As graduation is approaching in freakishly lightening speed, some of us are already experiencing a post-graduation nostalgia for the town we’ve called home- Wilmington. While some of us came from larger cities and others from even smaller towns, Wilmington provided us a sense of comfort and became the first city in which we lived on our own.
Known for its many nicknames – Wilm, Wilmywood, Wilmy, and The Dub- this beach town has gifted us some of the best memories of our lives. Although Wilmington is far from perfect, we will miss all of its perfect imperfections that made it the perfect place for us.
10. Sh!**y Drivers
Not many of us were surprised when AAA Carolinas listed New Hanover County as one of the worst counties in the state for the likelihood of car accidents. It seems as though there is a local secret society that doesn’t know about the existence of blinkers or common traffic laws.
9. Shopping Destinations, or Lack Thereof
For those who originate from a small town, Wilmington’s shopping was a major step up in the shopping game while us big city gals suffered- BIG TIME. The one shopping mall that Wilmington has to offer is nothing short of pathetic. Although we could’ve looked at this as an opportunity to start a post-graduation fund, we resorted to online shopping.
8. The Roads
Not only do we have to deal with incompetent drivers but we also have the pleasure of driving on the worst roads in America. Easily confused as sand dunes, Wilmington’s roads are pleading and crying to get repaved but the city’s priority seems to lie in building yet another over-priced student living complex. Who wants to go à-la-Wansky on Kerr Rd with me?
7. Downtown & Beach Bars
Beach or Downtown- That’s one of the first decisions your #squad has to make when planning a night out. While both have their perks, there’s no doubt we’re going to miss living in a town filled with college drink specials. After all, what else are our college years about besides bar hopping?
6. Local Restaurants
When we’re 50 years old and thinking about our college era, we’re mostly going to remember us stumbling around looking for cheap food. If there’s one life lesson Wilmington has taught me, it was to eat locally. Wilmy is blessed with local grub spots like Flaming Amy’s, Islands, Might As Well, Dockside, Front Street Brewery, I Love New York Pizza and Hibachi Bistro to name a few. Not only is Wilmington loaded with delicious food, but you can more than likely enjoy the weather with patio seating.
5. Indecisive Weather
Antartica winters in the morning and African summers during the day made it so much easier to get dressed in the morning.
4. Masonboro
Whether you went for some peace and quiet during sunsets or to day drink on holidays such as Fourth of July, Masonboro is one of those not so hidden gems of Wilmington. Although getting there proved to be a challenge at times, hitching a ride was always part of the adventure.
3. The 10 mile radius
We are truly spoiled when it comes to driving distances in Wilmington. Everything is within a 10-mile radius that we rarely ever break out of. Driving in a big city seems like such a hassle when we’ve had the beach, downtown, the mall and campus all within a 10-mile radius.
2. Beach
Most of us can agree that we chose to go to UNCW for the sole reason of living by the beach. The rebel inside of us begged us to skip class and go to the beach and we didn’t necessarily fight it. After all, it’s not like you can go to the beach with your friends on a Tuesday after college, right?