Class of 2028!
Are you ready to apply to live on-campus?
The Priority Deadline for Incoming First-Year students to apply for housing has been extended to May 29!
By Samantha Thompson
Spring—a time of rebirth and new beginnings. Fall semester is behind us now, and spring semester presents a golden opportunity for some fresh starts. Maybe you are filled with motivation but aren't sure exactly what to do with it, or maybe that's exactly what you're trying to find. Either way, spring semester is full of new opportunities to explore. So here are some of my best tips for managing, readjusting, and conquering the last few months of the school year!
FIND A NEW ROUTINE & ADJUST
If you're anything like me, getting reaccustomed to campus can be a little challenging. My classes are all different, I'm around some new people, and after getting used to a certain schedule, coming back to school and readjusting can be awkward and sometimes difficult. The best way to overcome this is to simply let go of old routines and expectations. Be open to all the changes. Routines have growing pains, but they come naturally over time. I recommend jotting down your schedule on a piece of paper so you can visualize your time. If you have any breaks throughout the day, be open to exploring some new activities and places on campus. Free from 10:45 to 12:30 on Tuesdays & Thursdays? Consider going to volunteer in the Carolina Community Garden. Or maybe find a cozy spot in the Student Union and get some work done. Stay consistent with this—or tweak it some if you need to—and you'll find yourself more settled. It's also a great way to find new spots or try new on-campus eateries!
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SEASON
The semester begins cold, but it will soon warm up. Beautiful blossoms will return to campus, and the outdoors will again become the perfect place to be. Nature will undergo its annual rebirth and I think it's important for students to take advantage of this. Optimizing this sense of renewal that both the new year and the spring season offer is important. I used to think writing down resolutions was unnecessary (and maybe a little corny) but just as you dedicate time to certain tasks, you should dedicate yourself to certain objectives. Write them down or keep them in your head but be diligent and committed to them. If you struggled with waking up early for class last semester, set a goal for yourself—I will complete my homework before 10 PM so I can get enough sleep each night and wake up on time for my 8 AM class.
GROW & EXPLORE
Spring semester is also very advantageous for students career-wise. This is the time to perfect your resume and explore internship and job opportunities for the summer. It's also an excellent time to look into any clubs or organizations you may want to join next year and prepare yourself for any requirements they may have. I recommend scheduling an appointment with Career Services and gathering recommendations during this time. Again, the new year means new opportunities, so make sure you are prepared to seize as many as possible!
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Spring semester may start cold, but things will quickly begin to warm back up. This is the perfect time of the year to start fresh and seek new opportunities. I hope these tips offer some guidance so you can finish the academic year strong!
By: Samantha Thompson
Of the high-rises that paint the skyline of south campus stands Morrison, the Official Sophomore Residence Hall. Its convenient placement on campus and fun community make Morrison a popular Second Year residence hall. Why should you consider Morrison? Well, here are three reasons why!
THE OFFICIAL SOPHOMORE RESIDENCE HALL
Morrison, also known as Motown, houses over 800 second-year students. This high concentration of sophomore students is known to create a unique living experience found nowhere else on campus! Because these students share common experiences on campus, Morrison promotes a tight-knit community. Much like what students experienced during their previous year at Carolina in first-year residence halls, Morrison’s community encourages students to socialize with students in their same classification and even major or club! While each of the living communities on campus will host a friendly environment, students living in Morrison find living amongst other sophomores to be profoundly supportive.
Here is what sophomore Christopher W. has to say: “My favorite thing about Morrison is the community and the Art Studio!”
CONVINIENT PLACEMENT ON SOUTH CAMPUS
Morrison’s community is like no other but it’s also important to consider its relation to other places on campus. If you need to get to north campus, Morrison has quick access to the walkways around Kenan Stadium to get to either Genome Science Building or Student Stores. If you need to catch the bus, Morrison has access to both the U Campus Bus and the RU Campus Bus across the street near Craige Deck.
Morrison is also the closest residence hall to Rams Head Market, Chase Dining Hall, and Rams Head Recreation Center. Packages can be conveniently picked up right downstairs at the Morrison Package Center. When Carolina Football plays home games, Morrison residences will not have a far walk to Kenan Stadium.
MORRISON ROOM TYPES
If you lived in the first year rises, or even if you wanted to, you’ll love Morrison! It offers the same suite-style experience as the other first-year high rises. Four rooms, each with two roommates, and a bathroom at the end of the hall. Morrison also has single rooms available, but it is known for the Morrison Super Suite.
Super Suites are unique to Morrison. The suite includes three bedrooms, each with two roommates, and a bathroom with two sinks, one toilet, and one shower. But rather than the fourth bedroom typical in other suites, super suites include a lounge area with two armchairs and a sofa. The lounge area is the perfect place to relax, catch up with friends, or do some homework! Super suites do not include kitchens and are not available to be cleaned by housekeeping however, they are well-liked amongst Morrison residents for the privacy and space they offer. You’ll find no other rooms like this on campus.
