Project Bucket: A documentary about the ultimate UNC bucket list

Five friends and former UNC students completed the ultimate UNC bucket list together before graduation last May. The last item to check off the list was climbing the bell tower as a group on Senior Day.

Bryce Edwards, Joseph Townsend, Patrick Hahn, Teresa Nguyen and Faustina Nguyen have been friends since going to high school together at Charlotte Catholic High School.

The idea to complete the bucket list began when FallFest was cancelled their first year, in 2012. The five were looking for a way to get involved, and Hahn found the perfect opportunity when he found an article in The Daily Tar Heel about the ultimate UNC bucket list.

Townsend said the group became serious about finishing the bucket list together after completing the 4th or 5th item on the list.

“Are we actually gonna do this,” he said. “All 100?”

They did. And now they’re making a movie about it.

The group of five filmed themselves completing every item on the list and will release a documentary about their endeavors by summer 2017.

Now, they’re campaigning to raise about $12,000 to produce the documentary.

Townsend said they wanted the documentary to capture the essence of just how much can happen in those four years.

“More about capturing those four years you’re in college,” he said. “Can you do everything? How do you choose to spend those four years?”

Teresa said she thinks people should be involved with the campaign and/or the documentary because it’s a way to show the world what the “Carolina Experience” is.

“People are familiar with the name of UNC, but not many people outside of the students and alumni know what happens during our undergrad lives outside of classes,” she said. “People will begin to understand what the so-called ‘Carolina Experience’ is and then will gravitate to our home away from home.”

Their campaign for capital launched Nov. 12 and will end Jan. 12.

The money raised will go toward hiring and paying people to help work on the project.

“I want as many people as possible to share in the fun we had and hopefully become aware of all the fun Chapel Hill offers through the list,” Hahn said.

They are currently searching for people who are interested in helping edit, produce and direct the documentary.

Some of their adventures included watching the sun set from Davis Library, rushing Franklin Street after a UNC victory and memorizing all the words to James Taylor’s “Carolina In My Mind.”

Teresa said her favorite memory is trying all of the food items on the list.

“Linda’s cheese fries, Mama Dip’s, all of the Alpine bagelwiches, YoPo, Time Out’s cheddar-chicken biscuits, Ye Olde, Maple View, taco trucks, deep fried candy bars,” she said. “One thing that people probably know about me is that I love food.”

Teresa said the list was an outlet for the group to make their own adventure at UNC.

“I hope that future generations of Tar Heels can take from our list and make their own ‘bucket list’ for UNC.”

swerve@dailytarheel.com