EASE Guide to Life at UNC
Mark Your Calendars!
Only a couple more weeks before your arrival in
Chapel Hill, North Carolina! We can’t wait to meet
all of you and make your semester at Carolina the
best ever. To help you get situated, we have
prepared this booklet with various information that
you might find helpful. As always, if you have any
questions do not hesitate to email
[email protected].
8/19 Unofficial EASE Meet-up @TBD
8/21 FallFest @Fetzer Fields
8/22 International Student Orientation
@FedEx Global Center
8/23 FDOC (first day of classes)
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Class Registration
Get into a class that is full
Textbooks
You have probably already registered for classes,
however if there is a class that you want to take that
was closed, you should still be able to get into this
class! Here are suggestions :
The student store sells textbooks but they are pricey.
You can rent textbooks from the student store or buy
them second-hand from UNC students however most
order them off Amazon using the ISBN numbers.
1. Email the professor
2. Attend the class on the first day, see if there is a
waiting list and add your name and PID
3. Get notifications on your phone via https://
notify.coursicle.com/ Enter the course name and
section as well as a phone number or email and
you will be sent a text if the class changes from
closed to open.
Amazon Prime is free for 6 months with your UNC
email (free shipping!)
Find Syllabi on Sakai
Use your onyen and password to find homework
assignments and class resources. Don’t worry if you
do not see your course yet, often times professors do
not open their page until the day before or day of
class.
sakai.unc.edu
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Blinkness & RateMyProfessors
Want to read reviews about your professor?
Check the grade distribution?
*Not always true, not every professor is
listed
http://unc.blinkness.com/
http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/
campusRatings.jsp?sid=1232
Find course materials and ISBN numbers here:
http://unc.bncollege.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/
TBWizardView?
catalogId=10001&langId=-1&storeId=88196
Dining and Food
Dining Halls : Top of Lenoir & Ram’s Head Dining
Flex v. Expense
There are two dining halls on campus. Both are available to students
with a meal plan.
Meal plan options can be found here :
http://dining.unc.edu/meal-plans
On-campus restaurants and cafés :
http://menus.dining.unc.edu/
Franklin Street Restaurants :
http://www.downtownchapelhill.com/dining/
Restaurants that Deliver : https://www.takeoutcentral.com/
Top
Ram’s Head
The Expense/Convenience account: a financial plan that
is good for basically everything on campus where the
card is accepted for payment. You need Expense $$ to
do things like laundry in the dorms, using a copier, or
printing (although UNC automatically gives you some $
$ for printing).
The Flex Plan: a financial plan that can only be bought
with your meal plan. It is nice to have flex dollars with
your meal plan if you do not want to eat at the cafeteria
all the time. You can use it to buy food at any oncampus restaurant and select Franklin street restaurants.
To put it simply, both convenience accounts and flex
plans work for purchasing food but the convenience
account covers everything else on campus.
One Card —UNC Identification Card
-entrance to sporting events
-printing
-dining halls
-gym access
-bank account at Wells Fargo (optional)
For more information go here:
http://onecard.unc.edu/students/
Top of Lenoir
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Clubs & Activities
There are hundreds of activities and organizations
that you can join during your time at UNC!
Explore here: https://studentlife.unc.edu/
FallFest
August 21st 8:15pm-2am
Skipper Bowles parking lot
New and returning students are encouraged to visit
student organization and academic department tables
to learn how to get involved at Carolina. With over
700 registered student organizations on campus,
you’re sure to find a way to leave your heelprint.
Make sure to come say hi at the EASE booth!!
Make sure to join the EASE Facebook group as well as like the page!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/173534609396925/
https://www.facebook.com/UNC-EASE-255994951252875/?fref=ts
We will highlight some of them each week in our
newsletter, however keep in mind that some
require auditions or tryouts (e.g. acapella groups,
student-run play/musical, ultimate frisbee team).
They should have tables at FallFest and you will
be able to sign up there! There are also wooden
billboard “cubes” located in the pit that advertise
upcoming events and activities.
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Go Heels!
UNC aka the University of National Champions
All sporting events are free with your OneCard (UNC ID)
except for basketball. Basketball tickets are given out
through a lottery system. We will explain how to sign up
closer to the date.
9/2 Men’s Soccer v. NC State @7:30pm
9/3 Volleyball v. TCU @6:30pm
9/5 Men’s Soccer v. VCU @7:30pm
9/10 Field Hockey v. Wake Forest @1pm
9/17 Football v. JMU @3:30pm
Schedules can be found at www.goheels.com
Transportation
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Chapel Hill buses have many routes and they are
FREE! GoTriangle buses ($2.25/one way) will take
you outside of Chapel Hill (so if you wanted to go
to the shopping mall or Target/Walmart). The best
way to check schedules and maps is via the app,
NextBus.
Find more information here:
http://move.unc.edu/transit/
P2P : Point to Point aka “Party 2 Party”
The P2P runs daily from 7pm-4am. It is FREE and is commonly
used to get from South Campus to Franklin Street on weekend
nights.
