You do not get to be number one for no reason.
To be number one on a list of prestige and import like UNC’s Bucket List, something must be truly worthwhile.
Riding a full circuit on the P2P captures the essence of what Chapel Hill nightlife can offer. The laughs, the introductions, the gaffes, the highs and the lows can all be seen on the microcosm of what it means to “go out.”
My full circuit experience started off with a chilling reminder of the dedication some Tar Heels harbor towards going out. As I waited at the Ehringhaus stop, a group of girls congregated nearby wearing high heels and tight skirts. With the temperature dipping into the 20s, even this native Coloradoan suffered from the cold. Yet the ladies did not bemoan their outfits, instead lauding their skirts for complimenting the way their posteriors protruded while on the dance floor.
As the bus approached, the crowd shuffled near the road in anticipation of the savory warmth offering refuge from the cold. But the bus did not stop, dashing everyone’s hopes and leaving a wake of groans and curses as it sped by.
Someone announced to the group that the next bus was only nine minutes away. But alas, this bus sped past as well.
Finally, after 20 minutes of enduring the near-Nordic cold, those that remained filed onto the bus the third bus.
The P2P ride was characterized by the chattering of students, the metallic smell and touch of the handlebars and the blaring of the heater.
At the Varsity stop, people squeezed by as they made their way for the exit and fought through the mob awaiting to get on the bus.
Through the fogged windows, I saw a group of grown men staggering about. As two of the shouting men moved in for what appeared to be a fight, they surprisingly embraced in a bear hug of drunken laughs and reverie.
After once again being sardine-packed on the bus, we continued the twisting route towards South campus.
Standing in the crowded aisle, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked around only to see my friend in front of me and the bro explaining his hipster outfit behind me.
I felt it again and repeated the confused looks around the bus.
Finally on the third tap of the shoulder, I realized the girl sitting to my right was the one trying to get my attention.
She swore that we had met before — we most definitely had not — but after a few introductions she had a whole group of six freshmen doing a hands-in hurrah, much to the judgment of several on-lookers.
My return to the E-haus stop meant my trip ended without some of the more glorious features that can occur during a late-night bus trip. There were no Franklin fights, no shameless spit swappings and no volatile vomitings.
Yet the full circuit on the P2P still afforded a glimpse into the Chapel Thrill nightlife, a chance to meet some interesting people and a check on the number one thing to do before leaving Chapel Hill.
To get the day's news and headlines in your inbox each morning, sign up for our email newsletters.
