Finding Opportunities by Exploring Your Passions

May 9, 2020

College is where most students come to find their purpose, passions and or career paths. Most people look for these paths or passions in their major, part-time jobs, or internships chosen during their university experience. In my junior year, I found mine by exploring my passion for fitness. I have always had a passion for fitness and had entertained the thought of becoming a fitness instructor or trainer to satisfy my curiosity about the body and movement! During the Fall semester of my junior year, I enrolled in a Group Fitness training program with the goal of becoming a Group Fitness Instructor and teaching at the Student Recreation Center. At the time, the decision was risky because the program would require so much of my time and effort and could distract me from my academic work. Hoping the certification would make me happy, I took a leap of faith that I could manage both. Not only did I complete the program, eventually I was offered a job at the Rec Center that lasted until I graduated.

MOlan fit expo

Within the first semester of working as an instructor, I came to love my job so much so that I decided I wanted to pursue recreation, fitness and wellness as a full-time job. Since working at the Rec Center, I have looked at jobs within this industry and thought about going to graduate school for recreation or health programming. I would have never had the opportunity to explore these options if I had not chosen to look for opportunities to explore my passions. UNCW offers such a wide variety of classes, clubs, and activities that offer opportunities to discover a new interest, hobby or passion. My sophomore self thought I needed plenty of internships and small jobs to provide me with sufficient career experience for obtaining a job that I would be happy with post-grad. I could have easily skipped any opportunities to explore a hobby or side passion just to make time for something I felt obligated to do or to take an internship that I “thought” would help me succeed.

College is a vulnerable time of your life and it is possible to be interested in so many things that it can feel overwhelming. But by opening yourself up to any small opportunity, even if it is slightly different from your already established plans, you might find a world of new experiences! From my time at UNCW, this was what I found to be the most important. Do not say no to any little opportunity that resonates with you even if it is not aligned with your plans and goals. Hindsight is 20/20 and we should never regret our experience and where they have landed us now but it is always important to give ourselves the space for exploring new interests and hobbies that will open new paths.

I have treasured every moment of working at the Rec Center and teaching classes to different people about their bodies. As my senior year is coming to an end, I am so grateful to have had this job experience and for the doors it has opened for me and my future. Because I chose to take a job working at the Rec Center, I had the amazing opportunity to expand my knowledge and love for yoga by becoming a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher. I plan to take on yoga full-time at some point in my life and bring the benefits of this practice to anyone interested. Remember to take the leap of faith, as a college student, to explore new options and interests. I am glad that I took the risk and would not change a thing!

Melissa Olan, UNCW COM Class of Spring 2020

Melissa is a Communication Studies major with a minor in Recreation, Sports Leadership and Tourism Management. After graduation, she plans to take time off to explore her options and pursue yoga full-time before settling into a corporate job. When she’s not practicing or teaching yoga or studying, you will find her cooking, moving, or being outdoors soaking up the sun and fresh air.

Learning is a Lifestyle

May 6, 2020

There is so much I could say about my time at UNCW. I evacuated for three hurricanes and then sent home to work online during my last semester due to the Coronavirus. Despite the challenges, I learned the value of not just education, but of learning.

A very important person to me once said, “never let your education stand in the way of your learning.” Now, this is not a free pass to skip out on your schoolwork in the name of “learning” but school is not the only place you will grow and learn skills. Experience is what grows you and school helps prepare you for that. But true learning comes from wanting to know something and then doing all you can to figure it out.

I am a COM major, which means I have good transferable skills so I can do what I want, but I figured out late in the game what I wanted was to do graphic design. Of course, I took a couple classes but most of my skill and knowledge about graphic design came from self-learning. From trying and failing, watching YouTube tutorials and trying again, and Googling questions until I had something look the way I wanted it to. It came from putting myself out there and offering my services to people who needed them.

School is important and always will be but should never be the most important thing in your life and shouldn’t be the only place where you learn. Make friends who will teach you important things, go new places, try new things, meet new people, try and learn that skill you always thought would be cool to know. I have always loved art, but I was not naturally good at it. It took a lot of time, videos, learning, and failing to become the artist and designer I am today. And I’m still only mediocre to good. It takes time.

