UNC Bucket List #25: Complete a DTH Crossword

UNC Bucket List is a weekly feature highlighting the 100 things students should attempt before they graduate. Check out the full bucket list and all previous Bucket List posts here

For us traditional note-takers that haven’t caught up with the “I use my computer” crowd, it’s a little harder to find something to occupy the time while the professor is droning on about 18th century sexuality.

Since freshman year, the only thing that has kept me going through the steady torpor of class was attempting the Daily Tar Heel crossword puzzle. I loved agonizing over what word should go in those boxes, and even savored the defeat when I realized I had made a mistake.

That’s why I chose number twenty-five on the UNC Bucket List: finish a DTH crossword. I knew it would be difficult, but I was determined to succeed. I didn’t start the puzzle when I picked up the paper this morning — I knew better. I do my best work during class.

So when my media law professor started her lecture on the U.S. court system, I whipped out my puzzle and got started. The first few minutes were easy. I really like to skim the list for the gimme’s. Longtime 60 Minutes Pundit — Andy Rooney, Lang of Smallville — Lana, 2001 Disney film subtitled, “The Lost King” — Atlantis. I always feel pumped, like I’m listening to a Nelly song or something.

Then I started to slow down. I had to ask myself things like, “Now what was that I learned in 8th grade about the Mayans?” and, “What exactly is Baroque?”

I did better than usual, I had almost half the board, but when I looked at the hint, sunny Spanish King? for the umpteenth time, I realized I was stuck. That’s when I decided to enlist some help.

First I started with my classmates, real top notch people. They were very helpful especially with the history questions. There’s always somebody within arm’s reach at Carolina that learned something great for trivia in their last class.

Then I texted my brother for help with the sports questions. It’s weird, neither one of us has a great memory but he’s got a Rain Man kind of ability when it comes to sports trivia.

Then there were only a few squares left. Those clues that just seem like they fell out of the sky and landed in the paper to torture me. So I turned to another time-honored UNC tradition — I Googled them. I’m not exactly sure if that’s cheating, but the bucket-list seems like a no holds barred kind of deal.

When I finished — only two classes later — I looked down at my completed grid with triumph, thinking, I’ll see you again tomorrow in American Studies!