The leaves are turning the perfect shades of burnt orange and sunrise gold. The mornings are crisp and chilly, prompting you to pull out your favorite cardigan. Most importantly, the idea of a Thanksgiving meal seems more tangible as the days go by. It’s that time again, everyone’s favorite time of Fall semester..Homecoming! Homecoming at Carolina is so much more than a huge football game and awesome tailgating. As America’s oldest and finest public institution, (UNC was the first public college to admit students in 1795), we obviously have over 200 years to celebrate. Cramming all of that tradition-doing, game-going, party-hopping and people-seeing in one weekend can be stressful! But no worries, HC is here to provide you with the best Do’s and Don’ts of Homecoming 2014!
DO: Attend the Football game while wearing ridiculously fabulous Carolina Gear! (I’m not talking about t-shirt,ladies). This game is one of the most attended sporting event throughout the year, so why not show off in your favorite Carolina Blue Dress and boots? Or perhaps those riding pants you’ve been eyeing topped with a cozy Carolina Blue sweater? The options are endless! Here’s an example:
DON’T: Get belligerently intoxicated and go frolicking on Franklin Street! This is a great tip for every weekend, but especially Homecoming weekend! Why? Because there will be visitors on campus, called “Young Alumni” and you might want to make a good impression on them.. (see next tip for more information)
DO: Network, network, network! Homecoming brings hundreds of Carolina graduates back to campus, and with them comes their employment connections, business cards, and super valuable advice! Take advantage of that by attending Mixers, Alumni Dinners (or Brunches) and the oh so sophisticated Alumni TOPO events. Your future internship manager could be a former Carolina Student, so get out there and network (and look amazing while doing it – see the dress below)!
DON’T: Forget to do your homework ahead of time! There are an endless number of Homecoming events held during the week, but the real fun starts on the weekend! Be a proactive student and get your assignments out of the way by Thursday. That way, you can have fun without worrying about your 10 page paper that’s due on Monday!
DO: Make it count! You only get four undergraduate homecomings, so make each one as special, fabulous, amazing, and most importantly, memorable as possible. Take pictures, meet new people, network, have fun, and look incredible while doing it. Twenty years from now, you won’t regret it!