meet so many of my idols,” Tucker says.

Tucker says he owes his successes—including writing jokes for people like LeBron James—to the artistic encouragement he received at UNC-CH. “Going to Carolina really helped me and was an important part of my past,” Tucker says. “I don’t think if I had gone to the other schools I applied to that I would be on the path that I am today.”

&

BY JORDAN NASH PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRYAN TUCKER & CAROL PERRY

licans] are accusing us of being on one side of the political spectrum when what we are trying to say is that there are more options and ways to think in this world than just being Republican or Democrat,” says James Murphey, a junior Latin American studies and mathematics double major and Junior James Murphey gives a speech regarding funding for treasurer of the UNConcampus organizations in front of the Old Well. trollables. “In fact, we are against political parties.”

Other members said they were drawn to the UNControllables due to its apolitical stance.

“I have always deviated in the political norm,” says James Wingard, a junior philosophy major from Charlotte and member of the UNControllables. “[UNControllables] is a dream come true.”

The negative connotation associated with anarchist groups isn’t something that worries the UNControllables, who perceive anarchy as a way to achieve self-organization.

“Anarchists gesture toward peace rather than war and chaos,” Neuman says.

Top: Tucker on the “SNL” set with Jason Sudekis and Ashton Kutcher.

Bottom: Tucker gives UNC-CH’s Jeff MacNelly Lecture, presenting “A Comic’s View of the 2012 U.S. Presidential Election.”

The thing worse than rebellion is the thing that causes rebellion.

— FREDERICK DOUGLASS

&

BY NANA SIDIBE PHOTOS BY HANNAH MICKEY

www.blueandwhitemag.com

7

Guest Column Sarah Lambert

is a junior from Winter Park, Fla. She can be reached at lambert7@live.unc.edu.

8

OCTOBER 2012

TAKING A TIMEOUT Like any other child of the ’90s, I’m fairly well-versed in all things “Friends.” I flip people off using my wrists, I shout “Pivot!” when moving furniture, and I delight in obnoxiously posting “Friends”-related Buzzfeed articles to my friends’ Facebook walls. I even refer to soulmates as each other’s lobsters.

If you are at all familiar with the show, you’ll know that dysfunctional couple Ross and Rachel had a series-long courtship, thwarted early on

by Ross’s one-night stand with a copy shop girl.

This led to an iconic running joke in which Ross defensively yells, “We were on a break!” whenever he is accused of cheating on Rachel.

But what exactly does “on a break” mean? Is it closer to Rachel’s definition, where all parties involved remain faithful during the separation?

Or is it essentially breaking up, with the probable chance of getting back together in a few weeks?

I know that everyone’s dating and relationship journey is different. Some couples date for a month, get married and live out their golden years more in love than the day they met. Others date for 10 years, get married and start talking about divorce six months later. There are no rights or wrongs.

That said, I think breaks are a mistake. They are break-ups for the break-up reluctant. They’re a coward’s escape hatch in a relationship. Or, even worse, a seedy couple’s excuse to enjoy all the luxuries of monogamy while occasionally getting some on the side. “But we were broken up, so it wasn’t cheating,” friends tell me. Then I watch, horrified, as they reconnect with their exes—business as usual.

I know that as Millenials, most of us think we can have our cake and eat it too. We feel entitled to have the perfect significant other because years of rom-com viewing have convinced us so.

Some liken college to a buffet, so if pizza isn’t fulfilling your needs, why not try a burger? Sure, you and the pizza are in a committed relationship, but lately his cheesiness is super irritating. You tell the pizza you need a break and go eat that burger…with every intention of going back to the pizza. Possibly even marrying the pizza.

Maybe I’m naïve, but I think that if you feel the urgent need to hook up with someone that is not your significant other, you shouldn’t be in a serious relationship.

You’re 20 years old, for goodness’ sake—play the field! If you’ve previously discussed a swingers-style dating situation with your S.O., then more power to you. As long as it’s not domestic violence or murder or kicking puppies, I support your decision.

However, if your interpretation of “taking a break” is snogging several seniors over fall break and then mending fences with your on-again, off-again beau, step back and reevaluate your relationship.

Once you’ve made the decision to be in a long-term relationship, you’re either all in or all out. No breaks, just break-ups.

Don’t fret though. A break-up doesn’t mean you shut the door completely on a relationship. You’re taking an appropriate amount of time (i.e. not two weeks) to maturely reassess your feelings. It worked for Kate Middleton, didn’t it?

Way back in 2007, before baby Prince George was even a flicker in her eye, young Kate was uncertain about her future with William. The media cruelly dubbed her “Waity Katie,” because even though William liked it, he wasn’t putting a ring on it any time soon.

With the paparazzi documenting her every move, Kate realized that she wasn’t ready for life among royals. She needed some time to mature, some time to clear her head, some time to watch polo matches. She needed a real break.

As we all know, she and Will reunited and lived out the world’s favorite love story.

But I’m willing to bet that Kate didn’t use her time away from her now-husband to hook up with Prince Carl Philip of Sweden.

That being said, I promise that when you find your lobster, going on a break of any kind won’t even be on your mind.

&

by abigail brewer photos by mark perry design by lisa dzera

A SOBERING

REALITY Trish Halsey, the director of Carpe Diem Alcohol Education Program, fills out paperwork in the Chapel Hill courthouse on Franklin Street.

Underage drinking on college campuses isn’t a new concept.

However, the Chapel Hill police department is cracking down and ticketing students in the hopes of teaching them a lesson.

j

JEFF LASSITER CAN WALK INTO A BAR, read patrons’ body language and get a good feel for who might be underage. For the past 24 years, Lassiter, a special agent for Alcohol Law Enforcement, has devoted his career to enforcing drug and alcohol laws.

“Chapel Hill is a little different in that a majority of the people going into a lot of the places are underage,” Lassiter says.

www.blueandwhitemag.com

9

Halsey talks with a student about the aims of the Carpe Diem Alcohol Education Program.

Research by the National Institutes of Health reveals that 80 percent of college students drink alcohol. Most students turn 21 during their junior year of college, meaning many students at colleges and universities are drinking underage.

Lassiter says although he may be unpopular among the students he tickets, he feels his job is rewarding and knows it is important.

“We just don’t know how many lives we can save from educating people,” he says.

THE TICKETING

It’s Friday night, and a house 10 minutes from campus is hosting what is supposed to be the party of the year.

Students flood in and music blasts from a DJ booth inside the house. Red cups in hand, students are just hanging out and talking to each other—that is, until they see flashing lights approaching.

In an instance like this, the Alcohol Law Enforcement Reaction Team (ALERT) has the authority to enter the home. The team, which consists of officers from the Chapel Hill, Carrboro and UNC Police Departments, and occasionally the Orange County ALE, focuses on open container violations and underage possession.

“ALE will join us on ALERT operations and split the

10

OCTOBER 2013

town into sections that each of us work,” says Mike Mineer, an ALE investigator with the Chapel Hill Police Department.

Generally, when ALE officers and agents enter bars, they do so because they’ve received a complaint from the public, says Lassiter. These officers, who are not required to wear a uniform when conducting operations, have been trained to recognize suspicious behavior in bars. If they see anything out of the ordinary, they may inform the manager.

“If we see somebody that is underage and they have a beer in their hands, we will walk up and identify ourselves as ALE agents,” he says. “We will show credentials and a badge.”

Lassiter recommends that students show their real ID when approached by an ALE officer. “It makes things easier on everybody if the person give their ID and not fabricate any kind of story.”

Showing an ALE officer a fake ID could also result in losing your license, Lassiter warns.

