chapel hill: the way life should always be

i saw that slogan somewhere and i have to agree wholeheartedly. chapel hill is bliss. it's energy. it's quiet. it's alive. it's home. it's the greatest place i've ever lived. eventually i want to end up there again. but for now, i'll have to settle for visits that are few and far between.

(photo credit: Adam Biel)

i tried listing some of my fave chapel hill hot spots, but that proved difficult. instead, here is a video to give you a glimpse into the place that stole my heart forever.

"Without even noticing, UNC seeps into your pores. By junior year, she’s in your blood. You can’t remember a time when you didn’t have moments on campus where you lose your breath for a second and all you can think is,
‘Wow, I love this place.’"

-Elyse Ashburn, Daily Tar Heel Editor 03-04

Chapel Hill. when i hear those two words, deep-rooted love and pride swells inside of me. it's difficult to explain to someone who hasn't experienced the magic of Chapel Hill firsthand. the town and the University are a package deal. it's hard to separate the two. however, it's not hard to see the small town charm or feel the pride swelling in every student's chest when you step on campus. but, to spend four years there is something that can't be described. to invest my heart and soul into that university and compete with that name on my back is beyond words. how does a simple decision like "where are you going to college?" somehow become my heart and soul? i find myself craving Chapel Hill almost daily. here are the things i miss most...

1. frozen yogurt from yopo
2. smelling the stinky pear trees on campus, but loving how beautiful they are
3. putting on my jersey every friday and saturday night
4. rushing Franklin Street with the rest of the student body after big wins
5. penne with pink basil sauce at Franklin Street Pizza & Pasta (aka FSPP)
6. weekly accountability with Leslie at Cafe Carolina
7. early morning weights with my teammates
8. campus runs 
9. tripping on the uneven bricks with protruding roots
10. doing the "pit sit" between classes or just because
11. fried okra from TimeOut
12. never having to dig for pennies at B-Skis. $6.50 means $6.50
13. pre-game meal at 411 West
14. football games in the fall. front row. 30 yard line. behind our boys.
15. always having a Carolina basketball ticket just for being a student-athlete
16. being part of the greatest rivalry in college sports. don't argue with me.
17. making earrings at The Original Ornament in Carrboro
18. morning bagel from Alpine in the Union
19. selling my books back at RamBooks & treating myself to a manicure
20. being part of the Carolina athletics family & watching everyone else compete
21. yogurt and granola bowl at Foster's Market
22. laughing at underclassmen drinking from the Old Well on the first day of classes
23. the daily crossword and sudoku in the Daily Tar Heel (aka the DTH)
24. banana milkshakes from Sutton's Drug Store
25. hearing the bell tower chime

i'm sure i forgot about a thousand other favorite things, but let it suffice to say that i miss that little town and everything it embodies. i became a part of it while i was there and it became a part of me. when i packed up and drove away for the last time, part of me died. i know i can always return, but it will never be the same. bittersweet. i'll leave you with my favorite rendition of James Taylor's "Carolina in My Mind." perfection.

i'm tar heel born and bred. and yes, i just realized that i spent 3 hours reminiscing while writing this post. 

bekah

live unashamedly :: laugh uncontrollably :: love unconditionally.