There seem to be only two reasons for a Tar Heel to go to Duke University — one, to perform a Carolina invasion, and two because, well, there just might be a few (small) things that are worth the visit.
Carolina students are not at a loss for creative and dramatic displays of rivalry when it comes to an invasion. It may not be plausible to pull off a parachute landing on Coach K during a basketball game, and used Band-Aids with fake blood applied to every major door handle might make us look more like creeps than competition (yes, these are real ideas that students shared with a DTH reporter).
Never the less, voices in The Pit had me genuinely laughing at how to spend a day on Duke’s campus. So here are the top five ways to spread some Carolina while making the most of your time:
1. Invasion of the duckies
If you want to leave a heel print that nobody could trace, junior Katie Kaychelena says rubber duckies are the way to go. Leave them everywhere she suggests, “in nooks and crannies” and on telephone wires. “They won’t know that it’s us, but we’ll be there in droves.”
2. Let the flag fly high
If a known presence is what you’re looking for, targeting the Duke University Chapel, a major symbol of the school, is a popular option. “It’s a dark, castle-like place,” said senior Matthew Ryan in describing not only the Chapel, but also the whole of Duke. He concludes that we should “hang Carolina flags in all the castle windows.”
3. Carolina meets main quad
For maximum impact, Duke’s main quad is a great place to make a scene with Carolina blue. From a flash mob rendition of Hark the Sound, to releasing dozens of blue-horn-painted Rameses on campus, there are plenty of ways to make an impression where it counts.
4. Crash LDOC
If you can pull it off, LDOC (Last Day Of Class) is by far the best Duke event to crash, according to senior John Guzek. As a Robertson scholar, Guzek admits, “It’s incredible. I’ve got to hand it to them.”
The largest event on campus, LDOC is held just before finals with a lineup of several popular performers and musicians. You need a Duke ID to get in; however, if you make the right friends, you can bide your time in the dorms and emerge to see an insiders-only event. Just don’t forget to unveil some hidden Carolina blue when the time is right.
5. Garden Sloth Party
Without a doubt, Duke Gardens ranked as one of the only other decent reasons why a Tar Heel would spend a day on campus. “The gardens—that’s all it’s got,” Ryan said.
Senior Seth Muller suggests that we all take an afternoon there to have one giant ENO “sloth party.” Picture if you will, the sacred landscape filled with the Carolina blue of hammocks swung from every tree. According to official Duke “garden etiquette” policy, hanging a hammock in the garden is prohibited, which only makes this option even more enticing.
Whether you’re visiting for pure rivalry, or with a secret desire to get a peek at “that other school,” make a visit to Duke count—bring some blue (and perhaps a rubber ducky). However, if you do decide to release a herd of blue horned rams, try not to do it in the gardens; we don’t want to spoil one of the few things that make going to Duke worth the visit.
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