What Would Dolly Do?

       

Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton is an American Country singer. She is known for her unique voice and wild hair. She is an outreach in the community and a huge heart to people in need. She has been writing music and performing for over 64 years. Her fans are a big part of her life, not only through her music but through the things she does for others. Fans have a love for her and strive to live a life with the question, "What would Dolly do?"

Dolly Parton

Dollywood

Dolly Parton's theme park is located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. This theme park is full of beautiful destinations in the Great Smoky Mountains. Fans of Dolly come to the theme park to have fun with family and friends. Their goal is to share the fun by exceeding guests expectations, serving others, create connections, and improve it to make it better every year. The 165 acre park homes 3.8 million people annually. The park has a restaurant modeling a place that Dolly hold close to her heart and replicates Dolly's hometown favorite. The food is based off the Southern- style mouth watering food.  The park has many themes that reflect on her life. An example of this would be the festivals and shows. The park speakers are filled with her music throughout the park.Fans of Dolly love to see this tourist attraction and often come ready to live the life of Dolly. The large gift shops is home to a life size Dolly and merchandise that fans collect. Through this vacation location, Dolly reaches out throughout the community and has opportunities for family to gain the help they need. This is through Dollywood Foundation and library. 

Dollywood Sign

Fan Art

Fans of Dolly Parton love to show their love by creating their own art for others to then by. Melissa the Artist is a key example of this. This art is watercolor based paintings that tribute to Dolly Parton. This art is customizable and a way for fans to show their love for Dolly and add to their collections. You can find all of this art easily online at Melissa the Artist. The sense of community of fans through fan art grows with everything that is created. 

Dolly Parton Watercolor Art

Music

Dolly Partons album, Jolene, was ranked number 4 on the charts in 1974. Many fans still rave about this song and other country music stars have covered this song. This album was released and made onto records, CDs, and now a days music sources like Apple Music, Spotify, and Pandora. During the time, fans use this song as a way of getting themselves through times and people can relate to Dolly's feelings. This is also a way to show their love for old country music. This song has fans screaming the lyrics and the name Jolene came from a young red-headed fan which she was introduced to when the fan asked for her signature. This then took the story line from Dolly's life and she wrote the song. The covering of this song has introduced country music to a different generation of fans. 

Social Media 

Many fans show their love by posting on social media and making their impact on others on social media. Instagram page Dolly Everyday is a fan page with 23.2 thousand followers. This page posts daily things about Dolly Parton and the latest updates on her. This pages shows fans love for her by posting about fan art, music, quotes, Kenny Rodgers, Dollywood, and more. While comments are followers of her lifestyle, there are fans who are actively posting new information and helping keep her name alive. On Facebook, Dolly Parton Fans is a page with fans from all across the country. The page has 57.2 thousand members and it increases daily. Fans post on this page from many different points of views and show their love by connecting and sharing information so other fans can be encouraged. Fans comment and put their input for others to see and take from. 

Don't Mess With This Dolly Parton Fan

A video on YouTube shows why you Don't Mess With This Dolly Parton Fan. Dolly Parton fan, a teen from Texas, has been collecting Dolly Parton records since his freshman year of high school. He is very artistic and spent hours on his senior project painting a mural of Dolly in a parking space. Days after completing this piece of art, he got a call that vandals destroyed his artwork. When asked how he felt, he was not mad, all he said was, "What would Dolly do?" He took this vandal as a way to grow and do better in his work. He told others that he is showing the people who destroyed his work that he will not give up. With support of his school and teachers, he was able to get paint and redo his work. This example shows the great effort people would do and how their love for Dolly does not go unseen. 

Dolly Mural and Artist

Dolly Look-a-like 

Dolly Parton is known for her slim body and big, wild hair still to this day at the fine age of 78 years old. She is a beauty in her kind and many fans love her style, makeup, and hair. Young Dolly

Young Dolly Parton 

At the Dolly's Swing and Dive, in Brooklyn New York, a festival is held at the local bar called "Dolly Parton Costume Contest." Fans of Dolly Parton get together for a fun night out starting at 10pm and bring there best costumes to look just like Dolly. This event was specifically for Halloween and fans raved over it. The fan page Dolly's Swing and Dive has 1.9 thousand attendees. 

