Hello again,

Before I start let's just take a quick moment to reflect on the fact that it's almost Friday! How exciting is that?! I wanted to make this post to share one of the recent events that took place on campus and, with the weekend quickly approaching, hopefully give you some ways to get involved.

So finally, after 4 long weeks of saying, "When are we ever going to get an RIO fair?" I was able to have my wishes granted. RIO, which stands for Registered Independent Organization, is essentially just an acronym for 'club'. It's been very difficult finding out how to get involved, so an RIO fair is pretty much how the school goes out and says, "Hey! Look at everything you can get involved in!" Surprisingly, the two day event showcased many clubs on campus that I hadn't even heard of (Disney Ohana being one of them). I couldn't make it to the first day, but thankfully I was able to go today after my class. Lasting from 10-2, the fair allowed students the chance to see over 250 registered RIO's. Now that sounds amazing, but first let me tell you that today, at least, there were about 30. I actually overheard one booth saying that their sister organization was "nowhere to be found". But that's just one example and I can't say whether or not they showed up because I didn't stay the whole time. Also, if you do go and you don't find a club that interests you, don't forget to check online for the complete list of registered clubs. I also recommend doing this if you can't stop by on either day. This list helped me find clubs associated with Chinese (there aren't many) as well as clubs that aren't big on promotion but are still a club. Also, like previously mentioned, the school didn't organize this until the fourth week of classes, so if you find yourself itching to do something definitely look online and shoot someone an email.  

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures today :( but I hope that the little blurb about clubs can help you if you don't know how much there is to do on campus. I know with some majors, like Chinese, it can be tricky because of how little options you have. But if you're in something popular like medical or even just a very political/religious person then it's worth looking at. 

Real quick, for those of you interested I did see the Catholic Church table and was able to speak to them. They're very big on 'ohana and told me that they hold an annual Thanksgiving dinner for all the students who can't go home. In addition to that they're also big on group retreats and volunteering. If you're Catholic or just interested in it, the church is called the Newman Center and is near the Korean Studies building, if you ever find yourself on campus. 

Have a great rest of your week and, for my Chinese audience, Happy Mid Autumn Festival!

Until next time,
Aislinn

Hey guys!

I know that lately many of my posts have been less about the University and more about my social life (or lack thereof) so I've decided that this week I want to change that. For all those potential students- now is the time to ask me any questions you have regarding the school. Also, I will be attaching more pictures of the university to help highlight some of the beauty of this school. If you've been reading since the beginning than you would know that I didn't start out with the most positive opinion of the campus. So, for the next week look forward to learning more about the campus, from buildings to clubs, I hope this week will give you a glimpse into more of what the University of Hawaii at Manoa can offer you.

For now I leave you with this, quite possibly one of the prettiest buildings on campus. Located across from the architecture building and near the campus center, this building is one for the books. On a good day the sun makes the palm trees shine and, on a gloomier day, the building still gleams. I haven't had a class in there yet, but if you find yourself taking a womens study course you could end up here!

Hey guys!

So this post is going to be a continuation of the previous one, Exciting Events of Week Three! In this post I wanted to address some exciting things that happened over the weekend.


Firstly, we started our Saturday by attending the Mid Autumn Festival put on by the Chinatown here in Honolulu. I was so excited to go and see what it was about but after getting there I quickly realized that it was nothing like the Korean festival. I believe that this was only their second year hosting the Mid Autumn Festival, which also explained the reason why the Korean one was so much more populated (I believe they've been a thing for 15 years). I was disappointed that the festival didn't have much to offer, and at one point confused as to why there was such a mix of vendors. Of the ones I saw, there were Chinese, Filipino, French, and even American booths. Here's some pictures to help you visualize what I'm talking about:


 I won't lie, as a Chinese major (and really just someone interested in Chinese culture) this event was pretty disappointing. I won't be going back until they're more established. It really made me jealous that the Korean festival had been so lively and fun, but I have to remember that it wasn't always like that...I think.


Next up, this past Saturday was the first home game for the Rainbow Warriors! The whole week prior the school had been advertising (the students, really) that there would be a tailgate beforehand as well as buses that can take students to and from the game. Originally, my friends and I decided we would go to the game but, after thinking about it, decided that a trip to target was more important.
It's funny, really, how long it has been since I had been to Target. Quite honestly one of my favorite stores, going to Target was such a sigh of relief from the usual trips to Walmart that I had taken. It was one of those things I've done while also realizing that something as simple as a trip to Target is what many people don't think twice about. However, students interested in attending Manoa (or students already at Manoa!) need to understand that Target is not nearby. In fact, it's a good 20 minutes away from campus and while that doesn't sound far, if you don't have a car to get you there than you're either looking at an hour long bus ride or paying for an uber. My friends and I went with the uber and I would urge other students to do the same, except really look at the fine print of the terms when picking a car. Your first ride is $22 off, but you cannot combine that with the college 50% off deal. I made that mistake, and also landed with a very weird driver who took the long way and ended up charging me double. Students: read the fine print.