Mineer stresses that officers don’t ticket simply for the sake of ticketing.

“The Chapel Hill Police Department takes underage drinking very serious,” he says. “This attitude is not just an enforcement-based philosophy but is focused on the wellbeing and safety of the underage drinker.”

Research shows alcohol negatively impacts brain development in those under 25 years of age. Drinking may relax the drinker in the short term, but in the long term, drinking too much alcohol can disrupt how neurotransmitters behave.

Neurotransmitters are responsible for carrying messages to neurons in the brain. These neurons then convert information into signals the brain can understand. When excessive amounts of alcohol are consumed, the neurotransmitters may fail to fire signals correctly, and in turn individuals can experience behavior changes, memory loss and seizures.

It’s not just the physical well-being of students that concerns officers—they take mental health into consideration, as well.

“A young person in an impaired state may make other decisions that impact their life, like getting behind the wheel of a vehicle, endangering others and themselves,” Mineer says.

Lassiter says ALE investigates accidents where alcohol has been involved to trace back the source of the alcohol.

“It’s often very important for the family that they know where the underage child was drinking. In those cases we do file criminal charges,” Lassiter says.

Mineer says that UNC-Chapel Hill does a great job educating students on issues related to alcohol, and students should take advantage of the tools provided to them by the University.

THE AFTERMATH

Although UNC-CH offers a variety of preventative programs aimed at teaching alcohol safety, there is one tool available to students after they get in trouble with the law.

This October marks five years since the doors of the Carpe Diem Alcohol Education Program, which is partnered with the University, opened to students. The program educates students on the facts of alcohol after they’ve received a drinking citation.

When a student appears in court for his or her first drinking citation, the district attorney will often give the student the opportunity to complete an alcohol education course or perform community service in exchange for getting his or her record expunged.

Expungement is especially important for college students who plan on applying to jobs or graduate school in the future. After completing the court-mandated activities, a student is able to complete job and school applications without worrying about a criminal record.

Trish Halsey, the director of the Carpe Diem Alcohol Education Program, says she created the program after college students complained that mandated alcohol education programs weren’t meeting their needs because the students couldn’t relate to the information conveyed in the course.

“I wanted to create a program that would be useful to students and that would provide them with information they could walk away with,” Halsey says.

Carpe Diem’s courses allow students’ records to be expunged six months after completion. In the short period of time since the program has been opened, Carpe Diem has worked with more than 900 students.

Each class consists of 15 to 19 students, and sessions take place in the fall, spring and summer. At the beginning of every session, students learn how much alcohol is in some of their drinks.

“I remember being a little surprised to find out that such a small amount of vodka or rum is equal to a can of beer,” a former Carpe Diem student says. “I didn’t know a can of beer contains the same amount of alcohol as five ounces of wine, or one shot of liquor.”

Although students discuss alcohol, Halsey says one of the most important things she teaches her students is how to relax while remaining sober.

“College students are so busy that it gives them a chance to have a little bit of time to themselves,” she says. “If they are using alcohol to relax, [the class teaches] them another technique to do this.”

In addition to helping improve students’ lives, the course can also improve the lives of these students’ friends. The course teaches students the symptoms of alcohol poisoning so students are able to help others if necessary.

“We want to enhance their college experience,” Halsey says. “They can reevaluate their goals they hope to achieve in the future.”

Halsey’s goal for the program certainly has had an effect on some of its participants.

“It was nice to take a step back from that college drinking culture,” says the former Carpe Diem student.

“I’ve learned skills that will help me here in college and after, too.”

&

www.blueandwhitemag.com

11

Wei Zhou views Asian art at the Ackland Art Museum. Zhou said that the artwork makes her feel more connected to home.

A WORLD AWAY FROM HOME by samantha bergeson photos by claire collins design by sydney narayan

Students from across the globe attend UNC-Chapel Hill for a worldrenowned education. The growing international student body at UNCCH immerses themselves not only in campus life, but also in a new culture.

12

OCTOBER 2013

t

TO POLITICAL SCIENCE MAJOR WEI ZHOU, the greatest part of living in the United States is Subway.

“It’s the best!” the freshman declares, giving two thumbs-up.

Unfortunately, there is no Subway in Zhou’s hometown of Jong Jo, China, so she’s been making up for lost time.

UNC-Chapel Hill has rapidly been attracting more and more international students from places as far away as Morocco and South Korea. The overall percentage of foreign students has increased by 63 percent over the past five years, according to UNC News. Approximately 2 percent of each class is comprised of international students, and students in the class of 2017 hail from 25 different countries.

Left: Zak Merdi, a Morehead-Cain Scholar from Morrocco, sits in the Arboretum, one of his favorite places on campus.

Right: Jason Wang, an international student from China, stands in front of the Bell Tower.

The reason many international students cite for voyaging to UNC-CH is the opportunity to receive an unparalleled education. While each student has his or her own story of how the University came to their attention, many tales involve fate and Michael Jordan.

All of Zakaria Merdi’s roommates from the South African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg ended up in North Carolina, either at Duke or UNC-CH. “I don’t know if I lucked out or if it was just meant to be,” the sophomore says.

After applying to schools in the United States, France, the United Kingdom and Morocco, Merdi was accepted into the Morehead-Cain Scholars Program and chose to attend UNC-CH. Although the transition to American life wasn’t entirely seamless, Merdi was well-prepared after spending two years at a South African boarding school away from his family and friends in Morocco. He traveled back to his hometown of Agadir twice last year, but this year he hopes to spend school breaks exploring the United States with his twin brother, who attends the University of Pennsylvania. “[My] family wants me to take advantage of other opportunities out here….[it’s] worth the sacrifice,” he says.

Merdi is spreading his international knowledge to fellow students by working as a teaching assistant in a global studies course this semester. He is also the undergraduate representative of the International Affairs Advisory Council, a student government organization that brings together heads of departments with an international focus to help channel and guide UNC-CH’s global impact. In addition, he hopes to build exchange programs between the University and Moroccan institutions. Such programs would involve faculty residencies abroad and adopting Moroccan sister schools for UNC-CH students.

“I feel like UNC, as one of the best research universities in the U.S., has the potential to be useful to policymakers outside of the United States as well,” Merdi says.

Merdi plans to return to Morocco after graduating with a degree in public policy and political science. He says he hopes to apply his majors by working with the Moroccan government. Even though Merdi wants to go back to Morocco, he realizes the value of learning different international perspectives.

“That’s why I’m very grateful that I get to have access to higher education in the U.S.,” Merdi says.

Not all international students studying at UNC-CH plan on returning to their home countries after college. Junior Zimeng Wang wants to move to Silicon Valley after he graduates. The information science major is already going after his dream by attending job fairs on campus and speaking with representatives from companies like Google.

Wang, who is originally from Xi’an, China, grew up hearing about UNC-CH because his uncle attended Duke University. Despite the family rivalry, UNC-CH was an easy choice, says Wang, because it is one of the cheapest “Top 50” universities. “And because of Michael Jordan,” he quickly adds.

Wang prefers to go by Jason because of the difficulty people often have pronouncing his Chinese name. Why Jason? The moniker was given to him when he was five years old by his English teacher, and he’s used it ever since.

Although he already had an English name picked out and has been preparing to attend college in the U.S. since the eighth grade, his first time in America was the day he moved into his freshman dorm.

Regardless, Wang’s transition to an American college proved to be a smooth one. “Everyone is friendly, so you [can] very easily get involved on campus,” Wang says.

www.blueandwhitemag.com

13

Wang wasted no time jumping into life as a Tar Heel.