Another fan favorite event is held by Bless Your Bone Boutique. An event called "Dolly Day" was held for fans, vendors, and the community to share their love of Dolly Parton. Attendees were encouraged to dress up and browse the vendors as Dolly. One of the organizers states, "Everybody always participates and likes to dress up for special events, so I think it's great." At the Dolly Day Event many people feel the love and some even say, "...Dolly Day brings people together and thinks people of all ages at the event is cool." 

Merchandise

Fans of Dolly Parton are always dressing up as her, and if not they surely stock up on merchandise such as shirts, sweatshirts, cups, jewelry, stickers, signs and more. A lot of this merchandise can be found on Etsy. While these creators may use other information from other people to create their items for fans to buy. Fans also leave reviews and comments on the items they buy. Some of the most popular pieces of merchandise would be the articles on clothing. A lot of pieces have the familiar quote, "What would Dolly do?"

Merchandise Example

Wicked Fandom Blog - Athenia Tabango

Wicked

The original Broadway poster 

The Wicked fandom is a community full of long-time theatergoers, and musical enthusiasts that share their love and connection to the Broadway music Wicked. The musical first debuted back in 2003, but it's remained so popular that Broadway still shows it today. The musical is based on Gregory Maguire's novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. The musical itself focuses on the characters Elphaba (the wicked witch of the West) and Glinda (the good witch) in college. Over the last twenty-one years, Wicked has had a large cultural impact on musical theater and is considered an iconic musical that has gained a large audience and fan base of all ages and backgrounds, who share their love for the characters, storyline, songs, and themes. The fans refer to themselves as Glindas, Elphabas, Ozheads, and Ozians. The fans love the fictional Wicked World and the love triangle between Glinda, Elphaba, and Fiyero. The musical has influenced many fans worldwide to start groups, social media accounts, fan fictions, and art dedicated to Wicked. Now especially, Wicked has been the talk worldwide due to the upcoming movie coming out November 22nd. Wicked fans all over the world, including myself, are now reuniting their excitement and are active more than ever because of the new content they will be able to engage with. 

The Ozians of Wicked

Fanart created by @harleyydrawss

Ozians is the official name that Wicked fans have given themselves, they are a diverse group of long-time theatergoers who have been drawn to the musical. Ozians engage with Wicked in many ways, they have created a Facebook group called The Ozians: The Offical WICKED. The Broadway fan group has over 9.4k members who regularly discuss the musical. The amount of members in the group can fill 31 loaded airplanes. Ozians use platforms like, X (Twitter), Tumblr, Instagram, Reddit, and Tiktok to share fanart, debate on theories, and just to overall discuss Wicked. There is a very popular subreddit called r/wicked and it has 62k members, it was created in 2009 and has still been gaining more and more members. Here fans analyze scenes, share memes, discuss their        opinions and theories, and share their personal connections. One popular fan theory is that "Elphaba's magical powers are a metaphor for hidden talents or traits society might not understand" which resonates deeply with fans who may feel like outsiders. Beyond digital spaces, Ozians regularly attend Wicked-themed events, fan conventions, meetups, and costume contests. Some fans even host their own Wicked watch parties, where they play the musical's original Broadway cast album. This community keeps fans creativity. 

Cosplaying Through Life

Fans like to cosplay, they put a ton of dedication into recreating costumes from the show. Cosplay can be a pricey hobby but fans pour their heart out doing it. Whether fans are cosplaying outfits from Glinda's glittering bubble gown to Elphaba's black dress and iconic hat, the outfits are always those that mirror ones seen on stage. These cosplayers showcase their creations at different conventions, Wicked performances, and themed events. Social media is filled with a bunch of wicked fans sharing how they created their costume, especially on TikTok. One fan, Kenz shared on her Tiktok (@Costumekenz), the "4 months" process of sewing, gluing, and cutting to create Glinda's gown. She says "It took like 1,000 hours". The attention to detail that fans put in is amazing, using so many different fabrics, and materials, the costume always looks accurate. Cosplay is a form of fan expression, it allows people to interpret characters in their own unique ways. Whether they gender-swap the character or create a steampunk Elphaba, the cosplays are always creative and celebrate Wicked. 

