Hey everyone,
Is it shocking to everyone that we are in our last month here at Manoa? In response to how much I have learned, grown, and been challenged this past year, I want to commemorate my time as a sophomore in the best way that I know how: by sharing with you all the lessons I have learned. To supplement this post I will also be using some photos I have never shared in posts. I hope you all enjoy.
...
You might remember a post a while back where I summed up my brief time at Manoa during my freshmen year. Looking back, the difference one year can make is huge. It feels like such a long time ago and I feel as if I have aged so much in only one year. In this post I hope to take you all back as we read about my second year, my sophomore year, on this little rock in the Pacific.
My first semester was when I truly learned who I am and what I want. I discovered passions of mine and tampered a bit in subjects I was interested in. I changed majors, twice, and declared a minor. I excelled in learning my third language (second if you don't count English) and began to become what I would call an avid news junkie. I became very interested in the news and the world around me and even attended the gay pride festival in Honolulu. I visited my third Hawaiian Island, Maui, and drove the road to Hana twice. I ate Kalua pork out of a tea leaf and drank starbucks matcha lattes every day. At night I would stay out for hours under the stars at Kahala beach, playing with bioluminescence and falling asleep to the sound of the waves. I was scared to go home and scared to go to class. I sought help. I moved out of my old home and into my new one. I spent Christmas with my family and Daniel, who very much feels like family.
My second semester I began to take more classes I liked and less that I didn't. I listened to myself and put my health first. I went to the gym every day and tried out yoga. I reached a state of peace I had never felt before. I looked at myself and one day I realized that my hard work at the gym was paying off; putting myself first for one hour a day changed my health and my confidence. I began to read more of the news and follow more podcasts that interest me. I explored more about the Korean language and found that I absolutely loved class. I explored temples, beaches, and food shacks. I took pictures, flew drones, and ran miles. I hiked new hikes, met new people, but I still felt like something was missing. I went to church, started devotionals, and began to invest myself more into my faith. I spent more time under the sun and less time inside, something that the older residents at my summer job used to encourage me to do. I befriended my roommates and let go of the pain from last semester. I felt at home and I knew that I was making progress. I took blogging more seriously and began to increase my presence online. I gained the start of a following and found a community online. I applied to study abroad and I got accepted. I made plans for the summer, the semester, and my future.
The person I have become is one who is happy, confident, and knows she is cared for. I am so fortunate to have spent the past year on this little rock, and while I have had times where I have felt that I do not belong, I have used that as motivation to push me to try harder. Because of this push, or this drive, I am now someone who will be graduating early. I know exactly what I want and will do my best to get it. I hope that throughout this past year that you have seen this person reflected in my posts. I am leaving this year confident that I am where I am supposed to be and have done all that I can do.
Until next time,
Aislinn
Is it shocking to everyone that we are in our last month here at Manoa? In response to how much I have learned, grown, and been challenged this past year, I want to commemorate my time as a sophomore in the best way that I know how: by sharing with you all the lessons I have learned. To supplement this post I will also be using some photos I have never shared in posts. I hope you all enjoy.
...
You might remember a post a while back where I summed up my brief time at Manoa during my freshmen year. Looking back, the difference one year can make is huge. It feels like such a long time ago and I feel as if I have aged so much in only one year. In this post I hope to take you all back as we read about my second year, my sophomore year, on this little rock in the Pacific.
My first semester was when I truly learned who I am and what I want. I discovered passions of mine and tampered a bit in subjects I was interested in. I changed majors, twice, and declared a minor. I excelled in learning my third language (second if you don't count English) and began to become what I would call an avid news junkie. I became very interested in the news and the world around me and even attended the gay pride festival in Honolulu. I visited my third Hawaiian Island, Maui, and drove the road to Hana twice. I ate Kalua pork out of a tea leaf and drank starbucks matcha lattes every day. At night I would stay out for hours under the stars at Kahala beach, playing with bioluminescence and falling asleep to the sound of the waves. I was scared to go home and scared to go to class. I sought help. I moved out of my old home and into my new one. I spent Christmas with my family and Daniel, who very much feels like family.
My second semester I began to take more classes I liked and less that I didn't. I listened to myself and put my health first. I went to the gym every day and tried out yoga. I reached a state of peace I had never felt before. I looked at myself and one day I realized that my hard work at the gym was paying off; putting myself first for one hour a day changed my health and my confidence. I began to read more of the news and follow more podcasts that interest me. I explored more about the Korean language and found that I absolutely loved class. I explored temples, beaches, and food shacks. I took pictures, flew drones, and ran miles. I hiked new hikes, met new people, but I still felt like something was missing. I went to church, started devotionals, and began to invest myself more into my faith. I spent more time under the sun and less time inside, something that the older residents at my summer job used to encourage me to do. I befriended my roommates and let go of the pain from last semester. I felt at home and I knew that I was making progress. I took blogging more seriously and began to increase my presence online. I gained the start of a following and found a community online. I applied to study abroad and I got accepted. I made plans for the summer, the semester, and my future.
The person I have become is one who is happy, confident, and knows she is cared for. I am so fortunate to have spent the past year on this little rock, and while I have had times where I have felt that I do not belong, I have used that as motivation to push me to try harder. Because of this push, or this drive, I am now someone who will be graduating early. I know exactly what I want and will do my best to get it. I hope that throughout this past year that you have seen this person reflected in my posts. I am leaving this year confident that I am where I am supposed to be and have done all that I can do.
Until next time,
Aislinn