For your second year at UNC, there’s no place to be like Morrison. If you still aren’t convinced, check out the Carolina Housing website to explore the halls of Morrison. Here, you’ll be able to read more about the specifications and take a virtual tour of the single, double, and super suite options.
By: Samantha Thompson
After your first year at UNC, choosing where you want to live may become even more difficult. It’s no longer just a matter of north or south campus, but rather, on or off-campus. Chapel Hill offers a variety of living options but there is nothing quite like Carolina Housing. To help you decide whether you want to spend another year on-campus or venture off, here are the top five perks of living on-campus.
CLOSE TO CLASSES
Arguably, the most important perk of living on-campus is that you’re right here where your classes are. Whether you're on south campus or north campus, living on-campus offers the fastest commute to any of the classroom buildings at UNC. Additionally, the bus system can take students to any place on-campus that their classes may be. Living off-campus may mean longer commute times or even trouble with parking. If you’re living on-campus, all you have to do is leave your building and walk, ride, or bike to class - it’s that simple!
COMMUNITY
Carolina works hard to create a unique and safe community for students, and Carolina Housing (as well as the Residence Hall Association) work to do the same within residence halls. This sense of community established on-campus cannot be found anywhere else and is often an assurance for students. Residence halls like Morrison, which only houses sophomore students, or residence halls hosting Residential Learning Programs, seek to group students with classmates that have similar interests as them. These shared environments make learning and living in college easier and more comfortable.
Additionally, living amongst other students on-campus can create special moments. Whether it be meeting new friends in your residence hall or growing close with your suitemates, the spontaneous moments that happen on-campus throughout the school year cannot be created anywhere else. It’s what makes your Carolina Experience!
CAMPUS RESOURCES
Being in college can create unique troubles for students. But UNC understands these troubles and works to help students overcome them. The maintenance of living on your own can become expensive and overwhelming, especially for students doing it for the first time. This is why Carolina Housing supplies residence halls with enhancements such as vacuum cleaners or cooking supplies for students so they don’t have to be financially burdened. And, if your residence hall is unable to provide you with something you need, they will always give you a list of additional resources on-campus to help you.
RESIDENCE HALL EVENTS
Residence halls also host many events throughout the year and all over campus! These events vary—some are offered for athletic events; others are simply to celebrate students. Whatever the occasion, events thrown at residence halls are the perfect place to meet new people living in your building and even get free food and swag! Again, these events are created with students in mind and work to cater to your interests while also providing the support and resources you may need.
AFFORDABILITY
Finally, living on-campus is often the most affordable option for students. Pricing for on-campus living is all inclusive. This means that you pay one price a semester for everything you are offered in residence halls with no surprise billing. Also, on-campus living is a 9-month obligation rather than a 12-month obligation, and this paired with no deposit or application fee, puts on-campus living in a favorable position financially.
When you live on-campus you are only responsible for bringing personal items and any decorations you want. Living off-campus often means students will be responsible for providing and/or maintaining furniture, appliances, and any other supplies they may need. Off-campus living is much more than a one-time fee (as is offered with on-campus living), it is a lengthy and often pricey responsibility that should be considered seriously before deciding to chose this option.
Choosing to live on or off campus requires surveying a variety of factors and it varies from student to student. However, living on-campus is an experience created for students and is continually updated to meet the needs of each new generation of Tar Heels! There’s no place like on-campus to have the full and great Carolina Experience!
When I moved into Morrison at the start of my sophomore year, I wasn’t sure what to expect.
My dad, also a Tar Heel, stayed in Morrison all four years during his time at Carolina, so you can probably guess he was pretty excited when I told him I’d be staying there this year. Still, I didn’t really know what my Morrison experience would bring. Things aren’t the same at Carolina now as they were in the 90s, after all, something I’ve often had to tell my alumni parents. Would things be better? Worse? Would I really enjoy living here?
Something important to know about me is that I’m very much a creative person. I love to make new, unique, and meaningful things from nothing, whether that’s a spotless wall in need of decoration or a blank canvas waiting to be painted. So I’m happy to say that although I’ve only lived in Morrison for a few weeks, this residence hall has already given me plenty of opportunities to let my creative juices flow freely! What exactly do I mean by that? Take my living space as an example. My suitemates and I live in a super suite, something available exclusively in Morrison on the top few floors. In a super suite, one of the four bedrooms in a normal suite is removed to make space for a lounge area. From what I’ve heard, they’re pretty popular with sophomores, so I’m glad we were able to snag one! Decorating the living room with my suitemates was a blast—with all the extra space, we could really get creative with how we wanted the area to look. We picked a color theme (neon pinks and purples!) and ordered decorations like neon signs and colorful posters, and I’ll never forget how excited we all were whenever a package arrived! I love that we were able to work together to create our own space and make it feel like home.