MMarks Graphic

Never let your education stand in the way of your learning. Learn because you want it and need it. Learn because your life depends on it. Become an educated person – not a person who paid for an education. Your classes and time at college are not the end-all, be-all, but a doorway into a much bigger realm of experiences that you can chose to engage with or not. Luckily, you get to be in classes learning about something you love. Dive in. Talk to other students and professors to learn more. Get connected. Not because you will get a 100% for a grade but because you will learn.

You have the time right now to learn something new, Seahawks. Do it.

Melissa Marks, UNCW COM Class of Spring 2020

The Time Has Come

May 6, 2020

With my first visit to UNCW and Wilmington, I somehow knew this would be the place I would spend the next years of my life. These past four years as a Seahawk have been a rollercoaster ride that seemed endless, but here I am, at the end. I have experienced so much over the last 4 years and those memories will last a lifetime. For current and future Seahawks, I have 10 bits of advice.

  1. Go in undecided- I was undecided until first semester sophomore year. I highly recommend taking the first year to get complete most of your general education classes. I had no idea what I wanted to major in. I needed time to find my place.
  2. You’re going to have a bad roommate- It is almost inevitable. Living with people you are not familiar with is always tricky. However, I met one of my best friends as a random roommate assignment.
  3. You will regret not getting the dorm experience- I lived in the dorms my freshman year and I am so glad that I did. It is a rite of passage in a sense. If you live in Galloway, I am sorry.
  4. It is okay not be involved in Greek life- UNCW doesn’t have a huge Greek life but for some reason I felt like I had to join because all of my friends did. You know yourself better than anyone. If you have any doubt you will not like it, don’t get involved.
  5. The student athletes believe they are the best…at everything- I have many friends who happen to play college sports. They have a very strict schedule and love what they do. However, they can be very picky about who they hang out with. Find your people. You don’t have to be friends with the soccer players because you played soccer in high school.
  6. Join 2-3 clubs/organizations- I have been told numerous times to join as many clubs as possible. From experience, I have learned that less is better. Most clubs meet weekly. Do not overcrowd yourself with extracurriculars. UNCW has an amazing assortment of organizations. Find the best one or two for yourself.
  7. Study abroad- The best choice I ever made was studying abroad. I traveled to Paris, France and Berlin, Germany. If you have some place that you have always wanted to visit, check out the study abroad website. Imagine getting to travel to somewhere beautiful while getting school credit. What more could you want?
  8. Get to know your professors- This is something I deeply regret. I have had the privilege of being taught by some of the most talented professors. I wish I had taken time to visit them during their office hours; having a conversation that might not even relate to class. Remember professors are people too.
  9. Explore your community- We are so lucky to attend school in an environment that has so many unique features. From Wrightsville beach to the battleship; there is so much to discover. I also would highly recommend taking the ferry from Carolina Beach (Fort Fisher) to Southport.
  10. Don’t take these 4 years for granted- One day, while you’re living your best life on Spring Break, you might get an email saying your classes are now all online and that you are not allowed back on campus. Everything suddenly gets taken away from you.

I know because it just happened to me. There I was, excited to end my time here at UNCW. Getting ready to take my graduation pictures with the Seahawk in front of Hoggard lawn. Spending the last few weekends living my best life with my roommates. Instead I’m in my hometown. Writing this sitting at a foldable desk. In my childhood room.

College doesn’t last forever. It is just the next stage in your life. It will end. To all future Seahawks, remember you’re adding to our legacy. The time has come for you to take over. Do us proud.

Madison Lancaster, UNCW COM Class of Spring 2020

Madison’s passion is fashion – she enjoys expressing her creativity through clothing and is an avid supporter of the pantsuit. After graduation, Madison plans to be an event coordinator and travel the world.

Believe in Your Dreams & Allow them to Change

May 5, 2020

I began my journey as a UNCW Seahawk in the Spring of 2017; it had been my dream ever since the eighth grade. Way back in middle school, I would spend hours looking at campus photos and taking the virtual tour too many times to count. This came as a bit of a shock to my parents considering we live all the way up in New Jersey. For years they thought my dream to go to UNCW was just a phase I would eventually grow out of. Thankfully, it wasn’t.

Through my time at UNCW I have learned that your vision for the future doesn’t have to be set in stone. When I first moved to Wilmington for school, I had my heart set on being a Creative Writing major, moving to NYC after graduation and publishing books at Simon & Schuster. My path could not be more different now. I eventually realized that I had grown out of that dream but the idea of changing my path entirely was daunting. It was only when I was introduced to the COM department that my then daunting future became full of possibility.