He is president of the Chinese Undergraduate Student Association and has participated in Model United Nations, Postcards for Progress, the Undergraduate Association for Information Science Students and several other student groups on campus. Wang cites the freedom enjoyed in America as the reason for his extensive on-campus involvement.

“For college life, we are free to do anything. We are free to speak. We are free to do what we want. We are free to major in anything we want. But in China, majors are set and student groups are not [a big deal],” Wang explains.

For students like Wang, Zhou and Merdi, the integration into university life is facilitated through the International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS), which offers advising and American host families to students.

Zhou credits the ISSS for helping her become more comfortable speaking English. Even though Zhou spent some time at an Indiana high school as part of an exchange program, she has only been speaking English for little over a year. She definitely knows how to pronounce most key terms for a college student, like the word party.

“They party a lot here. I live in Hinton James and they party until 2 or 3 a.m.,” Zhou says, laughing. “I feel like it’s so awkward to dance or drink.”

But her partying neighbors aren’t coloring Zhou’s impression of all Americans.

“People here are nicer,” she says. “They will hold the door for you. And they say thank you a lot.”

That seems to be the typical answer; international students all appreciate the Southern charm North Carolina has to offer.

“I actually like the fact there are so many people from North Carolina,” Merdi says. “I am actually pushed to interact with North Carolinians and…learn about their traditions, their culture, their way of doing things. I’ve learned so much about North Carolina—the different counties, the different accents, the different ways of doing things, the politics.” Merdi thinks that he would have sought out other foreigners and Moroccans on campus had he attended a private university.

Although UNC-CH has proven to be different from their mother countries, foreign students have quickly grown to love both the University and Chapel Hill itself.

Wang, like many other international students, says UNC-CH is a world away from the college experience he would have had at home.

“It’s pretty different. But this is the college life I want.”

&

14

OCTOBER 2013

&

Top: Zak Merdi stands in front of Graham Memorial, which he says is his favorite place to study and “take naps.”

Middle: Jason Wang stands with fellow Chinese Undergraduate Student Association members in front of a cube painting advertising one of the club’s upcoming events.

Bottom: Wei talks to her roommate, Jenny Zhang (left) and her friend Xuelan Wu (right) outside of Davis library.

is a junior from Georgetown, Mass.

He can be reached at aug13@live.unc.edu.

Erik Augustine

Pop Topics

THE END OF BREAKING BAD: AN OUTSIDER’S ODE TO WHAT WAS APPARENTLY A GREAT SHOW To those who stayed more current than I did, respective congratulations and condolences on making it through and on saying goodbye to “Breaking Bad.” While I never knew him personally, I’ve felt as though the show’s main character, Walter White, was a peripheral friend over the past few years, like someone I nod to in the quad but wouldn’t take out an ear bud for to hear his response to my “How are you?” This isn’t because I watched “Breaking Bad” —I didn’t—but because the show has seeped into pop culture so thoroughly.

The show is nothing short of a phenomenon: huge viewership (especially among young men), great ratings, critical acclaim, an upcoming spin-off and the sea of inside jokes and trending topics on Twitter that signal an influential show. The show is so pervasive that star Bryan Cranston has finally shed his role as the dad on “Malcolm in the Middle” in exchange for the more respectable image of chemistry teacher turned meth lord.

I knew all of this through what I had gleaned from the media and from my roommates never ever shutting up about the show, but I had not experienced it for myself until the very end of the final season. I decided to watch the last four episodes of Breaking Bad with my die-hard roommates; we’re through three of them as of now. I dove in without the primer of the first four and a half seasons, and the experience has been weird.

First thought: “Oh my God, this is terrifying, stressful and overall offensive to the senses and emotions.” How can a show about a scary old dude who cooks crystal meth in Albuquerque, N.M., (apparently meth is big there) be one of the most successful shows on TV? Breaking Bad is stark and quiet, and it is marked by long, tense silences that come dangerously close to being overdone. And while there’s no lack of precedent for dark and gritty television, past shows have always ameliorated their own abrasiveness with charismatic leads who somehow make you like them despite their questionable morals (think Tony Soprano). Breaking Bad has psychologically complex characters, but they’re morally corrupt. All that I’ve seen the protagonist do in my few episodes of experience has been terrible. Walter White appears to be nothing short of the devil incarnate: violent, cruel and seemingly devoid of any moral compass. Tradition led me to expect a primetime Robin Hood, because how else could millions of fans have stuck around for so long? Instead I found, at the heart of one of the most popular TV shows of the millennium, a mystifyingly evil character.

So what is this, how did this work? If fans and many critics are to be believed, you can chalk it up to fantastic writing and the kind of character development that can occur in a long running form like television. This seems plausible enough to me given what I’ve heard about the show’s arc. Before Cranston’s Walter White was a meth kingpin, he was a high school chemistry teacher, forced to enter the drug trade to maintain financial security for his family after he discovered he had cancer.

From what little I’ve seen, there has been a subtext of transformation. What’s more, the promotion for a pre-finale wrap-up show features a line from the pre-drug lord Walter White: “Technically, chemistry is the study of matter, but I prefer to see it as the study of change.”

The fact that a few isolated episodes of a beloved show are utterly unpalatable to the uninitiated (me) may just mean that it’s a decent show that leans on fan attachment to characters to keep people interested. But fan devotion to the monster that is Walter White runs deeper. It’s a testament to the show’s writing and perhaps the sophistication of television audiences’ tastes. In three episodes, I’ve seen my roommates more tense and emotionally invested in “Breaking Bad”—a show that, to me, is just bad people doing bad things to other bad people—than I’ve ever seen them before.

So kudos, “Breaking Bad,” for accomplishing the feat of making the evil relatable, the inhuman human. I knew it only briefly, but the experience of watching a great show in sharp relief has been enlightening.

&

great beats DJ good ratio spins at Carolina Kickoff at Pulse Nightclub, where he is the resident DJ.

by hannah webster photos by shae allison design by tara o’connor & samantha sabin

t

A student by day, Trevor Dougherty transforms into DJ good ratio by night. He discusses his rise to success and what it’s like to balance books and beats.

THE LIGHTS ARE LOW, the speakers are blaring and students are everywhere, moving to the beat at Pulse Nightclub. While people enjoy themselves on the dance floor, junior Trevor Dougherty controls the most important aspect of the night: the music.

Dougherty, a journalism and communication studies double major with a minor in politics, philosophy and economics, is the resident disc jockey for Pulse Nightclub and The Thrill. Under the stage name “good ratio,” he has been successful as a DJ and electronic music producer.

16

OCTOBER 2013

goo d rat io

“I am mixing the whole time. It’s a live thing, and I’m always responding to the crowd.” er gh u o — Trevor D

ty,

Although Dougherty already had a musical background in vocal performance, saxophone and drums, it wasn’t until he came to college that he took interest in electronic music production.

Starting by performing at clubs for free, he now DJs multiple nights a week and even turns down gigs because of the overwhelming number of offers. Along with house parties and private events, Dougherty DJs for UNC-CH fraternities including Sigma Epsilon, Zeta Psi and Kappa Alpha.

“I prefer better parties,” Dougherty says. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s a club or a house party. If it’s well-planned, people are excited about it, and if it’s hosted well and people are looked after, it’s fun to play at because people are having a good time.”

Dougherty’s family currently lives in Michigan, but for Dougherty, “Where are you from?” is not a simple question to answer. The 21-year-old is a British-American dual citizen, and because of his parents’ careers in international relations, he has moved with his family around the United States and the world. He was born in Colorado but has also lived in South Africa and England. In 2008, he began attending a boarding school in Swaziland. Within the United States, Dougherty has lived in five different states.

