why does water going down the drain always swirl in the same direction?
and does it swirl in the opposite direction on the other side of the equator, or is this just a myth?
if this has already been answered, please point me in the right direction.

If water swirls in a particular direction in your tub, it is because of the shape of your tub. The hemisphere thing is a myth.

(there is an effect that can cause this in weather systems, but it is too weak to affect the water in your tub)

For more, see this post

thanks for the answer.
i never knew it was the shape of the basin that made the difference.
i did know about the hurricanes moving in opposite directions, and figured thats where the myth came from, but wasnt entirely sure.