KSchissler_waterfront

Through this department I have made lifelong friends, met professors I admire and created a whole new vision for my future. I cannot believe my time at UNCW is coming to an end, especially as I am separated from the individuals who made this experience unforgettable. My biggest regret when I think about graduating is that I didn’t take advantage of all the opportunities UNCW has offered me and that I took for granted the time I had with the people who’ve made these past four years so special.

This degree has been the most challenging and rewarding feat of my life. As we near graduation and the momentous occasion that it is, I can’t help but be grateful for all the opportunities I have been given.

It’s been a pleasure. Until next time Wilmy!

Kaitlyn Schissler, UNCW COM Class of 2020

 

The People are the Best of COM

April 30, 2020

My UNCW experience has been interesting to say the least. I became a Seahawk during the Spring semester of 2017 as a First Year Spring Admit. This is a program that defers students to the Spring semester. I met all of my Freshman friends through this program – I loved it! The reason I choose UNCW is because I wanted to work at SeaWorld as a killer whale trainer and thought a marine biology degree would get me there. However, after one day of biology class, I remembered I wasn’t good at science and began my search for a new major. This was the best decision I would ever make. Not only because the Blackfish documentary opened my eyes to SeaWorld’s treatment of killer whales, but also, because it led me to the Department of Communication Studies.

Photo by Trevor Kolman on Unsplash

Photo by Trevor Kolman on Unsplash

On the search for a new major, I enrolled in COM 105. On the first exam for COM 105, I made a 70 and went home and cried to my roommates. Throughout that semester, I tried harder than I ever had in a course and ended up with the 3rd highest grade in the class – out of 150 students. I realized it was the only course that I was passionate about. The next semester, I enrolled in COM 200 and joined the Communication Studies Society (CSS).

Junior year began and I felt like I was finally finding my way through college. I was vice president of CSS and had made some awesome friends within the department. Shortly into the semester, Florence hit. It was a time filled with uncertainty. Luckily, we were able to return back home after a month of no school. I think we were all a little more appreciative that year.

As senior year kicked off, I found myself as president of CSS. My goal for CSS was to help COM majors grow professionally and personally. During my time as president, I threw a networking event, held Make the Most Of your Major (MMOM), a holiday party, and many other professional development meetings. But most importantly, I got to bond with other COM majors and professors. I think the best part about the COM department is the people.

Now as my final semester has been flipped upside down, I reminisce on the last few years. This semester, I was supposed to go on a study abroad trip to Italy, have my official last day of class, and say goodbye to my friends. This isn’t how I imagined this semester ending, but I’m trying to stay hopeful. I focus on our first core skill, confidence: Feeling able to do what you set out to do, mentally, emotionally, and physically. This semester, I set out to finish my college career on a high note and, using what I’ve learned in communication studies, I know that I will.

Allison Phillips, UNCW COM class of Spring 2020

Allison is a Communication Studies major with minors in Leadership Studies and Political Science. She plans to work in the marketing field after graduation.

When the Going Gets Tough: Seahawk Edition

April 27, 2020

As a transfer student, I have not spent more than 2 years at UNCW. However, my time here has been wonderful and I am beyond proud to be a Seahawk. I believe it is where I am supposed to be, despite the trials and tribulations. Anyone at UNCW during the last two years knows what I am talking about. If not, here are a few highlights and different ways that I got through them (or am still getting through them).

The wrong department.

When I first transferred to UNCW from Cape Fear Community College, I started off in the Cameron Business School. I knew I was interested in marketing but was completely lost in all of my classes. Things like financial accounting, microeconomics, etc. just weren’t for me. I did not feel a sense of community and had a hard time overall. Then, I learned about IMC classes and the Communication Studies Department. I quickly made the switch and, ever since then, I’ve felt entirely at home with my COM friends and professors! My advice to anyone not 100% sure which path to take is to explore ALL options first (especially before wasting an entire semester in the wrong place, like I did). There is a place here for everyone. We just have to find it. I sure am glad I found mine along with the wonderful friends that came with it.

Hurricanes.