Dougherty spent previous summers interning in Bangkok and volunteering in Argentina with Habitat for Humanity.

While he may have moved around a lot, something that has always been consistent is his love for music.

Dougherty spends hours each week preparing for a gig since every event is live and different from the previous one.

He says he is constantly listening to new material from his favorite music blogs.

“I have thousands of songs on my computer, but I also know a ton of music that I know the titles (to) and can pull up,” he says. “It’s not even about owning them anymore. It’s about knowing them.”

Each event includes different combinations of music Dougherty has discovered recently, but he always includes two crowd favorites: “On My Level” by Wiz Khalifa and “Beez in the Trap” by Nicki Minaj.

“I try to keep [the music] flowing the entire time,” Dougherty says. “I am mixing the whole time. It’s a live thing, and I’m always responding to the crowd.”

While his taste varies, Dougherty doesn’t enjoy playing music he believes is overplayed—like Top 40 or line dance songs, especially “The Wobble.”

“I like actually playing good music that sounds amazing on speakers,” Dougherty says.

As far as his musical taste, Dougherty doesn’t have a name for his style, but he says he knows what he likes when he hears it.

“The stuff that I like the most is stuff that is deep and trappy,” Dougherty says. “I think the best music has a lot of depth. You have basic beats in pop songs and hip hop songs, but there are some songs that sound really nice on loud speaker systems.”

Senior mathematics major Taylor Gerkin, Dougherty’s manager, says he feels Dougherty has great potential to succeed in the music industry.

“He definitely has a natural ability for it,” Gerkin says.

“I definitely think it is something he can do. The ball is in his court at this point. He has a lot of options open, and it is whatever he wants to do.”

Although Gerkin is Dougherty’s manager, the two have become friends through their shared love for music.

“We’ll hang out and watch “Breaking Bad” together, but we both share a passion for music so when we hang out we naturally tend towards that.” Gerkin says. “Trevor is always thinking music, and I think that’s why he’s been so successful.”

Gerkin was once a DJ himself but now prefers to help others reach their goals. He is the founder of Carolina DJ Collective, a business launched in the summer of 2012 that helps students who are interested in DJing and producing electronic dance music.

With the ability to play nine instruments, Gerkin came to UNC-CH with years of music experience and decided to start DJing for house parties and Greek organizations.

Through his experiences, he’s become familiar with the barriers of making it as a DJ, including the lack of finances and business connections.

“Our idea was we could break those barriers down based on our cumulative knowledge and cumulative assets and ultimately make it so if you wanted to try music, you wouldn’t be limited by your money if you’re new,” Gerkin says. “You would ultimately be limited by your ability and how much you want to do it.”

While Dougherty is the only UNC-CH student member, Carolina DJ Collective works with students from UNC-Greensboro, North Carolina State University, Greensboro College and UNC-Wilmington. Recent graduates who are still affiliated with the collective range in location from Delaware to South Carolina.

Gerkin and the Carolina DJ Collective will work with any student interested in improving his or her skills as a DJ.

www.blueandwhitemag.com

17

“If you want to make music, make music and we’ll help you do it,” he says.

In September, Dougherty served as a DJ for a Carolina Kickoff fundraising event at Pulse. Students enjoyed Dougherty’s unique mixes. Carter McCormick, a Carolina Kickoff counselor, says he was glad Dougherty served as DJ for the annual event.

“He’s good. He plays current stuff, which is great. He plays music, not just beats like a lot of DJs do. I know him personally, and he’s a pretty chill person too,” says McCormick, a junior double majoring in exercise and sports science and public policy.

Dougherty says his greatest challenge as a student DJ is balancing his studies and his electronic music production.

As gigs often start around 10 p.m., he finds himself going to bed around 5 a.m. on nights that he works.

“I had an 8 a.m. this semester, and I had to make the decision that these two lifestyles need to work better together,” Dougherty says. “So I killed the 8 a.m. and don’t have class on Fridays. I am trying to balance it, but it is definitely tough sometimes.”

In his remaining two years at UNC-CH, Dougherty’s goals include staying involved in social activism, possibly studying abroad in Korea and collaborating with other students on short films.

“I’m always looking for people to collaborate with and make awesome art and media,” Dougherty says.

Although he’s only been a DJ for two years, Dougherty has had multiple opportunities to perform with electronic dance music icons. When DJ Diplo performed in Memorial Hall last year, Carolina DJ Collective made sure good ratio opened.

“It was the first time a DJ has performed in Memorial

18

OCTOBER 2013

Hall,” Dougherty says. “I got to open for this amazing world-famous DJ who I really respect. I got to take him to the airport after that gig, and I got his number. We’re still in touch.”

In August, Dougherty also had the chance to open for rapper Riff Raff in Greensboro.

Dougherty spent most of his summer producing his first original track in which he added his personal style to the song “Gangsta” by Kat Dahlia.

“I just made it trappy and tried to challenge myself to make a decent song,” Dougherty says. “I still want to keep working and making better stuff, but it’s out there, and I think it’s good. I want people to hear it.”

While his “Gangsta” cover is his first published original track, he’s not new to remixing songs.

“I’ve made three or four different mash-ups,” he says. “I made an original a while back, but this is the only one that I am actually proud of and is actually out there (for people to download).”

Dougherty’s interests do not stop at music. He hopes to also produce film in the future.

“I want to keep DJing, but that’s just one part of it,” Dougherty says. “I want to produce amazing media. I would love to make an awesome short film I could also produce the music for.”

While Dougherty says he is happy with his success over the past two years, he does not plan on slowing down as an artist any time soon.

“One thing is, I am happy doing club and house party gigs, but I am definitely trying to push it and make things bigger,” Dougherty says. “People should get ready for some cool stuff to come.”

&

Behind the Headliners ADMIT ONE

*** *** **

NE

****

IT O

****

ADM

*** *** **

****

****

by meghan mcfarland photos by hannah mickey design by dale koontz

w

Jenny Kreizman and Alycia Taft-Howard speak with students who come to them to pick up their tickets for The Underachievers. The Underachievers performed at Gerrard Hall on Wednesday, September 11th, as part of the Plus One Concert Series hosted by CUAB.

WHILE MOST STUDENTS ARE ATTENDING CONCERTS,

Carolina Union Activities Board is responsible for many on-campus events. To keep things running smoothly, various committees are hard at work all year.

UNC-Chapel Hill junior Gabe Chess is busy creating them.

At 9 a.m. on a Wednesday morning in September, Chess found himself in Greensboro, picking up a piece of DJ equipment for an upcoming show.

By 10:30 a.m. he was at the Raleigh airport, playing chauffeur for the Underachievers—an up-and-coming hip-hop duo he had personally booked for a show that night. He planned traffic flow for the venue, set up security precautions and made sure the rappers were comfortable until they hit the stage.

Then he went to class.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * www.blueandwhitemag.com

19

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * **

The CUAB film committee meets to discuss newly released movies and select the films that will be shown in the Union.

“To be able to actually book artists in college? That’s unparalleled. People work their whole careers to be in a position like this – to book a show and run a venue,” says Gabe Chess, a religious studies major from Asheville.

As the head of the music committee for the Carolina Union Activities Board (CUAB), Chess gets to do what many people dream of doing for a career. And he’s not the only one.

Behind every CUAB event on campus—from headlining concerts and weekend movies to caramel apples in the fall and gingerbread houses in the winter—lies a whirlwind of students and faculty members planning, processing and preparing for the event.

Carly Mathews, the 2013-2014 CUAB president and a senior from Cary, explains how in-depth CUAB planning goes.

