I’ve done it. I’ve successfully made it eight weeks into my very first semester in Hawai’i. There have been so many ups and downs from moving across the country and starting over, such as meeting and making new friends and letting go of home to embrace my new life here in Hawai’i But despite it all, there are so many things that got me out of bed and through the past several weeks. Some things have been morning runs, or seeing my first Hawaiian sunrise, any number of the hikes that can be found on campus, how the bus system works, exploring the beaches, and trying an overwhelming amount of coffee spots in the hope that I could try and find the “perfect” coffee shop.
I’m a runner, so naturally, I was so excited to run in a new environment to get lost in the sunrise and to smell the fresh air as my feet hit the ground. I wasn’t even sure where I was going to run when I jumped out of bed at 6:00 AM on the dot; I just knew I wanted to have taken it all in. I haven’t really found my favorite spot to run or even a favorite course, but I found something even better than finding that perfect running spot: a running buddy. Now almost every morning you can find us running around campus before campus becomes awake with the hustle and bustle of students. You can find us talking, venting, and laughing as we catch each other up on our lives all while gasping for air as we push each other to run faster each time.
Even though classes were online for the first five weeks, I managed to mingle and meet new people. During one of our “get to know the class” events during a Zoom class, I was feeling overwhelmed. At this point, we had been online for about three weeks, and all I had managed to do was run around campus so I could find where my classes were. So when it was my turn to tell the class what I was most excited about doing with my friends now that we are back from break, I was honest and said I was not sure, I wasn’t sure where to go, as I had not met anyone yet. Everyone just stared at me, and we moved on to the next person. Soon after, I got a private zoom message on my screen from one of my classmates, and y’all bless her heart, she invited me to go out with her and her friends to show me around Waikiki. She even told me which bus to take and what bus stop to use. We don’t talk anymore, we aren’t even in the same class, but I think of her kindness often. I think of how she gave me confidence in knowing I would be alright. After this, I started taking myself around the island, going to get a Dole Whip at any place I could find, learning all about Ala Moana for the first time, and then promptly getting lost. I went to the beach at night to listen to the ocean and breathe in the crisp, fresh air.
At the end of the day, no matter what kind of day I had, whether I was emotionally drained or stressed out, I knew there was one place I could always go: the beach. After all, I do live on an island. A place I can go there to calm my mind and to hit the reset button. Now with these next eight weeks ahead of me, I feel comfort in knowing I’ve made it. I am living the college experience, maybe not in the glamorous way I thought it would be at first, but it’s coming along, and it’s become my own story where I am standing on my own two feet.
When the shouting of the world becomes too much to handle, I know the ocean’s calling whispers of clarity will always be there for me.