We’re here to talk with Amanda, a Campus Correspondent from Her Campus Hawaii Pacific University, discussing all things HPU and learning why she chose to go to college in paradise. Amanda said she loves scuba diving, enjoys the small class sizes of HPU and is very eager to work for Her Campus.
Her Campus: Is your campus open to the public or is it only students that are allowed to walk around there?
Amanda: Our downtown campus is right in the heart of Honolulu where all the major businesses are located. So our campus is very much open to anyone that wants to pass through. On the other hand, Hawaii Loa campus is much more like a regular college campus and is unavailable for the public unless they are accompanied by a student or faculty. Or the pizza delivery guy… haha…
HC: Is there a lot of school spirit when it comes to games? Do many students attend these games and show off their school spirit?
A: Sadly, no, our school seems to lack school spirit when it comes to games. In all honestly I have only been to one game, and that was because my friend dragged me to it to support the cheerleaders. You don’t regularly hear people on campus talk about games. Majority of the athletes are either on another island or on the mainland playing against another university so it makes going to games a bit challenging.
HC: Do you feel like with a small campus, you are able to get to know your professor and vice-versa?
A: Our campus is incredibly small with only 5,625 undergraduates and many majors that aren’t as popular as others, like mass communication, multimedia, public health, exc. This means we sometimes have the same professor for multiple classes throughout our college career. If you love your professor then this is a blessing, but for those that hate them, then they aren’t so lucky.
HC: Is HPU what you expected it to be like when you first came?
A: For the most part, HPU is everything I expected it to be. I love the small classes, the professors are really knowledgeable in their field, and they are willing to help you outside of the classroom if need be.
The only thing I didn’t realise before moving to Hawaii, this isn’t an HPU problem but a Hawaii problem, is the amount of homeless there are. Our downtown campus is open to the public and many of the homeless reside here.
HC: Do people know each other on campus or is it spread out?
A: It really depends on which campus you are located at; students who are science or nursing majors are at our Hawai’i Loa Campus, students who are communications, business, or computer science majors are at the downtown campus, and Aloha Tower Marketplace is where the student center is as well as where the students dorm. For the most part, you get to know the faces you pass by at your campus and you know majority of the students there. Even if you haven’t talked to a person before, you know their name and who they hang out with.
HC: What is your favorite part about your school?
A: My favorite part of HPU is the small class sizes. I really enjoy being able to raise my hand without drawing attention from the whole class. Class sizes range from 15 to 40 students and it is easy to make friends within these small classes as well as build a relationship with your professor.
I also love how diverse our school is. With students from all 50 states and nearly 80 countries, HPU is one of the most culturally diverse universities in the world. You get to make friends with people all around the world!
HC: Do you go to the beach a lot (as is a stereotype of living in Hawaii)?
A: Honestly, not as much as I would like to. I am very active in different extracurricular activities during the week and on the weekends I tend to just catch up on homework. During my freshman year I would go to the beach all the time due to the easier workload, but now being a senior, I really need to focus on my classes because they are way more intense. My friend and I love scuba diving so whenever we get the chance, we try to go. We prefer taking the free time we do get (which is rare) and spend it hiking or scuba diving.
HC: Why did you want to attend HPU?
A: First off, who wouldn’t want to spend their college years in Hawai’i?! I’ve never been to Hawai’i before so that was one of my reasons for wanting to come here. I also love that I am a quick shuttle away from the downtown campus, where all my classes are located, to the Hawai’i Loa Campus where I can go view the Ko’olau mountains and enjoy the lush green environment. I just love the different atmospheres at each campus!
HC: What is one thing you didn’t know about HPU before attending that you wish you knew?
A: For the most part HPU and college is exactly what I thought it would be. I knew it would be 24/7 nice weather, access to the beach whenever I want, and small class sizes that making learning much easier (I’m not a fan of large lecture halls). I do, however, wish I knew that college would consist of long nights doing homework, less and less beach days as the semester goes by, and slowly losing your tan only to look like Casper the ghost. Oh, and the homeless that wander Fort Street (the main street where our downtown campus is located). Like I said, it’s a Hawai’i problem that really needs to be addressed because it is getting out of hand.
HC: What are you excited about with HC HPU?
A: What I love most about Her Campus is the freedom to write about almost whatever you want! Makeup review, friendship advice, love, and relationships. I think the content is relatable to any student, no matter where their university is. I also love that Her Campus allows us to gain experience in marketing, social media, journalism, and leadership. It can get challenging at some points, but I know it will all be worth it in the end.
Photos courtesy of Amanda.