Home Grown in Chapel Hill

March 07 2008 by Katherine Demby

I have lived in Chapel Hill all my life and cannot think of a place I would rather live. Chapel Hill has all of the qualities of a big city with the feel of a small town. There seems to be something for everyone. It is a center of diverse culture with performances from the likes of Cirque de Eloize, the Khmer Arts Ensemble, and many other groups that come to Memorial Hall every year. There’s almost always some concert at The Cat’s Cradle in Carrboro, and there’s always a Carolina game, whether it be basketball, football, or soccer. There’s also a wide selection of churches, beautiful communities, and nice winding country roads to ride your bike down any time. The people here are friendly, helpful, and will greet you with a smile, even if they don’t know you. Such southern hospitality is refreshing and makes me feel at home wherever I go.

Over the last few months, I’ve come to know a completely different side of Chapel Hill. As a freshman at UNC, I’ve come to appreciate Chapel Hill in a completely new way. The campus is beautiful, and while there are over sixteen thousand students, I feel like there’s a tight knit community that is open and welcoming. There are so many places to eat right on Franklin Street, and my friends and I are never hard pressed to find somewhere new to go. As a freshman without a car, I’ve found the free bus system extremely useful and easy to use. There are movie theatres, grocery stores, and even a mall in close proximity to campus. It’s nice to know that I can get whatever I need just by hopping on the bus. Chapel Hill truly is the southern part of heaven, and I hope everyone who comes here will enjoy it as much as I do.