Ah, the lovely storms that love to threaten (and damage) our beautiful campus. During my time at this school, my fellow students and I, have experienced the infamous Hurricane Florence, Tropical Storm Michael, and Hurricane Dorian. While Michael and Dorian did not cause us too much trouble, Florence did. That was a scary time for the entire UNCW community with school being closed, no one allowed on campus, copious amounts of damage, and a struggling community. I got through it the best way I knew how…by pushing forward. I stayed in contacted with all professors and many of my peers, stayed up to date on information, and did not give up on our school. Soon, everything was (somewhat) back to normal. The best thing anyone can do in that situation is to stay open-minded and trust that everything will be okay.

A global pandemic.

Whoa. Who knew this was going to happen? It has raised all sorts of anxiety, hardship, and uncertainty for many students. The Coronavirus is scary and uncharted territory for us, but the UNCW faculty and staff have dealt with it gracefully and promptly. One reason why I love UNCW so much – we have some great people backing us! With all of our classes going online, there are many challenges. If you’re like me, you simply are not an online school kind of person – maybe focusing is hard, there’s a lot going on at home, etc. but giving up is not an option. Thankfully, most professors at UNCW are extremely understanding and willing to help (especially those in the COM department). By writing down due dates and checking them each day along with staying in contact with professors, I have been able to get by. It takes a lot of strength, energy, and self-motivation but we Seahawks are forces to be reckoned with. We can get through anything.

Amongst many other challenges that you may face while at UNCW, always remember this: you are never alone, and things won’t be tough forever. I am blessed to have shared experiences with my peers, whether they be good or bad, and I am sad to end this chapter of my life in a virtual platform. All in all, I’ll forever love The Dub. Through the good times and bad.

Tina King, UNCW COM Class of Fall 2020

#NoRegrets

April 27, 2020

I transferred to UNCW as a junior – leaving me with only two years to get the most out of my time here. My time at UNCW was not your traditional four semesters of schoolwork, hanging out at the beach, and spending time with friends. During the fall 2018 semester, Hurricane Florence happened, as most of you know, taking a month of our time away from UNCW. Then, the next fall semester, Hurricane Dorian came. Thankfully, this only took about a week of our time away. But, it still caused disruption in the semester. Now, we’re all dealing with COVID-19, perhaps the most detrimental situation of them all. The Coronavirus is the monster I never knew I feared. It caused the cancelation of my Italy study abroad trip, took a month and a half of our time at UNCW away from us, and took away graduation. Students across the world are suffering from the effects of this monster. Amidst these terrible and trying times, let’s reflect on the positive memories we’ve had. I, personally, have had a lot.

My first semester, I wanted to take advantage of every opportunity that came my way and get involved in as much as I could (being that I only had two years at UNCW). I joined the UNCW Equestrian Club (even though I knew nothing about how to ride horses), Communication Studies Society (to get more involved in my major), Greek life, and more. Balancing all of my extracurriculars with my academics while still saving time to spend with friends was hard. But, it can be done. My advice: join all that you can, all that you’re interested in. UNCW offers many opportunities for us, as students, to take advantage of. I never thought that I would have the opportunity to learn how to ride horses but here I am! If UNCW doesn’t offer something that you’re interested in, take it upon yourself to create your own club. There are bound to be others who have the same interests as you. In doing so, you’ll make connections and relationships that will last a lifetime.

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As we’re all separated from the campus that we love so dearly, our friends, Wilmington (for those of you who don’t live in the area), think about all the memories you made throughout your time at UNCW. Don’t let these current times that we are living in get you down. Keep contact with your friends. Take advantage of the efforts UNCW is making to keep our community strong. Just because we are disconnected, doesn’t mean we can’t continue to make memories.

Moral of the story, time is short. You never know what could happen. Don’t take anything for granted. *Insert any other upchuck-inducing cliché here* We all hate them and think that they’re lame, but they’re all true. I was able to make these memories and lasting friendships because I put myself out there, did what I was scared of. Now, as I’m cooped up in my home in Upstate New York, I can look back at my time at college without any regrets. It ended much sooner than I thought, but I accomplished all that I could.

Jenna Pugliese-McNamara, UNCW COM Class of 2020

Majoring in Communication Studies with an emphasis on Integrated Marketing Communication and a minor in English. Jenna plans to pursue a career in publishing or marketing – or maybe both!