I haven’t just been creative with my living space since I moved in. Morrison is also home to an Art Studio on the bottom floor, where residents can utilize painting and drawing supplies free of charge and create to their heart’s content! As someone who indulges in visual art as a hobby, my mind was absolutely blown when I found out about this amenity. I first visited during my freshman year, when my friends and I went together and had a group painting session. I went back another time to refine an art project for one of my classes - a self portrait!
I haven’t gotten to visit the Art Studio as much since this year began, but as the rigor of my classes continues to increase, I’ll definitely swing by there soon to relax and ease my mind by making something cool and colorful.
As a whole, I’m loving life in Morrison so far, and I really appreciate that this residence hall has done so much as far as allowing and encouraging me to express my creativity. To anyone reading this, I highly encourage you to take advantage of these creative opportunities should you choose to live in Morrison next year, as well as the many opportunities available around campus.
PROS of Living in Morrison
CONS of Living in Morrison
What is it like to have two parents who attended UNC Chapel Hill? Interesting, to say the least. As a child, I tagged along to football games with my parents and their college friends; all people they met living in Morrison residence hall or from being in the Marching Tar Heels. Needless to say, I never pictured myself attending a college other than UNC. It was predestined for me to also be a member of the Marching Tar Heels, which has also introduced me to some of my closest friends. My parents were thrilled on move in day my freshman and sophomore years. Especially when moving me into Morrison, my parents enjoyed reminiscing on their own college days, telling stories about living there and meeting the friends they still have to this day. My mom particularly enjoyed telling me about the time that she got stuck in the elevator with her best friend and seven guys, making her late to the marching band’s pregame performance for a football game. I often think about the experiences of my parents and wonder what stories I’ll be telling my family and friends one day.
Morrison is definitely the best place to live as a sophomore on South Campus. The location is not too far from my classes on North Campus (a 10-minute walk) and really close to the university resources I like to utilize, like the Learning and Writing Center. It's also really close to the Rams Head gym and Chase dining hall. I also like how Morrison has its own art studio. All of the supplies are free to use, and I love spending my time in the art studio painting decorations for my room or de-stressing from classes. I also like how aesthetically pleasing Morrison is, from its origami crane structure stretching from the second floor to the floor-painted mural on the basketball court. From the seventh floor of Morrison, I can basically see the entire campus, from the tip of Davis's eight floor to the inside of the Kenan football stadium. All of these wonderful little facets of Morrison tie together to make me feel comfortable living here and to treat it as my second home away from home.
By: Tamara Royster, Summer 2022 Marketing Intern
Carolina Housing has partnered with several different groups around campus to build spaces to support students. Whether you want to game with friends, unleash your creative potential, or find resources to make healthy food at home, there’s a place for you to do it!
The Carolina Gaming Arena is on the ground floor of Craige Hall and has 36 high-end PC stations as well as over 10 gaming consoles. Students can also bring one guest if they want to play with a friend who is not a UNC Student. You can reserve time to use the PC Stations or consoles at carolinagaming.unc.edu
The Morrison Art Studio can be found on the bottom floor of Morrison Residence Hall. All of the art supplies there are free to use! They have a selection of water based paints, tools and canvases for you to use! You can also use your own supplies after getting permission from a staff member. Just watch the quick video orientation on their website and you’re all set! You can find out more about the Morrison Art Studio at their website. artseverywhere.unc.edu/morrisonartstudio/
The Hardin Hub for Career and Academic Advising allows students on South Campus to easily meet with a Career or Academic Advisor. They are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm during the Academic Year. You can also meet with an advisor during their virtual drop-in hours. Just look for the yellow umbrellas and signs on the first floor of Hardin Residence Hall.
