Last night, I attended the last UNC basketball game I ever will as a student at UNC. I can’t believe I just typed that out.

It’s been an absolute roller coaster ride as a Carolina basketball fan over the past four seasons. Some lows, but mostly highs. Wednesday’s game against Syracuse was no exception. Though down at the half, the boys were able to take the W. Syracuse, 85. UNC, 93.

It was a fantastic game to witness in person for the last of my tenure as a Carolina student. I couldn’t keep seated (my apologies to the lovely family sitting behind me). To top off the night, Duke lost against Wake. I could not have asked for a better outcome.

Though we have one last final home game against the Dookies, I will not be in attendance. Unfortunately, I am not a billionaire with ones to throw in order to score the pricey Duke ticket. My lottery ranking is crap, even as a senior, so I know that getting a student ticket isn’t an option.

And, oh yeah, the Duke game is during the Saturday of UNC’s spring break. The ACC really gipped us on the scheduling there. Making us choose to take full advantage of our break with a long trip, or to stay Saturday with possibility of beating Duke at home? What sicko thought that was a good idea?

Sadly…. I will be sipping rum drinks in Jamaica during our last home game. Though the possibility of rushing Franklin street one last time was seerriouslllyyyy tempting, a $300 difference in flying out on Saturday than Sunday was a bit of a deal breaker. I had to go with my mind over my heart on this one and chose to depart early.

I hate the fact that I have to miss this game because Carolina basketball has contributed to a lot of the fun I’ve had here. I have been incredibly lucky to have attended school these past four years with the record we’ve had. Every year, we come into the season being told we won’t be as good as years prior. Waiting for the next shoe to drop, but it never does.

I can’t say Carolina basketball has really ever done me dirty. I mean there is that one “Jump Around” song they play at games that I can’t stand (like, is this middle school?). I also am not too fond of how the students spell out C-A-R-O-L-I-N-A with their arms really fast. That could probably be due to the fact that I have never been able to nail it myself. I mean, it is quite tricky. BUT nevertheless, these things still contribute to what makes me love Carolina basketball so much.

I can close my eyes now and go back to each night’s game. The twinkling phone lights that illuminate the Dean Dome before each game. The overpriced stale popcorn and watered-down soda that I always cave in and buy. The “LUUUKKEEEE” cheers that sound like boos. The overplayed marching band cover of Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” that should get old, but never does. The combination is near perfect.

Though the frequent game-attending will be missed, I’ll try to make it to at least one game a season after college. What I have realized, though, is that there will be no more exciting weeknights where we get to watch our boys take on another team, with the buzz of a win remaining as we wake up the next morning of class. There was always a heck of a party to look forward to after a win, which wasn’t too shabby either.

It will surely be missed.

I finish this post as an ode to the Carolina Basketball team – Thanks for all the good times. As always, GDTBATH.