Once upon a time, there existed real, passionate rivalries between UNC’s South Campus dorms. This playful spirit was encouraged by the practice of organizing intramural competition according to hall or suite.
Reinstating the nearly forgotten Dorm Cup could develop lasting dorm identities, encourage neighborly interaction and teamwork and generally increase younger students’ sense of belonging on campus.
The benefit of instituting suitemate-only intramural teams manifests itself in several ways. By requiring freshman to only play on intramural sports teams with their suitemates, students will be forced to spend quality face time with their most immediate neighbors. Ideally, this practice would increase communication skills and dispel conflict by forcing neighbors to deal with each other. A suite that plays together stays together.
Additionally, dorm-based competition would be far fairer and a truer test of students’ abilities to work together than networking with former star high school athletes.
From the excruciatingly long walk to class every morning to the culinary phenomenon known as Rams Head Dining Hall, the denizens of South Campus have an immediate bond with anyone who shares their living experience.
Adding an atmosphere of healthy rivalry would provide another element of easy, old-fashioned fun to living in South Campus dorms — a sense of communal identity other than that of shared misery.
