Hawaii Pacific University Top Questions

Dear High school self,

The advice I would give myself would be to not try so hard to get to know certain people first semester. I handled the college transition extremely well in almost everything, except I tried a little too hard to be friends with some people and I ended up damaging my relationships with them instead. I did make a lot of friends, but the ones that come naturally are the ones that last, and I wish I had just relaxed a little bit more.

I would tell myself that I should trust myself in believing I can achieve anything if I work hard enough for it. To not be discouraged at first because things are different from how high school was. College, especially at HPU, is an experience to take in stride, with confidence and trust in your own ability to become an adult that is both concious of the world and willing to learn from mistakes without fear of being put-down. With an education from HPU, you will become a more able adult and more active in interacting with others without intimidation and learn to become prepared to grab hold onto dreams that can only become a reality if you work hard, keep focus, and not be discouraged. The change from being a teenager to the adult world is not something to fear for if you keep your goals and trust in others, you will succeed.

During my college experience I learned about exploring my potential. College is not just about going to class everyday and doing homeworks but it is also about learning the neccessary skills that are important in our daily life. Being a college student help me gain confidence. I have learned to be confident from taking classes which requires me to present in front of a class to asking instructors for help with school work. I have experienced a few failures in college which taught me to have determination and to push forward with my goals. A failure is only a failure if you do not learn from it. In college, learning does not only happen in classrooms but also in the whole college experience. It is valuable to attend college not only for the degree a person will earn but also for the experience. Having a college degree will give you a better employment opportunity but the experience you gain from college is an added bonus.

I have gotten a sense of confidence and the value and education offers to those who would like to experience the more technical aspect of a career. I feel there is no goal too big to accomplish and have no fear in trying new things. I have found that an education can help you discover what your passion is and also what is not your passion even though you thought it was before venturing down the path towards that goal. Basically, a higher education can help you discover things you never knew existed.

I have gotten an experience here at Hawaii Pacific University that is undeniably one of a kind. I can voucher that I do not go to a conventional college. What other school can offer "Hula" or "Surfing" as course credit? But other than what comes with the perks of being on an island, Hawaii has taught me SO much. I've felt myself grow into a stronger person. I had to learn how to survive on my own. I literally had NO ONE I knew with me. My mother couldn't afford to send me to Hawaii for a visit, therefore the first time I set foot on campus was not only my first time seeing the school, but my first time being in Hawaii in general. I flew in by myself, again due to costs. I learned how to get a job on my own and balance that out with my classes. I had to navigate around Hawaii on my own. I met new people, made new experiences, and came out overall a more dynamic individual. The experience I got from HPU was nothing close to what I was expecting, but I wouldn't change it for the world.

College is such a big tradition to the American culture. From being a high school graduate in a class of 26, it was such a big transition to get use to the college life of Hawaii Pacific University. From my college experience, I’ve got to learn to take more responsibility for myself as an "adult," making the choice of attending class to being pressured to go to parties. The college experience has taught that I am now accountable for my own actions and it is now my life. Also college was an eye opener, showing me that I have to take college seriously for this is my future. It was very valuable to attend college because it is your first step to your career but also it is the beginning of your life. College has shown me many paths and college is the one thing that can help you choose what you want to do with your life. Though I am still a freshmen college has been very valuable both socially and academically. This is the time where you meet your lifetime friends and make a decision that will change your entire life. In all college rocks!!

Emerson College in Boston was the first university I attended after graduating from high school. I chose Emerson because I wanted to be a writer, realizing very quickly that I didn't have anything all that interesting to write about. I believed one way to correct this was to spend the fall of 2003 in Emerson's study abroad program in Europe. This taste of living abroad, traveling constantly, meeting people I could communicate with only through body language and alcohol, affected me greatly. It made me hungry for more, and after withdrawing from Emerson a year and a half later, I spent too long time working at dead-end jobs before finally moving to Wuhan, China to teach ESL. I met my wife there. She encouraged me to go back to school and promised to move back to America with me. After two semesters at University of North Florida, I have maintained a 3.72 GPA and plan to apply to graduate schools for 2012. My college experience has been - for almost ten years - my life, even while not enrolled in school. Without the influence of those three semesters in Boston, my life would be a boring, wasted existence.

My most valuable college experience has nothing to do with college itself (but then, we all know you learn more from actually living than from listening to a lecture). My university is comprised of 1/3 Hawaiian, 1/3 mainland, and 1/3 international students. I grew up in Colorado, which is 98{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} white. Living in HPU's diverse community has changed my view of the world, and of people. Perhaps the most important aspect of this diversity is discrimination and racism. There are many fabulous Hawaiians whom I call my friends, but I also distinctly remember a comment from one Hawaiian: "I hate white people, but I'm not racist." Some Hawaiians do hate white people. They hate us for the past, for what we've stolen from them, and the worst part is they're probably right. But it's still racism. That's the most valuable experience I've had. I've learned what it's like to be hated for the color of my skin, for the crimes of my fathers. There is no such thing as reverse discrimination, it's simply discrimination, and it is always wrong. Knowing how it feels, however, is invaluable perspective.

I have learned that college was a prize to be made not a prize to be won. I chose a college that suited me well despite what others say about my college decision. Although this is just my first semester and third month at Hawaii Pacific University, I must admit that it has been, so far, the greatest three months of learning I have ever received since grade school. The instructors I have are profoundly passionate about what they teach. Furthermore, HPU instructors remarkably do their best to help when students are in need of assistance. Students are free to let the instructor know whether or not the pacing of the lecture is too quick, too slow, or just right. When students are stressing before a test, HPU instructors carefully explain to the students what to know and review what will be on the test. In COM, I have learned that mid-terms, finals, and other tests are a “celebration of knowledge.” With that in mind, I became more excited to learn about new concepts, new lessons, and further my knowledge than simply skim at through the surface of new ideas. I value beating the deadlines instead of meeting them.