“What people don’t realize is that planning starts months in advance,” Mathews says. “For example, we’ve been talking about Homecoming since February, and FallFest planning took the entirety of the summer.”

And the work doesn’t stop until long after the event is over.

THE SET-UP

CUAB is the driving force behind some of the most popular events on campus. With seven event committees as well as campus affairs, marketing and design teams, all of which meet weekly, there’s always something planned for students to do.

“I would say that CUAB has two unwritten purposes,” Mathews says. “Externally, we are the source of large-scale programming on campus. Internally, we provide opportunities for students to develop their leadership skills and to meet some really cool people all working toward the same goal.”

Mathews joined CUAB after learning about a similar organization at another university from her best friend.

“I was looking to get involved on campus in a meaningful but fun way, so the organization was a perfect fit,” she says.

Under Chess’ leadership, the CUAB music committee is responsible for many of the live music performances that

take place at the University.

Most music committee meetings begin with members sharing what artists they’ve recently been listening to in search of possible event ideas.

“I think it’s important if we’re doing music that we talk about it and experience it,” Chess says. “I spend a lot of time reading about music and listening to what might be good, especially live. We obviously want to serve as much of the student population as possible—they have a diverse taste in music.”

Chess says choosing an artist to bring to UNC-Chapel Hill can be a trial-and-error process, often boiling down to price and availability of the artist.

“I reach out to way more bands than we end up booking, but I always keep my ears open,” he says. “It’s worth reaching out to everybody because you never know who might want to come.”

New to the University this year is the music committee’s “Plus One” concert series, which aims to bring new music acts to intimate venues all over UNC-CH. The name of the series comes from the concept behind the ticket prices—$5 to buy one ticket, but it’s only an extra dollar to buy the second ticket, making it cheaper for students to bring a friend to the event. The Underachievers, a hip-hop duo from Brooklyn, were the first act in this concert series and performed in Gerrard Hall on Sept. 11.

Chess says the event was a success and the venue sold out.

The music committee isn’t in charge of all live music performances, however. The special events committee, under the leadership of Khalani Matisse James, a sophomore mathematical decisions science major from Sacramento, Calif., plans the Homecoming concert—one of the largest on-campus performances. This year, the Homecoming concert will feature rappers Wale and Ace Hood.

James says the committee gauges campus interest in a variety of artists. The most challenging aspect is finding agreement between the committee and the advisers.

“After we cut it down to a list of maybe five or so artists, we ask for quotes on said artists and decide based off availability and affordability,” James says. “If they accept our offer, then great. If not, we move on to the next artist.”

Along with Homecoming, the special events committee also plans SpringFest—another large concert that takes place during spring semester.

“I’m extremely excited for this year’s SpringFest,” James says. “I can’t even explain it. We’re just given so much liberty that I’m eager to make it great and something that future SpringFests are built on.”

The music committee hopes to have the SpringFest artists finalized early on in the spring semester, rounding out plans for one of its biggest events of the school year.

The film committee, a favorite of Mathews’, is perhaps the most appreciated by the college student budget.

Students can choose to go to the Union auditorium and see a popular movie for free instead of spending $10 at the theater. Recent showings included “Iron Man 3” and “The Great Gatsby.”

“For something so simple, it plays such an integral role in students’ experience within the Union, and in general as a college student—you don’t get opportunities to see free movies elsewhere,” Mathews says.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * **

20

OCTOBER 2013

DEALING WITH CRITICISM

Despite the variety of events that CUAB hosts, not everything is a hit. No matter how negative the responses may be, though, CUAB strongly encourages students to

** ** **

AD

M

*

voice their opinions.

“As a whole, CUAB is very feedback-based,” Mathews says. “Any and all communication with students is the only way we know whether we’re doing well or if there are areas in which we need to improve.”

Chess, the head of the music committee, says he also believes strongly in the power of student feedback.

“I think it’s healthy that there are people watching what CUAB does,” he says. “Anytime you’re getting funding from student fees, you have a certain responsibility of excellence.”

The Homecoming concert is an event that often receives some of the loudest feedback. But James, the special events committee chair, says he won’t let criticism rattle him.

“A lot of people had strong opinions about Wale, but unless it was constructive I ignored it,” he says. “Constructive criticism is fantastic to me, but I understand people will moan and holler just for the sake of it sometimes. I was also confident I had done my research and had made a good decision, so I wasn’t bothered by criticism.”

Chess says CUAB uses student feedback to make changes in their policies in which CUAB tries to meet students’ needs. For example, last year students had to stand in line for hours to purchase tickets for the J. Cole Homecoming Concert, but this year tickets will be available for purchase online. “I think that was a great situation where a valid concern was voiced, and steps have been taken to remedy that,” Chess says. “We can’t live and die by it, but it’s important to hear feedback, acknowledge it and work with it.”

Though it’s only October, many committees are planning months in advance, and Chess says he is hopeful for what the year may bring.

“I see the challenges on the inside, but I think this board has a ton of potential to have one of the best years we’ve ever had,” Chess says.

** *****

The comedy committee, as the name suggests, is responsible for giving students a chance to de-stress and have a good laugh by bringing comedy acts to campus. In April, it hosted the Carolina Comedy Festival, which was headlined

by Lewis Black and featured Sara Shaefer, J. R. Havlan, Nikki Glaser and Matt Melvin.

Another popular committee, the Fun, Athletics and Diversions committee, often provides students with viewings of major athletic away games so fellow Tar Heels can cheer the team to victory together.

This division is also known for providing free food in creative ways—make-your-own caramel apples draw crowds to the Pit in the fall, and building gingerbread houses provides a much-needed break during exams.

The forum committee works to bring lively discussion to the UNC-CH campus. Many notable speakers around campus are the culmination of this committee’s hard work.

Past speakers have included Ari Shapiro from National Public Radio and inspirational speaker Eric Thomas.

Another place to find CUAB’s work is in the Student Union Gallery. The art gallery committee holds jurisdiction over the gallery, which features student art exhibits that include photography, drawings and personal narratives.

The most recent exhibit in the Student Union Gallery was called “None of the Above” and was produced by Hidden Voices, a nonprofit group with the mission to “challenge, strengthen, and connect our diverse communities through the transformative power of the individual voice,” according to its website.

In October, the Union Gallery will display a photography exhibit that will feature the diversity of the study abroad experience.

**

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

IT

O

N

E

E

T ON

ADMI

&

Susan Lombardo and Carolyn Camp observe a map in the Union Gallery that was part of the None of the Above Exhibit organized by the CUAB Art Gallery Committee. The map intended to show the relationship between school locations and incarceration.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * www.blueandwhitemag.com

21

The Drive to Ride by candace howze photos by shae allison design by carolyn bahar & kristi walker

Senior Sarah Hounshell jumps her Welsh Cross pony, Moonshine. The best thing about the equestrian team is the “sense of bonding not only with the horses but with the people,� says Hounshell.

22

OCTOBER 2013

o

OLIVIA ANDRETTI initially thought leaving for college

would mean the end of horseback riding.

“When I was looking at schools, I told myself I was going to stop riding because it’s so expensive and my parents were like, ‘You should just focus on school,’” says the freshman, who plans to major in business.

That all changed when Andretti heard about the equestrian team at UNC-Chapel Hill. She signed up at FallFest and is now one of seven new members chosen from the 29 who tried out.

The equestrian team is a UNC-CH club sport that competes in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association against other club and varsity teams. At the start of each academic year, the team holds tryouts for new members.

“I think that’s what makes this club sport really cool— that because we have tryouts and dues, we kind of expect our members to be on the team the whole entire time, from when they join until they graduate, and that creates a very nice network. I made my best friend on this team,” senior and co-captain Kelly McGuinness says.

