Mayor Cignotti, who is also a UNCW alumnus, encourages students to “Party the Wright Way,” a campaign that began in spring 2011 and asks students to use cabs and look after one another. It’s a reminder to bar hoppers that people live at Wrightsville Beach year-round, and they would appreciate visitors to respect their quiet neighborhoods when leaving the bars at night.

Beach bars are a popular place for students to experience the nightlife, but North Carolina law requires all consumers of alcohol to be at least 21 years old. Cabs are available at the bars along Lumina Avenue.

For those students who like to surf: regulations require a surfer to be 500 feet away from the pier at all times. When the lifeguard stands are up, surfing is prohibited in the swim zones, located between the two flags on either side of the lifeguard stand. In the off-season, students may surf wherever they want but still must abide to the 500-foot rule.

“Most members of the surfing community encourage members to abide by these regulations,” said Cignotti. Surfers are also required to wear a leash attached to their board during all seasons.

Dogs can come to the beach in the off-season. But from April 1 to Sept. 30, dogs are not permitted and owners will receive a $250 fine.

“The beaches are so crowded in the summer,” said Cignotti, “It is just a health hazard to have dogs around.”

From Oct. 1 to March 31, dogs are welcome as long as they are on a leash and the owner has a doggie bag to pick up any waste left on the beach.

Drinking a beer on the beach may sound like a great way to relax after studying for exams, but Wrightsville Beach does not allow alcohol on the beach, no matter the age of the person consuming it.

“Even when I attended UNCW, Wrightsville Beach had a strong link to the students of UNCW, and we want to keep it that way,” said Cignotti. “We just want students to help us take pride in our community along with respecting the beach and being safe.”

One last piece of advice: for smokers, beware of regulations that prohibit smoking within a certain distance of bars, restaurants and stores. Also, try to keep your butts-cigarette butts, that is-out of the sand. Your wallet, and your non-smoker friends, will appreciate it.