Thursday, August 23, 2012

UNC Dub, where our life is your vacation.

There is an eagerness to return to Seahawk country as a lot of students wrap up their summer hiatus from UNCW. Excitement is the primary shared feeling on campus as anticipation for the year starts to sink in. The realization that the last first day of classes and last year at UNCW is upon us is scary for some seniors, but everything remains positive as they gear up and get pumped for the fun dub life they know and love. UNCW wastes no time when students return in August as the campus hosts UNCWelcome Week. And boy, does this bombardment of traditions and great events start off with a bang.

Freshman move-in symbolizes as a type of opening ceremony for Welcome Week, the start of a new year for returning students and a new start all together for freshmen. Armies of campus volunteers from student organizations and clubs cheer and clap as understandably overwhelmed freshmen and their families drive up to the residence hall that will be there home for the next year. Right from the start of each student’s beginning as a UNCW Seahawk, support and welcoming invitations are provided, continuing the UNCW way of a “feels like home” campus atmosphere.

Each year, students, new and old, look forward to the UNCWelcome event, Beach Blast. During this event, hundreds of Seahawks are shuttled to Wrightsville Beach where they enjoy free food, free giveaways, and the chance to meet and reunite with other Seahawks. This event, and others like it, helps students to realize that while school may be starting, they can still work in some time for fun with their fellow Seahawks.

While Bleach Blast is a blast, students don’t have to leave campus in order to have a good time. With over 220 different student organizations on campus, students are bound to find something they enjoy. Organizations such as the Residence Hall Association, the Association for Campus Entertainment, and the Student Government Association plan events right on campus. Outdoor movies, a fantastic performance from a hilarious hypnotist, and an amazing fireworks extravaganza are just a few of the many activities waiting for students when they arrive to campus.

The enticing comforts of summer, the balance of fun activities, excitement and the refreshing, laid back times where the hours seem to move at a slower pace doesn’t stop with the end of the official summer months. Year-round, students are given daily opportunities and ample tools to make their Dub Life the best life possible.


Chloe Miller