After target the girls and I spent the rest of the day in our friend Tammy's room. The night prior the girls and I took to Waikiki and went night swimming and watched the sunset. We spent the rest of the day relaxing and catching up on sleep.

Sunday came and, for the first time, the girls all turned down going out and having fun. For days I had been talking about doing Koko Head, a huge incline known for its 1000+ steps and difficulty. However the girls wanted to do their homework and just "lounge around". If you know me at all than you would know that I hate just sitting around. Even on lazy days I feel like I've wasted my time if I haven't gone out and at least done something. So, to say the least, I was grouchy. Ultimately, after a good 5 hours of them doing their work, we once again left for Waikiki. We went to the beach and went into some stores like H&M in hopes that we could find some more clothes. After that we went to campus and then turned right back around to go to Walmart! Finally I was able to pick up a pair of those "Hawaiian Jesus Sandals" everyone here seems to own. I'll take a picture next time I wear them so you see just what I'm talking about.




So I know that by now you're probably thinking this post was clickbait. Going to target was definitely the highlight of my weekend (as sad a thing that is to say) and it is at this point that I'm starting to see the friend group break apart. I'm quickly witnessing how all of the time we've spent together has started to make us irritated and grouchy, and can only hope that things change. Tomorrow I'm going to try out a club on school so I'm hoping that, through that, I'll be able to meet some new people. I'm worried that the more time the girls and I spend together the faster we'll break apart. Students, understand that you're no longer in high school. You can eat lunch alone, walk to class alone, and go all day without talking to your friends. That's okay! If you spend too much time with the same group of people eventually your group will burn out. Take some time away from your friends and learn once again why you became friends in the first place. Reevaluate why you're all with each other. It's still early in the semester so join a club, go to a class at the gym, or just sit someplace new in the cafeteria. I'm not saying to leave your friends behind, but if you're like me and at that point where every little thing is starting to bug you (and to my friends reading, you know who I'm talking about!) then maybe take some time and do your own things for a little bit. You're still growing- don't stay trapped in the high school "pack mode" of needing to do every little thing together.


Until next time,

Aislinn

Hello everybody,

I know that it's going to sound repetitive (if it doesn't already) but I truly cannot believe that we're already going into our fourth week of school! So much has happened over the course of three weeks that I find it hard to believe that I haven't actually been here my whole life.

Before I begin, I would like to share a quote from my english teacher that accurately described this week, "Congratulations everyone on making it through your third week of school. I know that this week is when things get real, so grab some candy and relax because I'm just as tired as you." After she said this she then proceeded to take out a halloween-sized bag of assorted candies and allowed us to take as much as we wanted. I wanted to share this quote because this week is when things started to get real. But not in a bad way. If I'm being honest, I love college. I love it here. It has been stressful at times, but having so many things to do and see has really made school all the more manageable. Yes, this week was jam packed with tests, quizzes, and papers, but when I think about how I handled everything now compared to when school first started I really feel like I'm growing. And so, without much more to say, grab some candy and take a break- you deserved it.

Like previously mentioned this week was jam packed with tests. Yes, I did have another Chinese vocab quiz (Did I mention I have one once a week?) but I also had a psychology test. Covering the first two chapters + lectures, the test was, as one girl put it behind me, "Something I didn't study for, I'm going to die, I want to go home and sleep~" No joke, I swear it was like a glee concert behind me,  she really did not want to take the test! But in all seriousness, the test was not that bad. Now I know I didn't get an A or anything, but I don't think I did bad enough to fail, either. If you ever catch yourself taking Psych 100, be sure to really review the schools of psych and their respective founders. Even if you've taken psychology in high school, with the way the class is run it's very much a study-on-your-own kind of thing. If, in my case, you aren't good with studying, than maybe you'll get lucky and receive and email one day with a link to a quizlet covering all 70 new terms. And just think, this is only the 100 class.

