This Saturday, while the freshman class is worrying about competition to get into the classes left, PINs being the wrong ones or the computer system crashing once again, we also will be missing the Homecoming football game.
Both freshman registration and the kickoff for this year's Homecoming game against Maryland are scheduled for noon this Saturday. Some freshmen, of course, will probably choose to forego registering at noon and risk their spring semester schedule. However, I do not think that this is a choice we should have to make. It is especially unfair for those freshmen students who will not even have a choice: For example, those who are in band or on the football team have to wait and register late.
This is a scheduling conflict that could have easily been avoided had someone had the foresight to check a calendar. Registration would not really be all that affected if it was moved to 9 a.m. Saturday instead of noon, or even to the following weekend. Instead, UNC has effectively alienated one-fourth of the undergraduate population by forcing them to choose between having a little school spirit and attending the last home football game of the season, the Homecoming game, or attempting to get a decent schedule for next semester.
I always had the impression that Homecoming was about unity and school spirit. Perhaps in the future, whoever organizes registration will remember this and make sure the entire student body has the opportunity to participate.
Sara Abrons
Freshman
Journalism
