Here I am.
4,878.86 miles away from home. If I were to look back at myself five years ago as a high school freshman, I would have never thought that I would have ended up in Hawaii for school. I've always been an adventurous person and I am so happy with the choice I made for college.
The most common question people ask me is "Why Hawaii? You're crazy." But what I'm thinking is "Why not Hawaii?" Hawaii has SO much to offer and is a nonstop adventure. Heck, the bus system here is an adventure itself. The buses here allow us to go to places, but the hardest thing is figuring out which stop we have to get off of and what bus to take. My friend and I got on the wrong bus and ended up at the North Shore which is about an hour and a half from our campus, but we made it worthwhile. We got to know people from our crazy detours and we were amazed by everybody's life story. The locals are super friendly and tell us the best places to go. The Uber driver we had the other day gave us tips on what to do and what not do on the island. The experience I've had here so far has been remarkable.
From the moment I got off the plane to come here, I knew that this place was meant for me. This was my new Ohana.
My RA is so crazy, spunky, and energetic. Everybody loves her. She always stops in and hangs with my roommates and I and sees how we are doing. Honestly, no other RA can even compare to how awesome she is.
My two roommates are super sweet and are awesome photographers. I envy their creative minds and feel inspired by them a lot. We all get along super well and I am so thankful that we do because a lot of times people have trouble with their roommates.
It's so diverse here and I absolutely love it. I have met people from Norway, Sweden, Japan, China, and so many other countries. People are coming from all over the world and we are put into one place. Talking to people from different countries is very intriguing because they give you insight on how their society works. Dinner conversations are the best because we always end up talking about how different our portion sizes are and how football isn't the same as their football which leads to very heated debates.
Another question people from home always ask me is "Do you ever go to class?" Yes, I go to all my classes and study as much as I can, but when we need a break from school work and just need to relax we head to the beach or go hiking. Mental health is huge in college and you need to be able to recognize when you need a break. The island consists of so may different beaches and hikes to explore! One of the locals told me that they have lived here for over 30 years and still find something new to do every day.
When it comes down to it, I owe it all to my family. My mom and dad were the ones who raised me into becoming an independent woman and it allowed me to spread my wings. My siblings paved out the path for me and I thank them for that. They all have their strengths and I have mine. My whole family gives me endless love and support and I can't thank them enough for that. If it wasn't for them, I don't know where I would be today.
Yes, this is my new Ohana; but I will always remember where I came from. This school has given me such amazing friendships, professional connections, and amazing memories already. I can't wait to see what else is in store. Freshman year is going to be one to remember.