For over two decades, Wicked has captivated audiences. Its fandom, which is comprised of passionate, creative, and fun individuals just showcases the musical's enduring legacy. The legacy will forever grow because of the fanart, cosplays, fanfictions, and online communities. As anticipation for the movie adaptation grows, the Wicked fandom remains active and more enthusiastic than ever. This just proves that this musical is more than just a performance for people, it's a cultural phenomenon that continues to inspire and unite people all around the world. 

Work Cited

Davey, Jenny. "There's No Place Like Home: Glinda the Good Witch Halloween Costume 2017." Jenny DIY Davey, 3 Nov. 2017, https://jennydiydavey.wordpress.com/2017/11/03/theres-no-place-like-home-glinda-the-good-witch-halloween-costume-2017/.

New York Theatre Guide. "Everything You Need to Know about Wicked on Broadway." New York Theatre Guide, https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/theatre-news/news/everything-you-need-to-know-about-wicked-on-broadway.

Proboards. "What Are Wicked Fans Called?" Verdigris Forum, https://verdigris.proboards.com/thread/11/wicked-fans-name.

Instagram. "Glinda Cosplay Showcase." Posted by @thestephanienicole, https://www.instagram.com/p/C9U62-JOa68/?img_index=1.

The Arianators

Ariana Grande  

Yours Truely album (2)

    Ariana Grande is an American singer, song writer, and actress. She is well known for her soprano voice and her signature high ponytail hairstyle. She rose to fame in the music industry in 2013 when she released her album called "Yours Truely." According to Ram (2024), Ariana has released 7 albums in total. And as shown on Instagram, she has about 370 million fans on just that platform (Instagram, 2024). Her fans have created this community where they comfort her and support her. Her fans mainly consist of young females, and they call their fandom the Ariana Army and are known as the "Arianators."

Arianators 

    The Arianators like to see Ariana succeed and also partake in her success. The fans help promote Arianas songs through challenges and hashtags on social media. According to TikTok (2024), one of these hashtags are called #arianagrandechallenge. The Arianators use this hashtag to showcase their fan art, sing covers of her songs and post the dances they create to her music. TikTok (2024) also has a hashtag called #arianagrandeperfume with over 27.9k posts on Titok using this hashtag to help promote Ariana's perfume. 

Cosplay 

    The Arianators sometimes like to dress up as Ariana on social media. They like to copy her signature high ponytail and oversized hoodie with knee-high boots looks. There is one fan in particular, named Paige Niemann, who likes to cosplay as Ariana Grande on social media. Paige Niemann uses her creativity and skills to transform herself to look like Ariana Grande and even copies her mannerisms. While Paige is a super fan, the other fans within the fandom find Paige to be creepy and weird for copying Ariana Grande and building a career off of it. 

Support for Manchester bombing (3)

Support

    Ariana has been through many challenges in her life and has shared a few of these challenges with her fans. Back in 2018, Mac Miller, Ariana's ex-boyfriend, passed away due to a drug overdose. Ariana started receiving hate online stating that his passing away was her fault. The Arianators came to her defense and stood up for her. According to McKirdy, Nabbi, Beech, and Simon (2017), during one of Ariana's concerts in Manchester, UK, there was a bombing in the arena that resulted in 22 deaths. During this time, Ariana had a feeling of sorrow, and her fans assured her that it was not her fault. Her fans came together as a community and grieved together as well as supporting each other. The fans even organized tributes and memorials for the victims. Her fans didn't pressure her into releasing any new music because they understood that she needed time to herself. 

