The College Pulse

The sight of normally well-coiffed students wandering the quads in pajama pants and sweatshirts. Bleary-eyed underclassmen clutching pitcher-sized vats of coffee. The dreaded blue exam books stacked high at the front of Student Stores.

And, of course, three thousand students moshing to techno music and glow sticks in Davis Library.

Nothing says "study break" quite like crowd-surfing with blow-up dolls and guys in full-body Spandex. And nothing captures the beautiful essence of UNC more succinctly than the idea of an officially sanctioned (or at least officially tolerated) dancing flash mob in a campus library at midnight.

In the past, exam-week raves conducted in the undergraduate library were conducted largely through text messages and word-of-mouth. But this week's event had a Facebook page, advance publicity in the Daily Tar Heel and the blessing of campus officials.

"It's kind of a funny thing," said Campus Fire Marshal Billy Mitchell, speaking before the rave. "I talked to the library staff about this, and they didn't see it as a big deal."

You've also got to love a campus where a rave playlist includes both Miley Cyrus ("Party in the USA") and a remix of "Living on a Prayer" (Jordan James).

Of course, there is a right way and a wrong way to conduct a 3,000 person party in a public building. If UNC exemplifies the right way -- fire marshal's blessing, students helping clean up afterward -- the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga is leading in the other direction.

According to the venerable LibraryJournal.com (a site not previously known for its coverage of the rave scene), UT Chattanooga students are still working to find that delicate balance between rave and riot.

- Note to UTC kids: pick a library that isn't locked.

- Note to UTC police: Don't pepper spray people who are trying to dance.

In any event, kudos to my fellow Tar Heels for resisting any temptations toward massive property destruction.

And kudos as well to Eric Ferreri at the N&O for staying up late to attend the event. In a year of budget cuts and otherwise unpleasant news, it's nice to see some lighter fare on the Campus Notes blog.