melvinbackman's blog

I saw something beyond awesome today: two kids playing in the mud. While this tale may come across as the saga of two weirdoes, one must remember that this is college. This is the land of midnight burger runs and sold-out a cappella concerts. This is where the mundane becomes the incredible.

Castles, dildoes and policies. High school was not like this.

When I first learned that I was going to be a Tar Heel, second to my expectations of receiving a world-class education were my expectations of rooting on a world-class men's college basketball team.

Although my book-learnin' has lived up to expectations, my hopes of rushing Franklin Street in a celebration of victory have diminished slowly over the course of the season.

I should have known. After a four-loss season and dominance in the NCAA tournament that culminated in a championship last year, I thought the next season—my first as an official Tar Heel—would be great. A relatively inexperienced bench and a string of injuries have dashed those hopes of basketball glory.

It was much to my surprise and delight that EA Sports was in the Pit promoting NCAA Basketball 10. Finally, a world where the 2009-10 team could beat up on lesser teams with superiority not known since...last year.

 A few weeks ago, I tried double-chocolate-chip mint cookies.

They were amazing.  

Before that wondrous afternoon, I had never had double-chocolate-chip mint cookies.  

I'm sure that plenty of you out there have eaten double-chocolate-chip mint cookies. Maybe you have been doing so for years.

As a freshman, getting around campus without a car is fine. I can always walk, and the P2P never fails.

But any trips that involve leaving UNC is another story.  

When I first got to campus, I had noble intentions. 

I was going to be healthy and active.  I ate three, well-spaced meals throughout the day, with plenty of fruits and veggies. There were no ifs-ands-or-buts about not eating breakfast. The boxes of sugary snacks my parents left with me remained unopened.  I went to the gym three times a week.

I wake up from the warmth and comfort of my twin-sized comforter and hop down from my lofted bed.  I groggily stumble my way outdoors to check the weather.

I look out past my dorm's balcony and my heart sinks — it's raining.

I'm trying to get to class and there are people screaming at me.

Giant wooden structures dominate the landscape. People want my votes — not a "minute to talk about the environment."

It is the final day before the elections for Homecoming court, and campaigns are in full swing.