Works cited 

              

                  Ariana Grande. [@arianagrande]. (n.d). Instagram profile. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/arianagrande/

                 Album cover: Ariana Grande - yours truly (packaging). (2013, August 8). lilbadboy0blog. https://lilbadboy0.blogspot.com/2013/08/album-cover-ariana-grande-yours-truly.html

                Bate, E. (2017, May 23). Ariana Grande's fans are rallying in support of her after a deadly attack at her concert: "Their hearts were full of joy and happiness and that was because of you. Remember that." BuzzFeed News. https://www.buzzfeed.com/eleanorbate/fans-are-flooding-ariana-grandes-social-media-wit

                McKirdy, E., Nabbi, Z., Beech, S., & Simon, D. (2017, May 23). 22 dead after blast at Ariana Grande concert in Manchester. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2017/05/22/europe/manchester-arena-incident/index.html

                Ram (2024). List of Ariana Grande albums in order of release date. Albums in order. https://albumsinorder.com/ariana-grande-albums-in-order/

                TikTok. (n.d). #arianagrandechallenge. TikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/tag/arianagrandechallenge?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

                TikTok. (n.d.). #arianagrandeperfume. TikTok. https://www.tiktok.com/tag/arianagrandeperfume?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc

Eagles Fandom

When you think about a sports team with the most passionate fans, which one comes to mind? For many, the answer is obvious. The Philadelphia Eagles, often called “Eagle Nation.” This team is one of the NFL's most dedicated and energized fan bases. This community's passion is shown through their rowdy chants, undeniable support, and their huge tailgating culture, where fans gather hours before games to celebrate, have grillouts, and share their love for the team. Many people come out to support this team on game day. According to Jersey Magazine, “Some road games have more than 10,000 Eagles fans in the stands.” (Carchidi, 2024) This fan base is a heartfelt community that truly brings people together. 

Eagles iconic fight song, “Fly Eagles Fly.” 

This chant resonates throughout the entire field during every home game. For the fans it creates a sense of unity, pride, and excitement. As the familiar melody of this fight song begins, the stadium is filled with a loud roar of all the passionate fans. From the loud chanting in unison, and the way fan’s voices carry with power. The foundation of the arena shakes. This chant is a tradition that’s been passed down for generations. The song lyrics celebrate the team and their drive to fight for a win and succeed. Each word and note shows the spirit of the Eagles Nation. Luckily, I was fortunate enough to attend a home game last year, and I’ll never forget the feeling of being surrounded by tens of thousands of fans all screaming out "Fly, Eagles, Fly" in unison. Hearing the chant echo throughout the stadium, felt electric. It was an experience unlike any other, and in that moment, I truly understood why the tradition is so meaningful. I truly believe that Eagle fans share a love for their team like no other. According to phillymag.com, “Eagles fans would be in the top two to four percent of extreme sports-team fans.” (Hingston, 2023) As you can see, it is not just a chant to these followers. It is a representation of everything the team and its fans stand for. Being a part of that was one of the most exhilarating and unforgettable feelings.

 FLY EAGLES FLY NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME 2023!

The Eagles Chant 

Another tradition is the Eagles chant, “E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles!” This chant is so loud that it can be heard not just in the stadium, but in bars, and streets of Philadelphia. This chant is carried even to away games. It shows the widespread support for the team, and embodies the spirit and passion of Eagle Nation. This is a tradition that unites all fans. 

How it Works

Fans start the chant by spelling out "E-A-G-L-E-S" in unison. Each letter shouted loudly as it’s announced. The rhythm of this chant is contagious, creating a wave of excitement that moves through the crowd. As each letter is called out, the energy continues to build more and more. Fans continue to raise their voices higher as their feet are on the ground; they pump their fists or wave towels in the air. In the stadium you can feel the anticipation as the chant progresses. By the time they reach the final letter, "S," the stadium is full of energy. At this point in the chant  every single person in the stands, is on the edge of their seats, ready for the game. At the end of this chant, the entire stadium collectively yells the word "Eagles!" at the top of their lungs. 