Carolina Cupboard is an on-campus food pantry that provides food and toiletries at no cost to students in need. The staff is super nice and don’t mind helping you get whatever you need! There’s even a recipe book that uses many ingredients you can find at the Carolina Cupboard. They are located in the basement of Avery Residence Hall and can be accessed through the side doors. You can find out more and make an appointment at carolinacupboard.web.unc.edu
You may have passed by some of the BeAM makerspaces on campus, but did you know that there is one in one of the residence halls? The BeAM@Carmichael makerspace is located on the first floor of Carmichael Residence Hall. Anyone who wishes to use the makerspace has to go through the BeAM 101 training. You also have to go through training if you wish to use the 3D Printer, Electronics Tools, Embroidery Machine, Serger and Coverstitch, Sewing Machine or Vinyl Cutter. It is absolutely worth it to get a chance to use these tools. They also provide free materials, but make sure you double check their website for specifics on what they provide. beam.unc.edu/
Edible Campus UNC is a program of the North Carolina Botanical Garden. They create working landscapes across UNC-Chapel Hill to facilitate campus engagement in topics of food and agriculture sustainability. There are satellite beds all over campus, including at some of our Residence Halls. You can find them at Stacy, Graham, and Hardin! There is also a cookbook that was made in association with Carolina Cupboard and APPLES Service-Learning on how to make affordable and healthy seasonal foods on campus. You can find the cookbook and more information about Edible Campus at their website: ncbg.unc.edu/outreach/edible-campus-unc/
That was a lot to cover, but I’m glad that Carolina Housing provides so many resources and opportunities for students. I already have ideas for things I want to try at some of the partnership spaces. I have heard of people using the BeAM@Carmichael makerspace and Morrison Art Studio to make their own Halloween costumes! I would also like to play a game of Mario Party with some of my friends at the Carolina Gaming Arena and try making a homecooked meal with the food provided by Carolina Cupboard and Edible Campus. Whenever I need help with career or advising questions, then I can stop by the Hardin Hub! Which partnership space is your favorite? I would love to see what other students like to do!
By: Samantha Thompson, Summer 2022 Marketing Intern
The events hosted for students in the first couple of weeks of school are a great way to become acclimated with campus and meet tons of new people. Here is a list of some important Welcome Back traditions and a few tips for when you arrive on campus.
UNC Weeks of Welcome, more commonly referred to as WOW, is an annual two-week-long event with daily programs, activities, and experiences meant to help new and returning Tar Heels feel welcomed into the Carolina community. Featured events invite students to talk with professors, learn more about campus & Chapel Hill, as well as meet other students.
New Student Convocation commemorates the beginning of your journey at UNC, hosted annually in Kenan Stadium. Speakers, including the student body president and Chancellor Guskiewicz, fill students with inspiring words and well wishes for their school.
After convocation, head over to Fall Fest! It gives the students the chance to learn more about the organizations and academic departments on campus. With fun games, performances, free swag, and even free food, Fall Fest is the perfect event to start off the school year. Fall Fest is another great opportunity for you to find other students who have similar interests.
If you see a long line in front of The Old Well on your first day of class, you should join it---well, if you have time, wait! Drinking from The Old Well is known to bring students luck throughout the semester.
There are many helpful apps you should download before you get to campus. CarolinaGO gives you access to tons of useful resources, Coursicle helps you keep track of your classes, GET Mobile gives you digital access to your OneCard, and Transloc and NextBus track the bus routes so you’re always on time.
Walk your classes before the first day! Finding buildings and the best ways to get to them can take some time. I recommend using Google Maps to find buildings because it's more walker friendly. And if you don’t have time to walk your classes and you’re having difficulty finding where you need to be on the first day, don’t be afraid to ask someone. Everyone is very understanding and willing to help!
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Now that you know all the big back-to-school traditions at UNC and a couple of helpful tips, you can rest assured that you won’t miss out on anything once you arrive on campus. I hope you have fun in your first couple of weeks on campus!
By: Gabriela Duncan, Summer 2022 Marketing Intern
Although first-years are not allowed to have cars on campus, there is no shortage of accessible locations on campus to explore by walking or taking the Point 2 Point (P2P) bus from your residence hall.
Located right next to Top Of The Hill on South Columbia Street, the Ackland Art Museum is completely FREE and has a new exhibit every few months!
The Varsity Theater is a Chapel Hill classic located on East Franklin Street in-between Lightyears and the Blue Horn Lounge. It is a wonderful place to go if you want to watch movies for a much lower price than at other theaters! One of my favorite events at the Varsity Theater is the Rocky Horror Picture Show every Halloweekend. If that interests you, get your tickets in the Pit right away when it's time to because it sells out fast!
This one is not as well-known as the others, surprisingly! The Carolina Basketball Museum is located on Skipper Bowles Drive next to the Dean Smith Center and the Koury Natatorium. It is within walking distance from many of the first-year residence halls. This museum has everything you could dream of regarding Carolina Basketball, including Coach K’s famous letter to Michael Jordan.
This place is SO COOL! Even if you are not super into space, you will be after a visit here. As a UNC student, you are offered admission for a discounted price when you bring your One Card. A fun fact that many might not know about the Morehead Planetarium is that between 1959 and 1975, nearly every astronaut who participated in the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, and Apollo-Soyuz programs trained here!
This location is right on campus by Spencer Residence Hall! It is a beautiful place to walk around, take pretty pictures, and take in the beauty of the beautiful flowers around you. Better yet, it is free!