‘I always said I would never go to Carolina’: Confessions of an ex-Dookie

‘I had a serious change of heart’

Sophomore Olivia Ballard hasn’t always loved UNC. In fact, she used to be what we Tar Heels hate most – a Duke fan. But now she’s older and much, much wiser.

The Tab UNC spoke with her about her dark (blue) past and where her loyalty lies now.

She said: “My dad went to grad school at Duke. My mom actually didn’t know that much about basketball or Duke before she met him. She knew there was a red team, a dark blue team and a light blue team.”

Not much stood in the way of a Ballard family d00k obsession, so Olivia wore Duke gear from birth.

Her dad even went to Duke’s 1999 Final Four game. “My dad loves Duke, and he loves Coach K. Duke has always been a part of my life.”

Growing up just south of Charlotte, Olivia visited Duke University around three to four times a year, each time collecting a new t-shirt.

“I had applied to Duke, but as soon as I found out that I got into Carolina, I already knew that I wasn’t going to go to Duke.”

So what contributed to her sudden change in heart? Olivia visited UNC and fell in love. She also visited Duke, but it left the opposite impression on her.

“I didn’t think that it was a good school for me.”

Duke didn’t fit what she wanted for a college experience, but Olivia applied anyway just to see if she would get in. After all, the Ballards were a Duke family. That fact sparked some interesting conversations when Olivia told her family and friends she was going to UNC.

Another item in baby Olivia’s wardrobe

“There aren’t a lot of Duke fans around Charlotte. I already grew up around tons of Carolina fans, and they always made so much fun of me. I remember I was in the eighth grade when Duke won the 2010 National Title. I was ecstatic.

“I always said I would never go to Carolina. My dad and I used to drive through Chapel Hill on our way back from Durham and I would be like, ‘I hate the Carolina blue fire trucks.'”

So naturally, when she got into UNC, people were shocked.

“I had a serious change of heart.”

Now a 19-year-old Journalism and Political Science double major, Olivia has no regrets.

Olivia, left, with her roommate sporting some UNC gear

“It’s kind of been a transition. Once I got into Carolina, I started wearing a Carolina shirt, but I would not wear anything that said ‘Carolina basketball’ on it.”

Up until last year, Olivia actively cheered for Duke.

“How fitting is it that the year that I came here, Duke won the National Title? I was super thrilled, but all my friends were super mad.

“This year, I don’t really care as much, most of it is probably because I was with the Panthers so much that I didn’t really have time to think about Duke. I think also that my friends love Carolina so much that I want UNC to beat Duke, just because I want them to have the experience of rushing Franklin. Not because I hate Duke.”

One thing is for certain – for Saturday’s game, Olivia has made some changes since last year.

“I’m not going to actively cheer for Duke like I did last year. For my friends’ sake, I hope Carolina wins.”

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