Education Profiles: Out of State Schools
Student Profiles
Eddie Writes Home
by Edward Saito
Being a local, homegrown Honolulu boy, my traveling to Omaha, Nebraska, to attend Creighton University was a feat in itself. A little background on me: I graduated as co-valedictorian from Hawaii Baptist Academy and my hobbies include surfing, music, church, and hanging out with my friends. Little did I know that most, if not all, of these would change as I left the comforts of home and journeyed to the "heartland of America."
The months leading up to the start of the semester were filled with excitement, uncertainty, anxiety, and sadness. Having traveled a lot throughout my life, I was quite thrilled to be leaving home for such a new and great experience. While everyone made sure that I was prepared with a rice cooker, local snacks, warm clothes, and many prayers, nothing could exactly prepare me for what I was about to experience.
After the tears of leaving my home, family, and friends had passed, I was filled with great anticipation for my new life in Omaha.
As Welcome Week drew closer, my parents and I explored the city of Omaha while searching for all-important items such as a refrigerator, linens, personal items, and winter wear. Still, my fears and anxieties were about to be faced head on as move-in day arrived.
Sitting in a van with all my belongings, I watched other eager freshmen run back and forth, and wondered which among them would become my friends.
I began checking things off a list-like in the commercial:
Signing all the necessary paperwork: stressful
Meeting my roommate and his family: success!
Moving into our dorm room: small
Setting up our "home" and preparing for a new chapter in our lives: priceless.
It is now the second week of classes. My head is swimming with the names and faces of people I have recently met, and I am getting into the routine of school. However, now it's different and more difficult because I (literally) live at school. Waking up to attend an 8 o'clock class on Monday morning after an eventful evening of movies and endless conversations is a huge challenge. However, I quickly realize that no one was going to force me to attend class or study, and that I will reap the benefits of what effort I put forth.
Looking back over my first semester of college life, I realize that there were so many lessons to be learned for me to be standing here. My transition into college, though stressful and difficult at times, was quite smooth. I believe that this was due much to the fact that I left home with few attachments. I freely welcomed this new experience, and although I knew it would be difficult, I convinced myself that I would be all right. I tried my hardest to approach each opportunity with an open-minded attitude.
From the moment I landed in Omaha, I accepted the fact that I was thousands of miles from home and would not be returning for several months. This was the mindset I needed in order not to feel homesick. There were still so many new experiences that I needed to face. Thankfully, Creighton has a large population of Hawaii students and an active Hawaii Club called "Hui O Hawaii." This community of fellow "Hawaiians" made home seem so much closer. We were able to hang out, talk about our homesickness, and reminisce about Zippy's chili and plate lunches. In addition, phone calls from mom and dad every day also helped me feel more connected to home.
Besides the Hawaii club, getting involved with other activities successfully took my mind off of being homesick. At Creighton there are over a hundred different organizations ranging from the Ice Cream Club to the Creighton chapter of Habitat for Humanity. My early involvement in service and leadership organizations allowed me to meet many people and learn about my new community. To keep in shape, the Kiewit Fitness Center offers everything from weight lifting facilities to basketball courts to a nice sized swimming pool. The campus has everything I could want; yet certain experiences require dedicated friends and lots of patience.
The first few months of the semester were fun-filled and exciting. However, once the temperature began to drop, I was yearning for the warm sun and water at Kaimana Beach. The concept of winter is completely foreign to us Hawaii students. For me, even buying a winter coat was a hectic experience. Luckily, my new friends were there to guide me through preparations for the months of arctic conditions ahead. Most importantly, they had patience as I chased the local squirrels, complained of the cold and shortening daylight, freaked out when daylight savings time ended, and forced them to eat li hing mui and arare.
There are so many lessons to learn from college and being away from home, and so many more for us to teach the people we meet. I have grown tremendously over these past four months both in my understanding of others and myself. I only regret that I didn't meet as many people or become as involved as I had wished, sooner. College is a time to find yourself and explore your dreams. Friendships become deeper and more meaningful because you live with your friends and become a family. Most importantly, college is a time for new experiences and challenges. Put yourself out there and embrace every opportunity and live with no regrets, because this is the best time of your life!