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The first question I was asked when I first entered West Lee Middle School in Sanford, North Carolina on my first day of 8th grade was "Do you like Carolina, Duke, or State?" I had just moved from New Jersey where I was familiar with the glorious shore, Bon Jovi, the Fireman's Fair in Fair Haven, bagels, and nor'easters. What was Carolina, Duke, and State? Why did it matter which one I liked? Would it determine who I would be friends with in school, or worse, if I'd even have any friends if I admitted I had no clue what anyone was talking about? I was having a hard enough time understanding the southern drawl and saying "yes ma'am" let alone worry about interpreting this Carolina/Duke/State stuff. We were living in a temporary rental place until my parents found a house to buy. Fortunately, we moved into our "real" house only a couple of months into my 8th grade year. The room I chose to inhabit I chose because of the light blue wallpaper in the bathroom. As we were moving in, I notice that in my room was hanging this beautiful light blue stained glass light fixture that had "Carolina" and "Tar Heels" circling the base of the light. I decided that this was as good a reason as any to say that I liked "Carolina." From that point on, any light blue I saw became Carolina Blue. I fell in love with Vince Carter, Dante "The Italian Stallion" Calabria, Ed Cota, and Shammond Williams. I heard the marching band and knew that I was meant to be a member. In 8th grade, I decided that I was going to go to college at UNC, nothing else would do. Along with my obsession of Carolina also grew a distaste (and I'm being gentle) for all things Duke. Even the word "Duke" became worse than any other four-letter word that could be mentioned in my presence. I am a Tar Heel through and through. I am a rabid fan, a devoted alumna, a bank of seemingly useless knowledge about all things Carolina. I wear Carolina blue every day - sometimes consciously, most times not. And I will forever be thankful that the Carolina lamp was hanging in my room in North Carolina. I can't imagine how things may have been different if say, a red State lamp or worse, a dark blue Duke lamp had been hanging from the ceiling.
I'm a Tar Heel born, I'm a Tar Heel bred, And when I die, I'm a Tar Heel dead. So it's rah, rah, Car'lina, 'lina, Rah, rah, Car'lina, 'lina, Rah, rah Car'lina, 'lina Rah, Rah, Rah!
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