During tryouts, current members carpool aspiring participants to the stables where they practice and break into groups of four based on their level of experience. The tryout is only about 10 minutes long, but it is an all-day event for the captains and their coach, who assess the riders.

“We look at the way they ride, their position, their skill with the horse if they’ve never ridden and personality so everyone will get along,” senior Sarah Hounshell says.

“Commitment definitely, if they’re willing to commit to the team.”

For UNC-Chapel Hill’s Equestrian team, riding is more than a sport—it’s a family, a lifestyle and a distinct commitment.

During tryouts, prospective members are introduced to college riding’s main element: random horses.

“That’s probably the most unique thing about college riding is that you aren’t riding a horse you’re familiar with,” senior co-captain Corey Overcash says. “In traditional riding, you would ride your own horse.”

“I was kind of nervous because I’m used to riding horses that I’m really familiar with, so just having to pick a random horse and get on was a little bit scary for me,” Andretti says. “It was a lot of pressure, but it was also really fun because I just like to ride no matter what.”

For fellow freshman Sierra Homer, random riding wasn’t new.

“I participated in the Interscholastic Equestrian Association in high school, which is the college-style riding for high school, when you get on a random horse,” Homer says. “So I already kind of had that experience, but I was more nervous to watch everyone else go and wonder how I compared. Waiting after tryouts was the most nervewracking.”

Although choosing who will make the team is difficult, Overcash says it depends largely on which level riders the team needs most.

“It comes down to who we need for our competitions level-wise, and we can’t take everyone because we limit our team,” she says.

This year the team has one member who has never ridden a horse before. Most of the members are familiar with competitive riding and say that the sport factored into their decision to come to Carolina.

Members of the UNC Equestrian team line up before a lesson at Southern Saddle Stales in Timberlake, N.C. Kate Johnston (senior) rides Bailey, Jenn Ruff (senior) rides Brownie, Olivia Andretti (freshman) rides J.W., and Allison Keogh (junior) rides Rockstar in their afternoon lesson.

www.blueandwhitemag.com

23

“When I was applying to schools, I knew that the equestrian team was something really important because it had been part of my life from age four through high school,” McGuinness says. “When I came here I already knew I wanted to join.”

Other riders had different motives for wanting to join the team. Hounshell’s sister attended Carolina before her and didn’t make the equestrian team her freshman year, so she made it a personal goal to earn a spot. Homer met with McGuinness to see if the team was a good fit when she visited campus last year.

“It was nice to come on the team because everyone was so welcoming, so it was like an instant bond,” Homer says.

“Especially being out of state too—I knew no one coming on campus, and now I can see someone and even if I don’t know them, I can still wave if they have an equestrian outfit on.”

This strong team chemistry has translated to success in the ring. Like the majority of Carolina athletics, the equestrian team continues a legacy of excellence—last year it placed second in its region, which includes N.C. State, Duke and its biggest rival, St. Andrews.

“St. Andrews is strictly a riding school and we’re obviously not, so it’s interesting that we’re actually that competitive against them because that’s what they dedicate their days to,” Overcash says. “They ride like three times a week; we ride once a week.”

The team participates in seven competitions per academic year that operate similarly to a track or swim meet. Several schools will meet at the hosting school site and use their facilities and horses for the day. Riders draw a slip of paper with the name of their horse and a one-line description varying from whether the horse is slow or fast to something more specific, like not to touch its face.

“Then they send you in the ring and you’ve never been on this animal before,” Overcash says. “So it’s kind of the idea that it levels the playing field so no one knows what they’re getting on.”

The challenge of this design is that riders can’t control if they get a good or a bad horse. Schools compete in about 25 to 30 classes—events divided by horse, event type, experience, age, etc.—that consist of five or six riders, each representing a different school.

The horse shows are categorized into divisions that include walk-trot, walk-trot-canter and different levels of

24

OCTOBER 2013

jumping that depend on height.

At the start of the day, teams pick a point rider to represent them for each division. Each point rider earns points based on what place he or she earns in the class, which then get accumulated to team points. Every team can drop one score from the total.

“You want an overall strong team because even if you’re not a point rider, you could still be in the same class as another team’s point rider, so if you get a first place and you beat the other team’s point rider, you’re preventing them from getting a higher score,” Hounshell says.

“What’s nice about how the equestrian team works is it doesn’t matter if you jump the highest jump or have been riding your whole life. Your points are the same, so every member of the team is equal in earning points for our team,” McGuinness says.

Courtney Blackwell, the team’s coach, goes to shows with them and provides horses for the team. She is an independent trainer hired by the team to provide assistance and stables for the year. She rode for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and coached its team after she graduated, so she’s experienced with the format.

“She’s very supportive of the team and very good about explaining what we need to work on and why we placed a certain way in a certain class,” Hounshell says. “She also knows what to expect from the judge—she’ll watch the judges all day and say what kind of ride a judge prefers.”

“It’s hard finding a barn that will support the number of riders with the different levels and horses we have, so we’re very lucky we have Courtney,” Overcash says.

To pay for the barn rental, the team holds fundraising events such as recycling and bag checking at football games.

Members also pay $400 of dues per semester, which members say is very economical considering the fee to compete in one show individually is around $1,000.

The team also holds various social events throughout the year, including an end-of-the-year formal, making it “a highly competitive sports team but also a lot of fun,” McGuinness says.

“I think what’s unique is that it’s really hard to be on the equestrian team,” Overcash says. “All the other teams get to practice here, but we go to a barn 45 minutes away.

We go out of our way to do what we love to do, and it speaks volumes to who we are and our commitment to riding and one another.”

&

Side(line) Note Eshany Edwards

is a freshman from Fayetteville.

She can be reached at eedward2@live.unc.edu.

BRING ON THE FEVER Take a walk on the campus of UNC-Chapel Hill, and it won’t take you very long to see that our students take pride in their Carolina blue.

Why wouldn’t one have pride? Our school boasts world-renowned academics, a top-five ranking for national public universities and 40 Division I NCAA championships.

With 28 nationally recognized varsity programs, Carolina athletics is definitely something to cheer for. There is no question that our most popular program is men’s basketball, with 18 Final Four appearances, five NCAA championships and 18 ACC tournament championships.

Women’s soccer, football and baseball are gaining notable reputations and strong fan followings as well.

The success of these particular programs would be nothing without the support of the student body, alumni and fans. However, one may wonder: Where’s the spirit for the other teams?

Of the 25 random students that I’ve interviewed, there’s a resounding sentiment that enthusiasm for our other sports programs is lacking.

Alex Neal, a freshman pre-business major from Denver, hit the nail on the head in saying that the spirit for these programs could be greater with an increased knowledge of them. Many people don’t know a lot about the sports that they don’t see on TV, so they aren’t willing to go watch these games. A lack of publicity also keeps the attendance lower than it is for more well-known sports.

It’s for this reason we have Carolina Fever, the largest student fan club at UNCCH. The club has been dedicated to showing Carolina pride for almost 30 years. By using an point program, Carolina Fever motivates the student body to attend as many sporting events as possible. The organization gives incentives for attending games for Olympic sports like tennis, lacrosse and volleyball.

But since Carolina Fever was established 30 years ago, why does UNC-CH still seem to have such appalling apathy for these Olympic sports?

There is a radiating love that Carolina fans and I have for this school and our athletic programs. If you've gotten into Carolina, you understand how trying competition can be and how valuable support is. There should always be an attempt to bring this same support for our student athletes who are competing both on the field and in the classroom. They are representing us and our University with pride and dignity. Why not show our appreciation with just as much pride for them?

