“What are some fun things to do in Wilmington?”

These are some things to do that are either cheap or completely free:

1. Beach, beach, beach. The sun, the sand and you.

2. Riverwalk—For a nice date, this is the spot to go! It is out in the open, it is beautiful at night and there is plenty of good food stops along the way.

3. Downtown Wilmington—If you are 21 or older, this would be more of your scene. It has plenty of bars and clubs, and there is also food!

These are some things to do that require a little something, something:

1. Battleship North Carolina—For my history buffs out there, this is a good one! The tight spaces and the tons of staircases submerge you into history for only $12! Also, it is said to be haunted; enter if you dare.

2. Cape Fearless Extreme—For my adrenaline junkies, this has ziplining AND paintballing. It is a bit of a drive, but worth it. It is a way to try out flying!

“Terrified of life after graduation. Already missing everything.”

As scary it all may seem, it is all very normal as well to feel this way. Any and all emotions are valid. We like routine, no matter how adventurous we say we are. We all have a comfort zone. With that in mind, graduating is taking everything you know and flipping that upside down. You will be faced with the “real-world” and you will have endless opportunities. Yes, it is terrifying. So where do you even begin? Well, how about this: let us begin with May 9th, then the 10th then the 11th. You know what I am getting at. As annoying, cliché and unhelpful as that may sound, that is all we really got. We have to take it all one day at a time. Keep in touch with the friends we have made over the years, check in on your favorite professors when you can and visit campus frequently. You have grown so much during these years; that version of you, the new and improved, is the version you are going to go off and show the world. Just imagine how excited the world must be! In the end, you will always be a Seahawk. But now, it is time to fly.

“How do you initiate a convo with that cute guy who has made eye contact a few times?”

Society has taught us that men are from Mars and women are from Venus. We have been indoctrinated to believe that our minds work so differently and how could we ever relate or communicate sarcasm. Breaking news, it is all a lie. A “hi” takes two seconds. An “I like your ____” takes two. A “how was your weekend?” is three. One of two things will happen. He answers you or he ignores you. If he answers you, a friendship or even something more (wink, wink) can emerge. If he ignores you, in the famous words of Ariana Grande, “thank you, next.”

“How do you ask a friend out (and make sure you can stay friends if they say yes or no)?”

This is a tricky one. Truth? It really depends on the friendship. You have had to read the relationship by now and have seen that nothing could ruin it. A friendship that is strong will not crumble under a situation like this. Also, you can start leaving hints so that when you do ask, it will not be completely out of nowhere. Lead with, “I don’t want this to affect our friendship in anyway…” It is important to be clear about your feelings because you do not want the other person to have to guess them. Lastly, if they do say…WHEN they say yes, do something fun. I know you might want to jump immediately into “couple” stuff, but by doing something light and fun, it will not feel like a “date-date” right off the bat. You can lead into romantic candle-lit dinners, but start off with a movie or bowling or just something you normally do as friends. However, do not act like just their friend; be slightly more flirtatious because, like I already said, you want to make your feelings clear. Motto for 2020: it is okay to be vulnerable, it is okay to put yourself out there, it is okay to initiate human connection.

That is all I have for you this week. Good luck!

xx Sally Seahawk