Leaving Wilmington, NC for my freshman year of college seemed pretty easy. I looked forward to attending college for the first time and I looked forward to meeting so many new people. In the end, my freshman year at Washington and Lee University turned out to be everything I expected and more. I met amazing people who brought out the best version of myself, I challenged myself both in the classroom and on the volleyball court and I lived in a beautiful area surrounded by mountains.

Freshman year provided many great memories and great experience that I will always look back on and cherish. However, returning home to Wilmington for the summer made me realize how much I took my hometown for granted. For those of you who currently attend high school in Wilmington and will be leaving for college in the near future, don’t look too far ahead. Do not try and fast forward through these next few years because you look forward to leaving. Live in the moment and take in your surroundings. Recognize the beautiful place that you live in and spend every moment taking full advantage of the environment around you. You have been blessed to grow up in a place like Wilmington, and take it from a sophomore in college that there are truly no other places that quite compare.

For those of you who still attend high school in Wilmington, make sure you take advantage of the beautiful ocean that basically sits in your backyard. Trust me, you don’t fully understand your appreciation for the sea until you are somewhere far from the coast. If you high school students who are reading this are anything like me, then the ocean is your happy place.

Anywhere on the water puts you in a comfort zone that releases any and all stress. Appreciate the big blue blessing that calls to you whenever you are feeling any sort of way. I cannot tell you how many times my freshman year of college that I wished I could just sit on the shore of Wrightsville Beach and release whatever anxiety I may have been holding within.

Do not only appreciate the beach and waterway for the release it gives you but also for the happiness it brings. How many fond memories do you have that were spent in the sand or out on the water? If I had to guess, I would say too many to reasonably count.

High school students, please do not take for granted the beaches and waterways that provide so many things for your community. You live in an environment that has given you a unique childhood and upbringing. During my freshman year, I found that there are many people who are unfamiliar with a lot of the things that fill our daily lives in Wilmington.

There would be instances my freshman year when I would mention flounder gigging or off-shore trolling and see looks of confusion coming from those listening. I also found it interesting that some individuals were unfamiliar with marshes. Others from the west coast found it odd that our coast didn’t have rocks. Basically, look deeper than what meets the eye and identify the area-specific opportunities that you have that others don’t. I am not saying that Wilmington is far superior, I just encourage those of you who still have time left to take full advantage of what Wilmington has to offer. After being away at college, I have a stronger love for the ocean and all that it provides.

High school students, there are also so many unique ways for you to get involved within your community that aren’t available to those who do not live on the coast. Volunteering for the sea turtle hospital is a strong example that is not only rewarding but also something interesting to strengthen your college application. Going over to Masonboro Island and picking up trash is another example that not only benefits your community but also provides great scenery that makes “work” seem like play. These are just a few examples, but there are so many opportunities within and around Wilmington that you should utilize!

Downtown Wilmington is another gem that I did not fully appreciate while in high school. The Cape Fear River has so many beautiful views and the Riverwalk has some of the cutest shops and boutiques. Speaking of shops, Downtown Wilmington, in general, has a variety of unique stores. Food lovers also have an abundance of great choices when downtown, or anywhere within the Wilmington area for that matter. On top of all of this, the historic district, nightlife and art found within this area of Wilmington can not be found anywhere else. It is such a great part of time that I wish I could have spent more time.

Now that I have returned to college for my sophomore year, I miss home a little extra because I now realize how blessed I am to have grown up in a place like Wilmington. I will be the first to admit that I did take where I lived for granted and did not appreciate all that was available to me. Very few can say that within their hometown they have a beach, historic district, university and river. The people, location, culture and opportunities found in Wilmington make it such a distinct place.

So high school students in Wilmington, please do not take your beautiful hometown for granted. Slow down and enjoy your time at your enchanting home while you have it. Seek out opportunities that are specific to your special community. Make memories and embrace everything that surrounds you in the present. Looking forward to the future is encouraged, but do not look too far ahead when what is right in front of you deserves the utmost appreciation. Wilmington, NC, I have found, is one of a kind.