The route can be found on NextBus or here:
http://move.unc.edu/p2p/p2p-express/
Directions
• To get to Southpoint shopping mall take the
GoTriangle #800
• To get to Target or Walmart on 15-501 take the
GoTriangle #400
• To get around campus take the Chapel Hill bus
lines U or RU
• To get to Harris Teeter grocery store there are
several options. To get to the Carrboro store, take
the Chapel Hill bus line CW
Cellphone Plan
Our apologies in misstating that information on the PDF.
Originally we did offer a cellphone package but we found that
exchange students in previous years bought a
prepaid phone card at the store instead of borrowing a
prepaid phone from us. The most popular cell phone services
in the U.S. are AT&T and Verizon. I also know a fair amount
of people that use Sprint and T-Mobile. I usually recommend
the $45 unlimited talk/text with 2 GB of data phone card from
AT&T. I recommend going to Target or Walmart to find what
plan works for you.
https://www.att.com/accessories/prepaid/45-gophone-refillcard.html
Nightlife
Bars
He’s Not Here
Top of the Hill + Back Bar
La Residence
Goodfellows
Pantana Bobs
The Library (18+ some nights)
Country Fried Duck (18+ some nights)
Tru Deli (all ages)
and more!!
Entertainment
Varsity Theater
Cat’s Cradle
Local 506
Memorial Hall - $10 student tickets
https://www.carolinaperformingarts.org/
all-performances/
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EASE Advice from Internationals
1. Connect with US students.
2. If you need of a meal, go to the entrance of the
dining hall and ask politely "does anyone have a free
swipe?"
3. Sign up for meet and greet to connect with US and
exchange students.
4. To save money cook in a dorm, rent kitchenware
from the community office.
5. Ask US students if you can catch a ride to the
grocery store
6. Also load money into your Skype account, you can
call any number, landline, cell phone in the world for
2.3 c per minute USD. Or text for 10 c. So call home
banks or friends/family.
What was your favorite memory at Carolina?
Labour day weekend about ten of us went to Oak
Island and got an Airbnb :)
-Take advantage of traveling!
Favorite memories would have to be sporting
events…you may hate sports (I was not particularly
into American football) but embrace the
atmosphere and culture and you will
come to love attending sporting
events!
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1. You have nothing to fear..like roommates
-Its part of American college and they'll grow to love
it
2. Don’t worry about course choices as the system is
amazing and it can all be sorted once you're there
3. Get involved and try new things early as it's
difficult to join clubs later on
4. Expect to do a lot more work consistently rather
than in batches
-Going to classes is much more important here
Have fun. That's my advice!
I would say throw yourself into everything. If
someone invites you somewhere, go rather than
staying in watching TV or studying. Oh, and meet
lots of people!!
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1. Expand Out of Your Circle
I know coming to a foreign place till be scary and you would always end up
hanging out with the people that came here with you from your country of origin.
Do that, but also try to branch out and know the locals, you traveled half way
around the world to learn and experience new cultures, not doing the same thing
you did back home in a different location. Search for events on Facebook, and get
involved. Tar Heels are very welcoming and friendly, especially if you mention
you're an exchange student. They want to know about your culture as much as you
want to know theirs.
2. Study Throughout the Semester, Not the last 2 weeks.
As a student under the British education system for most of my life, adjusting to the
US system was a struggle. I believe many of you were like me, taking it easy
throughout the semester, and cramming everything 1 week prior to the finals. In the
US system, there are constantly quizzes and midterms that contribute to your final
grade. Did I mention, getting an A here is a 93%.! But do not worry, pay full
attention in class, and I guarantee you'll do fine in the exams.
Your semester here in UNC will pass by so fast without you even noticing it. Some
of you might feel homesick, or bored due to the lack of new friends. Push yourself
to be out there, get involved. If you see a fellow exchange student not having a
good experience as you, help them!
3. Travel, Travel, Travel!!
I can't emphasize how important this is. The best way to
learn and experience a new country, is to explore it. Yes you
are busy with school work and what not, but do not miss this
opportunity. Once you are done with your time here in the
US, you don't want to go back home and not been anywhere
besides Chapel Hill. Throughout my 4 years here in the US, I
have been to more than 30 different cities, from San
Francisco in California, to Manhattan in New York. Chapel
Hill, is located within driving distance of many interesting
places, from Washington DC, to Atlanta Georgia. If you're
adventurous and don't mind driving like me, take a 13 hour
drive north to Boston, and visit New York City, Philadelphia
in Pennsylvania, Baltimore in Maryland, Washington DC,
and Richmond Virginia before arriving back here. You can
also do the same thing south, driving 13 hours to Key West
Florida, and hit up, Miami, Orlando, Savannah and Atlanta in
Georgia, Ashville and Charlotte in North Carolina, before
again heading back to Chapel Hill. Plan ahead of time, so
you can save on car rentals and hotels. For those that are
having pass/fail classes here, you're blessed.
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