After my psych test I was able to leave, which meant I was able to be done with class before noon, a very rare occurrence if you could see my schedule. While I wanted to go nap after my class, I quickly realized that it would be near impossible given that I had only just woken up a mere 3 hours prior. Oh! And I should probably mention that this is the day there was an armed shooter reportedly "heading to campus". I find it humorous how, in less than a month, there has been 2 hurricanes, one presidential visit, and one armed shooter all grace the campus. While many students spoke of how they "weren't sure if class was worth it", us Coloradans knew it was nothing to be worried about. It's an awful thing to say, but when your high school back home had a bomb threat at one point (just about all of ours had) hearing about an armed shooter doesn't seem like something that severe. And I don't want to imply that it isn't, but from our perspective this wasn't something that we weren't used to. At least in Colorado, it's not uncommon to get a threat or warning of something like this. And again, I don't want to downplay the severity of what was happening, because an armed and active shooter truly is something dangerous.


To set the scene, by now it's Friday and the weekend is almost here! Many students end classes early in the afternoon, and because of this you'll see quite large groups of friends all heading out to the beach. If you're like me and your classes don't get out any earlier, this could feel like the early stages of FOMO (or Fear Of Missing Out), but if you're like me and have good friends who'll wait for you to finish class before heading out, than really you've got nothing to worry about. Again, DaBus runs all day and typically at 15-20 minute increments, making it very possible, and likely, you'll get to the beach before the sun sets. In my case, my friends and I grabbed our stuff and were able to be at the beach by 5:30 to watch the sun set. Here's a beautiful photo I was able to take while on the 29th floor of one of the hotels on Waikiki. 




Not exactly a sunset but it's one heck of a view. Here's more of a sunset one:


If there's one thing that I didn't like it was the obnoxious buildings that line the side of the beach. Yes they're fun to stay in (I'm assuming) but they really take some of the beauty away from the sun. I know it's something small, but after waiting all week to see the sunset I find it very irritating that something like a hotel could hinder part of the experience.

After the sunset the girls and I bought some musubi's, floaties, and bottled water before heading to the beach. Once there, we decided to swim a bit before watching the fireworks, something I've been wanting to do for the past two weeks. Disappointingly, we were sitting too far away to do more than hear the fireworks. This led to us running down the beach in our suits while trying to get a glimpse of one of the prints. However, once we got closer it seemed that we were caught in a huge wave of tourists, both American and foreign. While I understand their desire to see the show, it is extremely frustrating having to navigate your way through huge groups of people who don't know where they're going. I know I shouldn't be so hard on them, but it was at this very moment that I realized why so few locals go to Waikiki: the tourists. And, once again, let me explain that it isn't all tourists, but rather those few that just.. it's hard to explain but if you've been to Hawaii then you know what I'm talking about. But besides that it was a very fun time and I'm glad to have gone. Waikiki is that place I could not make a weekly trip out of, but if you ever just need to go to the beach than you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing it's only 15 minutes from campus.


It's 12:02 now and I want to apologize for not sharing my weekend. I'm exhausted from the day I've had and promise I will write tomorrow explaining some of the events that took place. I hope you all have a good night and I will talk to you all later!




Until next time,

Aislinn

Hi everyone,

First and foremost I would like to say that I hope everyone had a fun and relaxing holiday. Three day weekends are always nice, yeah? Well today I wanted to make a post about some of the beaches I've been to in Hawaii. While you've all read about my experiences in Waikiki and Cromwell's, today I went to my third, and also different, beach: Kailua. 


Kailua, located on the eastern side of the island, is a soft-sand beach with turqiouse colored water. Compared to Waikiki I think you'll find Kailua to be less crowded and overall more relaxed. From campus, the ride was about 25 minutes long, give or take a few. It's hard to describe, but no two places on this island are the same. Waikiki is nothing like Kailua, and Manoa is nothing like Waikiki. Sometimes I feel like I'm in a different state, when in reality I've only traveled a dozen miles from campus! It's something that, if you've been here before, you can relate to.

I'm attaching some pictures to give you guys some insight into what this beach is like. 

Hey everyone,


Can you believe it's already Sunday night? It feels so weird typing this, because I can rest easy knowing I don't have school tomorrow! That, and it's also weird because I'm going to be heading out in a few to go meet up with my friends. I think that's what's special about college: the freedom. It's a very cliche thing to touch on, but the freedom you get in college is a much more different kind of freedom than that you would get in high school. In high school, I didn't have a curfew, but it was expected that I don't really leave the house after 10. And really, why would you? However in college, there is no curfew and no one to tell you "Hey don't forget you have an 8:30 am class tomorrow! You should probably be getting ready for bed by 10." And because of this I can say that I've found myself with friends at midnight and suddenly remembering that I have a roommate who's probably wondering where I am, if she was still awake, (fun fact: I've noticed that my roomie typically won't fall asleep until I've come home) even if it's one am and I've just gotten back. 