Eagles Tailgating Culture

One of the most exciting aspects of the Eagles fans is their tailgate culture. Before every home game, fans gather in the parking lot of Lincoln Financial Field. People play music, grill, and get hyped for the game together. It's a celebration where friends, families, and even strangers get together to bond and show their love for the Eagles. I have personally been to one of these tailgates, and I can say the atmosphere is an unreal feeling, filled with excitement and unity, almost creating a sense of family amongst the fans. I was even having conversations with strangers that I had never met before. 

Eagles Super Bowl Aftermath 

In 2018 the Philadelphia Eagles won their first Super Bowl ever. The city streets were completely crowded with Eagles fans. celebrating their victory. The whole city was alive with energy as thousands of supporters gathered, chanting, singing, and sharing in the historic moment. This incredible display of unity perfectly captures the essence of “Eagle Nation,” showing how deeply connected and dedicated the fans are. Their support and spirit make the Eagles community one of the most united in the NFL. While this was a very exciting and heartfelt celebration, it did get out of hand because of the excitement. Whyy.org stated, “The band led fans around City Hall, which had been blocked off by police barricades, and met more people on South Broad, turning into a crowd of thousands. Unauthorized fireworks went off, and—yes—people climbed poles. It did not last long. Police in riot gear formed a line with their bodies and bicycles that swept down South Broad, forcing the crowd to disperse.” (Crimmons, 2023) While things did get out of hand, this truly does show the love people have for the Philadelphia Eagles. This Super Bowl victory united an entire city and sparked a community that reaches far beyond Philadelphia. Countless fans traveled to come and witness this win, creating a bond that moved past geographic boundaries. It wasn’t just a celebration for one city. It was a collective victory, bringing together people from all different walks of life, different corners of the country, to share the joy of a common passion.

   Works Cited

Carchidi, Sam. “The Green Legion | JerseyMan Magazine.” JerseyMan Magazine, Oct. 2024, jerseymanmagazine.com/the-green-legion/. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

Crimmins, Peter. ““It’s Heartbreaking Right Now”: Eagles Fans Fill the Streets in Mourning after Super Bowl Loss.” WHYY, 13 Feb. 2023, whyy.org/articles/eagles-fans-fill-near-philadelphias-city-hall-following-super-bowl-loss/. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

Hingston, Sandy. “Psyched Up: Inside the Weird Minds of Eagles Fans.” Philadelphia Magazine, 8 Sept. 2023, www.phillymag.com/news/2023/09/08/eagles-fans-psychology/. Accessed 16 Feb. 2024.

University of North Carolina Men's Basketball Fandom

    The University of North Carolina, or UNC, is a large educational institution located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina (7).  Established in 1789, it was the first public university in the nation (7).  Today it is a prestigious university offering a wide range of degree programs as well as being home to some of the most well-known and successful athletics programs in the country, including their men's basketball program.  With these successful sports teams comes a large fan base, known as the Tar Heels, which includes fans, students, alumni, and athletes (11).  These Tar Heel fans show their support for the university and the men's basketball program many different ways including, attending or watching games, participating in team send-offs and receptions, carrying on basketball traditions, visiting basketball related campus locations, and connecting and sharing with other fans via social media.

Attendance & Viewership

Crowd at 2023 Victory Over Duke (6)

    The fans of UNC are known to be very loyal and supportive which is demonstrated through game attendance and viewership.  In terms of fans physically attending games at the Dean E. Smith Center, the home arena for the Tar Heels (3), UNC has multiple times, including the past two consecutive seasons, lead the nation in average attendance for their home games (4).  This demonstrates that fans want to physically show their support for the team by being present for any game they are able to attend.  It is an even greater accomplishment to lead the nation in average attendance since the Smith Center is not even the largest arena in the nation (9).  However not all fans are able to attend the games in person due to either no more tickets being available or not geographically being located near Chapel Hill, North Carolina.  This does not stop them from supporting their Tar Heels.  Fans have been known to flock to local bars or hold viewing parties of their own no matter where they are located around the country in order to not miss any of the men's basketball action (10).  This, along with attending games in person, creates a sense of fan unity as people from all over the country can meet other fans who are just like them and can make connections that can last a lifetime, all thanks to their love of the Tar Heels.

