The first thing Rachel Hilburn told me when I approached her about this article is that she’s “not a very interesting person,” which to me sounded absurd. I listen to her show “Coastline” almost every week—in the car on the way to work, walking to class or making my morning coffee. The show covers an expansive array of topics. From being queer in Wilmington to escaping from Nazi Germany, Hilburn never ceases to find interesting people and stories to highlight. Though the show is always centered around her ever-fascinating guests, the relaxed precision in her voice invites listeners in. She has a particular talent for allowing people to become great storytellers. As someone who regularly conducts interviews, I wondered, how does she do it?

Picture this. The shelves are lined with spines of every color, size and font, an eclectic mix of new releases and classics. The soft chattering of book lovers browsing the shelves mingles with the espresso-scented air emanating a cozy ambiance. One alluring cover after the next beckons for attention before the bookseller wearing a welcoming smile comes into view.

Founded in 1971, Atlantis: A Creative Magazine is UNCW’s premier undergraduate literary magazine. Focused on celebrating undergraduate writers from public or private community colleges and four-year universities in North Carolina, Atlantis is run by dedicated students and sponsored by UNCW’s Student Media Board. As sophomore Nitya Budamagunta takes the reins as Editor-in-Chief for the 2023-2024 school year, many exciting possibilities lie ahead for the innovative literary magazine.

Ari Aster’s third theatrical release, “Beau Is Afraid,” is undoubtedly his most daunting from a viewer’s perspective. It is a three-hour display of Murphy’s Law, where everything that can go wrong does go wrong. While Aster’s first two films “Hereditary” (2018) and “Midsommar” (2019) were certainly horror films, “Beau Is Afraid” is equal parts comedy, drama and horror. With each unfolding of events, the number of possible interpretations of the story grows as the lines blur between reality, dreams, nightmares and hallucinations.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past nine months, it’s unlikely that you haven’t heard of “iCarly” star Jennette McCurdy’s recent memoir, “I’m Glad My Mom Died.” Eight months since its release, the book still sparks excitement and conversation in literary and non-literary circles alike. I bought my own copy in Dec. 2022 from the Strand Book Store. While fighting streams of people for a look at the shelves, I found myself standing in front of a wall above the customer service desk, which displayed the Strand’s top ten picks. “I’m Glad My Mom Died” was one of them.

The UNCW Theatre Department is ending their 2022-2023 season with a thought-provoking and unconventional play, “A Murder of Crows,” written by Mac Wellman and directed by Professor Paul Castagno. The show follows Susannah as she learns to understand and deal with family relationships, survival, and life and death.

The North Carolina film industry is now experiencing a period of growth following the COVID-19 pandemic, with film productions returning to Wilmington and bringing the industry back to life. This increase follows a change to the NC budget lowering the requirements to receive help from the North Carolina Film and Entertainment Grant. This increase in filming led to a higher demand for background actors, with many people—including UNCW’s own students—in the Wilmington area eager and willing to be part of Wilmington’s film legacy.

When someone doesn’t encounter or see hardship and strife on a daily basis, it’s easy to live in a bubble and not notice anything outside of it. People are hungry, hopeless, scared, homeless and desperate for help right next door. McFadden looks out at the parking lot, deep in thought with tears brimming in her eyes. “I used to think why me? Why’d I have to go through this? Why’d this have to happen to me?” she said. “Now it’s like, why not me?” So why not you?

The meme waterfall that followed Chris Pratt’s casting announcement turned the newest franchise-based film, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” into something of a must-see. Due to the popularity of the Mario games—because who hasn’t played Mario Kart at least once in their life—the film garnered some speculation. Would it pay proper homage or soullessly promote the video games it hails from?

Following months of unusual Russian troop movements, threats and shellfire along the border, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. For over a year now, the whole world has watched as countless lives have been lost, families torn apart and cities destroyed. But behind each photograph and headline, number and statistic, video and dispatch, are real people with real stories to tell, often lost to the desensitization and chaos of war. A few such people are students in Wilmington and UNCW, specifically.

Drag is an art form that goes back centuries. Many historians claim it originated with Shakespeare, whose plays were performed entirely by men—and men dressed as women. By the 1970s, following the Stonewall Uprising, the art of drag had cemented itself in American culture. Drag foremothers like Divine and Crystal LaBeija would pave the way for what it is today. Though it has evolved much over time, drag in its many forms is an expression of our creativity and humanity that has persisted throughout history.

Tucked away in a quiet apartment complex not far from campus is a locally owned and operated coffee shop, Lucky Joe Craft Coffee. At first glance, the building looks like another townhouse amongst a sea of student housing, but plenty of delicious coffee, smoothies and pastries as well as work and study spaces hide behind a set of magenta doors.

Universities all throughout the US offer a literary magazine to exclusively their student body as an opportunity for students to get their work published. Up until now, UNCW was not one of those universities. Second Story Journal is a UNCW literary magazine created, operated by and originally, exclusively open to Honors students. Current Editor-in-Chief Abigail Celoria and other staff have worked to change that and have opened the magazine to include all undergraduate student submissions.

Each February marks the beginning of Black History Month in the United States, and communities across the country take this time to reflect on and celebrate the contributions of Black Americans throughout history. This year’s national Black History Month theme was “Black Resistance,” which addresses how African Americans are dealing with oppression and the lack of institutional support in the past and present.

What was once regarded as a cringe teen summer show is now a national hit. “Outer Banks” returns for its long-awaited third season, chock full of potential. Audiences left off with the Pogues once again taking the hit, while the Camerons got away with the treasure. Will the Pogues be able to right last season’s wrongs? Or is something entirely new in store for them?