Easing the Transition

First Year Experience and Counseling services can help students adjust to university life.

Contributing Writer Tara West

Many students entering college for the first time or transferring to a different school may be eager to leave their familiar surroundings and begin a new phase in their life. While this new transition can be thrilling, the pressure of maintaining good grades, work, and a social life may evoke feelings of homesickness. Moving away from home can be an immense change, but moving to an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean can feel even more intimidating.

While the Big Island of Hawaiʻi is beautiful and diverse, it can also be a huge cultural shock to students who are transferring from the continental U.S and international countries. The Big Island is a melting pot, with people from around the world, all with different cultural beliefs and traditions.

Fortunately, UH Hilo offers a variety of different clubs and organizations to get involved with that allow students to make new friendships, gain work experience, and get involved on campus and in the community. Coping with homesickness and/or culture shock can be as simple as finding ways to establish connections with others and a sense of familiarity on campus.

For instance, First Year Experience (FYE) focuses on building a foundation for students to thrive academically and socially by developing long-lasting connections to other students, faculty, and staff to build a supportive learning environment that promotes academic success. They are committed to showing what it means to be proud member of UH Hilo ‘Ohana.

FYE helps students through programs such as New Student Orientation and even activities such as speed mixers, which allows students to meet at least 10 other students in a matter of 10 minutes. FYE also supports students with the transition of moving into the UH Hilo community through programs like the Bike Share Program, Target Bi-Weekly Shuttle runs, and Academic Achievement Award card

Shara Mahoe, the interim Director of First Year Experience, advises students who are adjusting to island life to, “Make your mark in this unique location and find that special place on campus or off campus that allows you to feel connected to the reason why you choose to attend UH Hilo.”

UH Hilo and the Hilo community have so many incredible opportunities that feeling connected can take some time. Mahoe believes that taking a step outside of your comfort zone, “May not be what you are used to, but that’s how you will find your connection and see your growth.”

Kapali Bilyeu, a student at UH Hilo and Program Coordinator at First Year Experience, feels the same way. “FYE has been blessed with a team that’s willing to do so much for students every semester.” For transfer students, Bilyeu suggests that the best way to get involved with the UH Hilo community is to check out what events and services our departments and clubs offer. “A lot of departments and clubs have social media networks you can follow. That’s probably the number one way to stay updated. And look for opportunities to take a trip to somewhere you’ve never been outside of campus, like the EdVentures office at the SLC.”

FYE is very student-focused, and their staff is always willing to engage in conversation and do their best to go above and beyond their job duties and expectations. If a student is feeling homesick, there are campus resources and departments who are willing to help both socially and academically that FYE can help connect them to.

The university also provides Counseling Services to all UH Hilo students. While clubs and organizations on campus are extremely valuable for students to get involved with, it is also important for students to first take care of their own mental well-being. Counseling Services offers free counseling, consulting, prevention and outreach services for all UH Hilo students. We all experience ups and downs, and sometimes it’s just nice to have a safe place to talk to someone.

You can talk to a counselor about anything on your mind. Students stop by to talk story about everything from friends, classes, professors, relationships, dreams, goals and much more. Talking with a counselor can help you connect with yourself, connect with others, find your balance, de-stress, and explore what is next in your life.

Students do not have to come to counseling services just to talk with a counselor, it is also a quiet place to hang out and relax. Counseling Services provides an array of different services ranging from meditation, coloring mandalas, playing with Play-Doh, and even video games.

Counseling Services also provides free relaxations around campus every month, where students can take a 10-minute break out of their busy schedules to relax and chill out.

Whether you are from another island, state or country, everyone may experience homesickness at some point in their college career. Homesickness is extremely common. According to a survey by the UCLA Higher Education Institute, 69% of college students report that they feel homesick and/or lonely in their first year.

It is important to remember that it is okay to sometimes feel out of place when you are in a completely new environment. The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo is committed to supporting students from all backgrounds in order to make this transition easier for students, whether it be through programs such as FYE or Counseling Services.