Team Send-offs & Receptions  

Send Off Before the 2022 Final Four (1)

    Fans not only show up to support the team during games but they also come out and wish the team luck and congratulate them no matter the outcome when they depart for or return from post-season games (8).  These events are hosted at various places including on campus, at team hotels, or even at the arena hosting the game (10).  The goal of these events is to unite fans and create a sense of a family atmosphere for players even when they are on the road and away from their nation leading crowd.  Fans are normally joined by members of the players families, cheer and dance team members, and the band to get the players excited and prepared to play knowing that they have a supportive group of fans that will always be in their corner.  These events are truly a great fan experience since they allow fans to meet and connect with each other and sometimes even interact with the players and their families.  This helps make the bond of the Tar Heel fandom stronger and creates a supportive environment no matter when or where the team is playing.

Traditions

    Fan traditions surrounding the basketball program are another element of the fandom that run deep.  One of the most historic is rushing Franklin Street, the main road in downtown Chapel Hill just off campus, after beating their rival Duke or winning a national championship (5).  This event has taken place dating back to the university's first championship in 1924 (5).  It allows fans, students, and alumni to all come out and party together sharing these big moments with the team they love.  Occasionally, if the team is playing close by, the bus carrying the players will even make its way onto the street and allow the players and fans to interact and make the moment something that no participant will ever forget.  It is not a special event and it takes no advanced planning to set up, but everyone knows that if UNC gets a big win they should head to Franklin Street to celebrate together with the Tar Heel fandom.  The video below shows fans rushing Franklin Street after beating their rival Duke in the 2022 NCAA Tournament even though the game was held in New Orleans, Louisiana:

Basketball Attractions

    Touring and visiting popular and historic basketball related locations around the beautiful campus of UNC are a must for almost any fan of the Tar Heels.  The two most important are the Dean E. Smith Center, which is the home arena of the Tar Heels (3), and the Carolina Basketball Museum, located adjacent to the Smith Center (2).  The arena itself is like a museum as fans can take in the sights of the iconic venue.  Named after Carolina coaching legend Dean E. Smith, the arena has been welcoming fans since 1986 and will continue to do so for years to come (3).  Fans are able to admire the simplistic beauty of a historic building while also acknowledging all of the successful teams, players, and coaches that have banners hanging in the rafters to celebrate their success and accomplishments with visitors each day.  The Carolina Basketball Museum is home to artifacts, photographs and memorabilia associated with the UNC men's basketball teams throughout history (2).  It is here where fans can truly take a deep dive into the history of their favorite program and learn about important events and accomplishments that came before their time.  This allows fans to feel a deeper connection with the Tar Heels as they can immerse themselves in the history and culture of the program and gain a deeper understanding and connection with the team that they support, while also possibly being able to meet other fans and create a relationship with other members of the fandom.  The video below gives a tour and introduction to the Carolina Basketball Museum:

Social Media Connection

    Some members of the fandom may never get to actually meet each other in person due to various reasons but that does not stop them from finding ways to meet and create friends among other fans via various social media profiles on different platforms.  There are numerous UNC fan accounts, some even being specifically for the men's basketball team.  The goal of these spaces varies from profile to profile, but they often share news, scores, opinions, and information relating to various aspects of the men's basketball program.  This can include discussing player injuries, chatting live during games, giving input about past games, and expressing opinion about national rankings or other relevant topics.  These profiles are spaces for fans, created by fans, which makes them unique places to let one's thoughts and ideas be heard and shared with others who might be having similar feelings.  These platforms allow fans from all over the country to connect and show their support for the Tar Heels in an online space that has no limitations regarding geographic location.  These profiles are not just found on one platform but rather across multiple platforms, including Instagram, X, and Facebook, which offer ample options for fans to find a profile that fits their individual wants and needs.