But that's not why I made this post. 

Did you notice anything different? Yes, I finally changed my theme. After 60 grueling minutes of struggling to essentially rebuild my blog, I pressed a few buttons and was able to make it look somewhat attractive. Please let me know what you think! Do you like it or should I have stuck with the previous template?

Moving on, I wanted to share some pictures I've taken since arriving to the island. Shockingly, it's been almost a full month since I arrived! The school year is going by so quickly, that I'm excited to see what happens the rest of the semester. Anyways, here's some pictures. 

Yes, this was taken on Waikiki. And yes, that is Diamond Head in the background.

Hanauma Bay

A little bit past Hanauma Bay is this area of rough waters and dark rock. Very cool but dangerous so don't cliff jump.

At the very front of campus you will find a long wall where the front of the university is proudly displayed,

Extremely common plant around campus. Besides finding it at UH you'll also see it on many leis.

The road to Cromwell's Beach

Cromwell's Beach. Pro tip: this isn't the beach for swimmers.

I might not have this view from my dorm, but a good amount of students do. Look at how pretty the sunset is!

To the right is Lokelani and to the left- Lehua. The sky was a pretty pink this evening.

The pretty palms you'll find on campus.

Planning on hiking Diamond Head? This is your view.

Where you can eat something called a "Malasada". Don't ask, just try it.

Hope that makes up for my lack of pictures in my posts! I don't have much else to share, so I would like to leave with this..

Two days ago I found out that my dog had died. Obviously this wasn't something I thought would happen, and there's a lot of self guilt surrounding the event. I didn't think it was possible, but the past few days have been nothing short of painful. It feels weird knowing that I'm not going to see her again, but I know that dwelling on it won't change what happened. With that, I hope you hug your pets a little tighter tonight and enjoy the holiday weekend.

Until next time,

Aislinn

Hey everyone,

Can you believe we're halfway done with the week? As incredible, and a relief, as that is, I wanted to give you all an update on what this week has been like.


I guess I should start by prefacing with some interesting news. Coming as quite a shock to the rest of the campus, today was the day that President Obama flew to Hawaii to give a speech at the East West Center. For those of you that don't know, the East West Center is a pretty big building that is home to many famous conferences as well as the Japanese Garden. Located on East West Road (how fitting) the conference center's neighbors are the Korean Center building as well as another East West building. Remember the exhibit I was telling you about in one of my previous posts? This is where you can find that exhibit. Go a little farther and you'll make it to the main conference center, and where you'll find the president. While most students weren't familiar with just why the president was on campus, it turns out he was here to dedicate a statue to the marines. I'll be honesty, after class ended my friends and I did try and go find him. However, as unsuccessful as we were, it was pretty funny seeing groups of other people and their friends trying to find him, too. Based on the amount of cars outside the center, I think it's safe to say that my friends and I at least found where the president was, we just didn't get the chance to see the president.

Additionally, this week was the end of "add drop" week, meaning, quite literally, if you don't like a certain class you're free to drop it until a certain date and receive no poor grade as a result. This also means that this week was the end of "syllabus week", which is pretty much that one week of school during the semester where you don't have homework, tests, or a quiz.

Besides that, my week has been pretty similar to last. The only difference is probably in the way I'm managing my time. On most days, my friends and I all meet up in Tammy and Sarah's dorm room after class, usually this is at 3:30, and study together until dinner. At around 5-7 we take our break and go eat, and come back to finish our work. While some would say this method isn't effective, I've actually found there to be many upsides to working like this. For starters, none of us share the same major, and while that could be seen as a problem to some, it's nice because everyone is doing their own thing and not competing against one another. I also like that we're all working on something different and that whenever we need a break you can just look up and chances are someone else at least looks tired. I can see why working in study groups with kids that share your major would be easier, but I prefer the diversity as far as our majors go. I actually like that none of us share the same major, because your major shouldn't be what determines your friends. As it is, my friends are everything from marine biologists to nurses. It's very cool getting that different perspective, and I've found that if I truly need help that at least one of the girls knows someone who can help me.

I'm just going to end this post where it is here. I don't have much to say, but when something happens I'll be sure to update you all!



Until next time,
Aislinn