Senior John Tatter of Men’s Cross Country will graduate in the Spring 2022 Commencement ceremony this weekend with a degree in Human Development and Family Studies. This Winston-Salem native earned All-Region honors and was a NCAA Championship qualifier during his time as a Tar Heel student-athlete. The following is a Question & Answer from our Student-Athlete Spotlight series.

Q: What’s your favorite Chapel Hill Restaurant?

John Tatter: My favorite Chapel Hill Restaurant is Italian Pizzeria III or as most people call it just IP3. I love walking in and seeing how deeply its roots tie in with UNC athletics, and I also love the food.

Q: If you could play any other sport at Carolina, what would it be?

JT: If I could play any other sport at UNC it would be Baseball. I grew up loving baseball and always enjoy the atmosphere at Boshamer Stadium.

Q: Who’s your all-time favorite Tar Heel?

JT: My all time favorite Tar Heel is Mia Hamm. I admire her work ethic and feel that she embodies what being a Tar Heel is about.

Q: Bell Tower or Old Well?

JT: I prefer the Old Well because of how iconic it is and because of the history behind it.

Q: What’s your favorite uniform to wear?

JT: My favorite uniform to wear is the Carolina Blue jersey with the UNC logo on it. I feel like Carolina Blue is instantly recognizable, and my mom always tells me it makes it easier for her to spot me in races.

Q: What is your secret talent?

JT: My secret talent is my prowess at NCAA Football 13 the video game.

Q: What is your favorite book?

JT: My favorite book is Moneyball. It is a book on being the underdog and outworking and outsmarting your competition even though the odds are stacked against you.

Q: RJ or Rameses?

JT: Rameses because of how he always brings the energy and how iconic he is.

Q: What is a lesson you learned from a teammate?

JT: A lesson my teammates are constantly teaching me is how important it is and how powerful it is to work together. Specifically, Patrick Anderson came in last year as a freshman and really helped me change the way I approached racing. He helped teach me how to race together as a team and not as an individual.

Q: What was your favorite class?

JT: My favorite class at UNC has been EDUC 325: Introduction to Counseling. It made me look at mental health through a new lens and taught me how important it is to ask for help because no one can figure out everything on their own.

Q: If you could have any super power what would it be?

JT: If I could have a superpower, it would be to pause time because then I could learn any skill I wanted without the excuse of not having enough time and would be able to slow things down and not be in such a rush all the time

Q: What’s your nickname?

JT: Not really much of a nickname, but most people just call me by my last name, Tatter.

Q: What are three things you can’t live without?

JT: Three things I cannot live without are books, my family and my friends. All three keep me sane and keep me grounded.

Q: What is your favorite post-workout snack?

JT: My Favorite post workout snack is a banana. They taste good and help me replenish lost electrolytes.

Q: What is your pre-meet ritual?

JT: When I was younger, I had too many pre race rituals to count. As I have gotten older, I started to work on being the same guy everyday and just doing the same things I would before a typical workout and have found that consistency has worked better than doing different things on race day.

Q: Describe your first competition as a Tar Heel.

JT: My first Tar Heel competition was at Elon at a small opening cross country meet. It was humbling and made me realize how much room I had to improve.

Q: What one cause are you passionate about?

JT: A cause I am passionate about is educational equality. Many children are not given the resources or opportunity to succeed in school and are left behind and told they are not as smart as other people when really they just don’t have the resources other children have. If everybody was given the resources and opportunity they deserve, the world would be a better place and everybody could have the opportunity to succeed.

Q: What does competing for Carolina mean to you?

JT: Competing at Carolina means giving everything I have and working together for something bigger than myself. It means representing the state and representing everybody who has put on a UNC uniform before me.

Q: Share how Rams Club members have made an impact on your experience at Carolina.

JT: Rams Club members have provided my teammates and me with endless opportunity for growth and to be the best students and athletes we can be. We are all grateful for Rams Club members and appreciate everything they do.