My Connection

Me and Coach Davis

    The UNC men's basketball fandom is something that I have been a part of for as long as I can remember.  Despite living in the state of Pennsylvania my whole life, I have been and will continue to be a part of this large fandom for as long as I live.  I personally have been able to participate in some of the fan activities listed above including watching every game on television live or on replay, following and commenting on various social media pages, and visiting both the Smith Center and the Carolina Basketball Museum in 2017 following the team's sixth national championship, where I was even lucky enough to get a picture with the trophy and now head coach Hubert Davis.  

Me visiting UNC in 2017

The connections and memories I have made within the fandom are truly something special that I will never forget.  My UNC fan bucket list is not quite complete, but someday I hope to be able to be a part of all the events and activities listed above and show my deep connection to this fandom.

It's a great day to be a Tar Heel!

References

1. Andrews, J. (2022). Students, faculty and staff were joined by Tar Heels fans to send the men's basketball team to New Orleans in style Wednesday afternoon [Photograph]. UNC-Chapel Hill. https://www.unc.edu/discover/final-four-send-off-2022/
2. Campus attractions. (n.d.) UNC-Chapel Hill. https://www.unc.edu/visitors/things-to-do/#:~:text=Carolina%20Basketball%20Museums,-450%20Skipper%20Bowles&text=The%20museum%20is%20located%20on,Arena%20at%20310%20South%20Road
3. Dean E. Smith (1931-) and the Dean Smith Center. (n.d.) The Carolina story: a virtual museum of university history. https://museum.unc.edu/exhibits/show/names/dean-smith-center
4. Delahanty, N. (2024, July 26). UNC basketball leads the country in home attendance for second straight season. Keeping it heel. https://keepingitheel.com/posts/unc-basketball-leads-the-country-in-home-attendance-for-second-straight-season
5. Doherty, B. (n.d.) Tar Heel traditions: Then and now. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. https://www.unc.edu/story/tar-heel-traditions-then-and-now/#:~:text=Rushing%20Franklin%20Street,stakes%20had%20never%20been%20higher.
6. Donna, B. (2023). Crowd at 2023 Victory Over Duke [Photograph]. North Carolina Tar Heels on SI. https://www.si.com/college/unc/basketball/unc-basketball-loudest-home-win-duke-8-23
7. History and traditions. (2019) The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. https://www.unc.edu/about/history-and-traditions/#:~:text=The%20University%20of%20North%20Carolina%20was%20the%20first%20public%20university,Adams%20School%20of%20Dentistry%20(2019)
8. Pace, M. (2022, March 30). 'I wanted to be here to wish them luck.' UNC-Chapel Hill. https://www.unc.edu/discover/final-four-send-off-2022/
9. Sequin, M. (2021, January 14). 9 biggest college basketball arenas. NCAA. https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2020-01-14/these-are-9-largest-arenas-college-basketball
10. Tar Heel fan info. (2024). Carolina alumni. https://alumni.unc.edu/tar-heel-fan-info/
    
11. What's a Tar Heel? (2004). UNC The Graduate School. https://gradschool.unc.edu/funding/gradschool/weiss/interesting_place/history/tarheel.html

You Ever Wonder What's Up There?

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When you envision the future of humanity in space, what does that look like to you? To a lot of people, our future amongst the stars may involve robed humans and aliens alike who wield swords made of energy battling against an empire in a war for control of the galaxy. To others, it may involve matching uniforms on a sleek star cruiser, and being instantaneously warped on and off planets as you traverse the cosmos. To members of the Halo fandom, the future may be imagined as significantly more grim. Halo is a science-fiction franchise that was established in 2001 with the release of the series’ first game, “Halo: Combat Evolved” and the first novel “Halo: The Fall of Reach”. The year is 2552; mankind has been sailing the stars for centuries, and thought-wrongly-that they were alone. The main plot of Halo focuses on military conflicts, pitting humanity against organized alien zealots, parasitic hive minds, ancient galaxy-destroying technology, and each other. Since its inception, fans of the franchise have created various media, events, and ways to express their appreciation for Halo and its’ unique world. 