I recently read a study that showed when athletes are performing in high-pressure games or matches, their confidence improves when they have a support system. Without a support system, there is a possibility that their performances can be negatively affected. With an undergraduate population of about 20,000, there should be no excuse as to why we cannot support our Olympic sport athletes.

Better performances mean that there is a higher chance of winning games or appearing in championships. This alone could bring notable reputations to these sports on campus and more recognition for the University. Wouldn’t you want to be a part of that? As a sports fanatic, I definitely would love to claim that my school excels in all of its sports, not just basketball.

Regardless of the success of our Olympic sports here at Carolina, our team spirit should never lack. We need to bring the enthusiasm and passion we have for men’s basketball and spread it equally among all the sports on campus. Show up to events on time, bring a few friends, wear your Carolina blue, and stand up and cheer for our fellow Tar Heels.

&

player profile: NAYA TAPPER Naya Tapper, the hyper-athletic sophomore wing who exploded onto the rugby scene last year, is ready for an even bigger season this year. Now that her techniques have improved and she has a full year of experience under her belt, the forecast is bright.

When Tapper first came to UNC-Chapel Hill as a freshman, she had never played rugby, but just a few months later she was in Chula Vista, Calif., working out with the United States national team.

Tapper, 19, plays wing for UNC-CH’s women’s rugby team. She stands around 5 feet 10 inches tall and was an All-American sprinter at West Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte. Her speed is what attracted coach Ric Suggitt of the U.S.A. Women’s Rugby Sevens, says Tapper’s coach, Johnathan Atkeison.

“She is tremendously physically gifted,” says Atkeison, who is in his fifth year of coaching the Carolina women’s rugby team. “She is, if not the fastest, probably one of the top two to three fastest in women’s college rugby.”

There are two primary national teams for women’s rugby: sevens and fifteens. The sevens, which is the Olympic variant of rugby, is a shorter game with seven players on each team, as opposed to the traditional fifteen. Atkeison says there is “a huge premium on speed” in sevens, which is why Suggitt wanted Tapper to come work out with the national team.

She did not disappoint. She tied with Vix Folayan, the fastest player on the team, in the 40-meter sprint while she was at the camp.

Tapper gets her incredible speed from her mother and father, who both ran track when they were younger. The rest of her family is similarly athletically gifted. Her brother, Mark LeGree, is a safety in the NFL. She also has two younger sisters, both athletes, who measure in at six feet tall.

Growing up, Tapper was a self-described tomboy. She played football with the boys and wanted to be the first female NFL player.

In high school, she played powderpuff football, where girls play and the boys cheer, but for Tapper, it wasn’t just a high school tradition.

“It’s so boring because all you do is snatch the flag,” Tapper says.

“That’s too easy. So I wanted to play rugby, but my [track] coach wouldn’t let me.”

When Tapper got to Carolina, she didn’t understand most of the concepts of rugby. She didn’t know any of rugby’s basic techniques or how the game was played, but her natural athletic ability was enough to get her through her first season.

“All I knew how to do was run,” she says, “and that’s really all I had to do. The only thing I had to learn was like the technique, like tackling and passing backward.”

In addition to being a star player, Tapper also holds the position of match secretary. In this role, she schedules all of the team’s matches, including the fall 2013 season opener, a doubleheader on Oct. 5.

Tapper does not plan to continue playing rugby after college, though Atkeison says she could if she changes her mind. Instead, she wants to go to school for physical therapy and eventually get a job as a physical therapist for a college football team.

As for why she chose to come to UNC-CH, Tapper says the choice was simple.

“I’m very competitive, and I like being the best at everything I do,” she says. “So I wanted to go to the best school and be the best at whatever sport I’m doing.”

BY BRYAN FRANTZ PHOTOS BY KATHERINE HARRELL

&

26

sports

I think you enjoy the game more if you don’t know the rules. Anyway, you’re on the same wavelength as the referees.

—JONATHAN DAVIES, WELSH RUGBY PLAYER

OCTOBER 2013

shorts

Underwater Shootout You only have a few seconds before you run out of air and need to return to the surface.

The best players don’t even last a minute—but that’s just part of the fun.

“It’s a constant challenge. It’s physically very demanding,” junior midfielder Joshua Ellis said. “You’re always gasping for breath by the end of every half, or even every point.”

This obstacle is a key challenge in underwater hockey.

Yes, that’s right—hockey that is played underwater.

Ellis has been playing since he stumbled upon the team’s table at FallFest his freshman year.

“I was walking along the sports club tables, signing up for anything that looked cool,” Ellis says. “I saw the table for underwater hockey, obviously never heard of it before, and just thought, ‘This is something I want to try.’”

Three years later, he’s president of the team and teaching incoming players one of his favorite sports. Because it’s not the easiest sport to teach, the team simulates games during practices to give newcomers experience.

“I like how it’s mentally hard because you have to wrap your mind around the concept of playing in three dimensions. You’re not just going forward and back, side to side, you’re also going up and down, and there’s a lot of strategy,” Ellis says. “It takes a long time to learn the game. I really like how there are always ways to get better.”

Typically the best players are the ones that can hold

their breath the longest, Ellis says. Players that demonstrate this kind of impressive lung capacity usually play defense, protecting the goal.

Six players from each team go head-to-head in the pool, trying to outscore the other team, similar to ice hockey. The puck is weighted to keep it on the bottom of the pool, and players wear gloves on their dominant hands to hold the sticks.

Players swim along the bottom of the pool, trying to maintain possession of the puck and score. There’s only one real rule—you can’t hit with anything other than your stick.

A good team has the puck for 30 seconds to a minute before it’s taken away, Ellis says. Constantly going back and forth makes underwater hockey a fast-paced game.

The team doesn’t have any matches that are held at home this season, but it will travel to tournaments held at other schools as close as Virginia Tech and as far as the University of Illinois.

Team members, like junior Emily Davidson, cite the competitive but entertaining nature of the game as what drew them to the unusual club sport.

“We’re competitive, but everyone is still incredibly friendly and supportive,” Davidson says. “It doesn’t matter if you mess up—we’re all out there because we love the sport and want to have fun.”

&

BY SYDNEY HARRIS PHOTOS COURESTY OF UNC-CH UNDERWATER HOCKEY

Above: The UNC Underwater Hockey Team at a tournament hosted by the University of Illinois in October 2012, where they placed second in the B division.

Left: Members of the team stand with their banner which won UNC-Chapel Hill’s 2012 Homecoming Banner Competition.

www.blueandwhitemag.com

27

professor Q&A: Dean Susan King on Success At Home & Abroad SUSAN KING SPENT MORE THAN 30 YEARS in

journalism before making UNC-Chapel Hill her home on Jan. 1, 2012. Throughout her career, she was involved in various media outlets, including television and radio, and won two Emmys for her work in Lebanon.

Now the dean of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, King talks to Blue & White about life, her career and what it means to be a dean while sharing a few of her best memories.

Blue & White: Do you recall anything from your past that inspired you to be a journalist?

desire, and you know what? I covered every president that has been alive during my career. The only one I don’t know intimately is President Obama because I wasn’t a working journalist anymore. I never would have thought that I would do all of that, but I had that germ of interest to be present at all the events of my time, and I pretty much have. I’ve even interviewed Bashar al-Assad; I met him in Damascus, Syria, and spent an hour and a half with him to see how his mind works. As just a kid from the suburbs, I was determined to make it happen.

B&W: What was your experience like working as a freelance journalist for CNN?

Susan King: My mother used to have Kennedy’s news

conferences on the television every day when I came home from school as a child. I used to watch those with her, and that’s when I knew that I wanted to go into journalism, even when I was that young. I was really interested in current events and that give-and-play between journalists and politicians.

