The University values an educational environment that provides all members of the campus community with opportunities to grow and develop intellectually, personally, culturally and socially. In order to give us a more complete picture of you as an individual, please tell us about the particular life experiences, perspectives, talents, commitments and/or interests you will bring to our campus. In other words, how will your presence enrich our community?


It’s my first day at my new school. I just moved to Maui a month ago from southern California. To say it’s different here would be an understatement. Living in California, I’d become accustomed to smiling, friendly, blonde people. Looking around, I see the opposite.
A couple of local girls give me stink eye and I know exactly what they’re thinking: another stuck up haole girl. The bell rings and I hurry off to my first class, realizing I’m already late. The teachers talk with accents, and nobody pays any attention to me. I’m not used to being in such a hostile environment. The next couple classes go by and I still have no luck making friends. Now, it is fourth hour and looking down at my schedule, I realize I have art. I’m filled with relief because I’m always comfortable in art classes.
I walk into the room and introduce myself to the teacher, who gives me a kind smile, then tells me to take a seat. Our first assignment is to draw the person sitting next to us, without looking at the paper. I look to my right, and a girl’s sitting there. Not knowing how to start a conversation, I blurt out, “I’m new.”
She introduces herself as Heather. We start talking, giving information about ourselves and realize we have a lot common. The conversation opens up to the other people sitting at our table. Before I know it, we’ve all exchanged phone numbers and made plans to hang out after school.
Walking out of art with Heather, I realize how I should’ve been more outgoing in the first place, instead of worrying that everyone was judging me. The next day I do this, and before I know it I feel like I’m fitting in. My classmates, who I thought I would have nothing in common with, are actually easier to get along with than people in California. Although I don’t fit in with how I look, like I did in California, I fit in with my attitude. By being open and friendly, I was able to feel comfortable.