🫡Doing My Part (For The Fandom)🫡

(IGN) Picture from a review of Halo 2

The second Halo game was the one that I played the most as a child, alongside my five brothers. Many afternoons and weekends were spent with three or four of us sitting cross legged in front of our tiny box TV, laughing and playfully talking trash to one-another for hours while we played. In addition, the campaign mode of Halo 2 introduces The Arbiter, my favorite character in the Halo franchise. The Arbiter is an alien war general who eventually fights alongside humanity and is a main character in Halo 2. He is also voiced by one of my favorite voice actors, Keith David. For all these reasons, I decided to get a tattoo that matches a brand that The Arbiter receives. I got it because I find the symbol to be aesthetically pleasing, the symbol is established in Halo 2, and because I wanted to get a tattoo that only fellow fans of the franchise might be able to recognize. The tattoo is a symbol of my personal connection to the franchise, and a signal to fellow fans that I’m a fan myself. 

My chest tattoo

(Halopedia) Drawing of "The Mark of Shame"

🟥Roses Are Red; Violets Are Blue🟦

Red vs. Blue is an fan created web series set in the Halo universe. According to Wikipedia (2024), Red vs. Blue - also known as RvB - was created by Burnie Burns in 2003. After 18 seasons, it stopped being made in 2020, with a final movie (originally planned to be season 19) being released in 2024 when the production company behind the show shut down. RvB was the second longest running web-series ever, which is especially impressive considering the idea started as a six-eight episode short series. The show was originally recorded with actual Halo gameplay: the team would control the characters to make them move, shoot, etc., film themselves doing the actions, then afterwards they added in their voice lines. Eventually they would go on to add animations and effects from outside the games. RvB is set within the Halo Universe, but most of the story (and the characters within) is original and scarcely relies on source material for plot elements. The series has won several prestigious awards, including “Best Animated Web Series” from the International Academy of Web Television. It also attracted the attention of some notable actors, including Elijah Woods (he played Frodo in Lord Of The Rings) who voiced the AI Sigma in the show. RvB has accumulated hundreds of millions of views and has been generally loved by people both inside and outside of the Halo Fandom, and other highly popular media references lines and events from the show, including some of the Halo games themselves.

(Rooster Teeth) The Red vs Blue theme song

Turning ✨Fiction✨ Into 💥Non-Fiction💥

    Dedicated members of the Halo fandom have gone to extreme lengths to bring their favorite weapons, armor, and vehicles from the series to life. Due to the fact that most of the objects from the games only exist in science fiction, they have to get pretty creative. In this video, one fan manages to recreate a functioning "Ghost" (an floating alien hovercraft) that is featured in the series. Halo also has a thriving cosplay scene, where members of the fandom will sometimes spend months constructing their costumes. The armor of the "Spartans" (in-game super soldiers) is full body and often requires complex 3D prints and patience to recreate in real life. This aspect of the fandom really allows the technological prowess of the fandom shine.

(Kirillian555 in their cosplay)

 

(Impact Props) A cosplayer shows off a functioning replica of the assault rifle from the Halo games)

References

Built IRL. (2021, December 11). Real halo ghost. https://youtu.be/I5lQnVaQg8g?si=9auzYXMTNKfPEyck

Halopedia. (n.d.). Mark of Shame. In Halopedia, the Halo wiki. Retrieved December 1, 2024, from https://halo.wiki.gallery/images/0/02/H2A_-_Mark_of_Shame.jpg

IGN. (November 9, 2004) Halo 2. Retrieved December 5, 2024, from https://www.ign.com/games/halo-2

Impact Props. (2024, March 16) Master Chief shoots a real Halo assault rifle (full auto). https://youtu.be/gWsvR7VedfY?si=Sp135Tsg6CIJqHIL

Kerillian555 [u/Kerillian555] (2024, October 7). My first cosplay! [Online forum post]. Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/cosplay/comments/1fycgjg/my_first_cosplay/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button 

Red vs. Blue. (2024, November 12). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_vs._Blue

Rooster Teeth. (2009, November 4). Red vs blue theme song. YouTube. https://youtu.be/KRM9DbPVQmc?si=WUZOBZ2jWBy2KBM1