Also, my mother’s grandfather had started a newspaper, The Chief, over a hundred years ago in New York City.

It is based on civil service, about policeman and firemen and those who are working in the city government, and I worked there during the summers when I was in high school. I still get the paper every week, and it’s even better now than when I worked there.

B&W: As a child, did you think you would have a successful journalism career?

SK: When I was very young, I remember thinking, “I

want to see every president of the United States,” because Kennedy was assassinated when I was young. I had this

SK: I worked in television for most of my career, and then

I left a place where my contract was up and I felt like I didn’t have opportunities to move forward, and that’s when I freelanced. CNN was very exciting because what they do is news, news, news all the time. I later made the decision to go into government, and it changed my life. But if you’re interested in hard news, CNN is a place that’s really committed to its mission. I also worked for National Public Radio doing talk radio at a high level where I was very intrigued in really engaging the public in a conversation. I found myself favoring radio over television, and I actually considered going into radio full time.

B&W: What led you from working in hard journalism to working as a UNC Dean?

SK: For the 12 years before I came here, I was at a big

foundation called the Carnegie Foundation of New York.

When I was the vice president there, I started thinking about our external relations. I started thinking about how to

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ‘90s SONG? PHOTOS BY CLAIRE COLLINS

TORY PLYBON, JUNIOR

“Beautiful Soul” by Jesse McCartney

AUTIN PARSONS, JUNIOR

“The Circle of Life” from “The Lion King”

perspective engage the public in complicated ideas around public policy at a larger level.

I also created the Carnegie United Initiative on the Future of Journalism Education. The quality of journalism felt like it was going down, so I started in 2002 meeting with deans. UNC was one of those schools, and my name started surfacing to be dean of journalism there. I made the transition from hard journalism to being a dean after thinking about how to go from journalism schools of the 20th century to journalism schools of the 21st century.

B&W: What are your goals for your students?

B&W: What does it feel like to be UNC’s John Thomas

journeys?

Kerr Distinguished Professor?

SK: It was offered to me when I became dean of the

Journalism Department. I met Mr. Kerr and that was very wonderful; we went to a barbecue place together. I’m really proud to be dean, but for someone who has worked in journalism for most of her life, I feel very honored to have a distinguished professorship.

SK: That they have lives that are meaningful, that they

follow their passions, and that they are ambitious for themselves and their country. I think that journalism is the first line of defense for democracy. I want them to invent the future — that’s the simplest thing. But I want them to also find their lives as exciting as I have.

B&W: Do you have any advice for your students on their SK: Don’t be afraid, and you don’t have to have the answers all at once. Everybody makes mistakes, and they are going to make them, too. But you can learn so much from them.

B&W: What do you love about your job?

SK: The students. That’s the best part. UNC has top-

notch students, and when I see them excited about a concept, there’s nothing better. But I like all of it because journalism is my passion. It’s all changing, and I don’t know how it’s going to turn out. More people are turning to news and information than 50 years ago, so it’s a time to reinvent. I’ve found that being around the students, they are excited about what they can develop. It’s all opportunity for students. They’re building their experience and understanding of news judgment, and it’s a wonderful experience to be a part of that.

ZAC SCHUMACHER, SOPHOMORE

“Who Let the Dogs Out” by Baha Men

BY STEVEN WRIGHT PHOTO BY LISA DZERA

CHRISTIAN HAIG, FRESHMAN

“Mambo No. 5” by Lou Bega

&

On Carolina Time Kate Albers

is a sophomore from Mooresville.

She can be reached at kalbers@live.unc.edu.

30

CTOPS 2012

SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE Looking back on my experiences last year at UNCChapel Hill’s Homegrown Halloween on Franklin Street, one word comes to mind: weaving. Weaving through crowds, weaving to destinations, even weaving aimlessly as you try to find your friends. Trust me, weaving in a crazy costume is not all that simple.

And neither is Halloween on Franklin Street. As an underclassman, Halloween activities are on the bucket list for a successful first semester. Many of my friends planned outfits in advance and coordinated outfit themes for groups as large as 30 people.

Nothing seemed crazier to me than the daunting fact that I should partake in extensive planning for Halloween activities. I was that person who threw an outfit together at the last minute.

THE EVE OF HALLOWEEN

The night before Halloween I was partaking in an activity any respectable college student would be proud of. I was watching Netflix, as I felt that the zombie apocalypse and the struggles of Rick Grimes were much more pressing issues than dressing up and ambling around Franklin Street. At the time, falling asleep to Daryl Dixon slaughtering some walkers seemed spooky enough for Halloween. But if you are a real Halloween fanatic, like some of my friends are, you can cover your room in fake spider webs and watch Hocus Pocus on repeat. I, however, have always been more of a Christmas girl.

It doesn’t matter how you’re relaxing, whether it’s through a solo Netflix binge or dinner with friends, the point is not to worry. A day of adventure lies ahead of you.

THE DAY DAWNS

When I awoke on Halloween morning, I left the comfort of my bed and journeyed to the most horrifying place possible—I went to class. After lectures, preparing a costume seemed like a good idea. By searching Google, I discovered that a flapper was probably the easiest outfit to pull together last minute. Inspired by Pinterest, I made a Great Gatsby-style headband and picked out an old dress that would fit the theme.

However, my efforts were minimal compared to those of my friends. There was a group of people in my anthropology class who had bought five costumes each. Their plan was to see what others wore, and pick out the best costume accordingly. A guy in front of me in my astronomy class started talking about his costume on the first day of class. I’m pretty sure he had his Halloween planned out by the first day of summer.

FRANKLIN FRIGHTS

My Halloween night was not a time for homework, labs or even Netflix. My Halloween was a time for dress-up. After taking pictures, we left for Franklin Street. There were people dressed as everything from Che Guevera to a giant toothbrush. There was even a giant candy corn and Noah’s Ark, complete with pairs of people dressed as giraffes and elephants . As you can imagine, there were more than a few of the overtly intoxicated milling about. Some people just don’t know how to hold their pumpkin juice.

Unfortunately for me and my pathetic costume, it was about 40 degrees outside that night. A coat was a necessity. I had never realized the importance of a simple weather check. Believe me, it’s worth using the Weather Channel app ahead of time to stop you from being a speedo-clad Ryan Lochte.

The cold temperature didn’t seem to bother any of the costumed Cleopatras and Avengers I saw, however. There was many a shirtless Bane from “The Dark Knight Rises.” Their quivering Tom Hardy accents provided the perfect entertainment.

AND BEYOND

I have one caveat; Franklin Street activities are not for everyone. Squeezing between thousands of bedazzled pop stars and masked monsters can be stressful. The day can be celebrated through a Halloween-themed dinner (at the dining hall or homemade), a scary movie marathon or even a celebratory “Happy Halloween” to the maintenance staff. Eating cute ghost cookies or getting candy corn sickness is also a requisite of a great night. The point of Halloween is to weave your way into something. Whether you do a movie with friends, a party with brothers or the perfect dress-up preparation with your girls, find a way to celebrate.

&

YOUR AD HERE.

For advertising info, contact Rachel Rondeau at rrondeau@live.unc.edu.

PHOTO BY LISA DZERA

For the latest updates FOLLOW us on Twitter

@bluewhitemag

www.

blueandwhitemag .com

VISIT BLUE & WHITE ONLINE FOR OUR FEATURE ON THE CHANGING TIDE IN N.C. POLITICS, PHOTOS AND EXCLUSIVE BLOG POSTS! www.blueandwhitemag.com

31

&