However, with no over-night stops, my friends and I had to make do with the black upholstery as our beds for the next two nights. I soon realized this would mean I’d be more contortionist than nighttime sleeper.
Through Oklahoma fields and the when-will-New-Mexico-end slump, we arrived at our final destination at 2 a.m. Saturday. We caught a short five-hour rest in an actual bed, but reentered our temporary home/van to acquire front row seats to the UNC vs. Oregon game.
Amid a low-70s day with Carolina blue skies came the surreal feeling that we did it — I was there, standing outside the University of Phoenix Stadium. The excitement escalated within me.
Streams of journalists and videographers from every major network circulated the student crowds, asking a few questions and getting clips of them screaming for the camera. My friend joked that we’d need to stay grounded through our newly acquired fame.
Six hours later, standing front row off-center, I watched as our boys battled for a spot in the championship game. The arena was tense with anticipation and nerves until “Final” was projected on the screens. A flood of elation and relief crashed over the student section as we jumped and embraced our classmates.
After a celebratory burger and fries from In-N-Out, we pumped the Clef Hangers’ “Blue and White,” a Carolina remix of “Black and Yellow” (yes, that really does exist), and drove to the friend-of-a-friend’s house where we were staying. The knowledge that we would be back on Monday circulated in our minds.
