By Lindsay Hinmon
When I received my letter of admission to BYU--Hawaii I cried. These were not the misty eyed, sacrament meeting tears that can be brushed away glamorously. As soon as I saw the word, “Congratulations!” my hand involuntarily clapped over my mouth and I became a sobbing mess of profound gratitude and excitement on the verge of hyperventilation. I had applied to this beautiful university three times and I had finally gotten my yes.
When I received my letter of admission to BYU--Hawaii I cried. These were not the misty eyed, sacrament meeting tears that can be brushed away glamorously. As soon as I saw the word, “Congratulations!” my hand involuntarily clapped over my mouth and I became a sobbing mess of profound gratitude and excitement on the verge of hyperventilation. I had applied to this beautiful university three times and I had finally gotten my yes.
After arriving I quickly learned that navigating my new island home was a hot sticky mess full of giant bugs, gorgeous birds, long hallways, fascinating social dynamics, diverse nations, mold, sand, sun and the most breathtaking crystal blue ocean I have ever seen--I loved it. My room has no air conditioning, food costs twice as much and it takes three times as long to get anything done on this island, and I don’t care. This place, this opportunity, this season of my life is a time I will always hold sacred. That being said, like any true love, it does have its challenges.
I just finished my first year as a Seasider but it didn’t take long to realize that there are areas on campus with room for improvement. The issues that arise can be intensely frustrating for both staff and student. I acknowledge this and experience first hand these frustrations, setbacks, headaches and heartaches, but I also know that life is full of frustrations, setbacks headaches and heartaches. This season is a microcosm of and training ground for the opportunities and challenges ahead that we call life.
In the last year I have observed that at times the student body feels mistreated and ignored by the administration, and the administration feels misunderstood and underappreciated by the student body. Campus wide we seem to have difficulty communicating clearly and effectively, and it affects the morale of students, faculty, staff and administration. I have seen this dynamic play out in a myriad of ways this past year. I love this place. I want to do something to help it thrive.
This spring I started talking. It didn’t take long to collect a group of enthusiastic students who share my love of this university and desire to improve it. We pooled our time and talents over the summer and created this, The Student Voice--an online newspaper run entirely by students. It’s a place for you to get the facts about the latest changes, read the thoughts of your fellow students, and to raise a voice of your own. Our mission is to inform and engage the community of BYU-Hawaii.
Got an idea? A rant? A petition? A question? Looking for something fun to do? Wondering why the latest change has taken place? We are here for you-- because this is your newspaper. This is your avenue to invest in your college experience. This is your place to raise your voice--The Student Voice.
*Want to be a part of something epic? Join our staff or submit an article! Meetings are Monday nights at 7pm in the Aloha Center room 132. Come check us out, or forever wish you had.
I just finished my first year as a Seasider but it didn’t take long to realize that there are areas on campus with room for improvement. The issues that arise can be intensely frustrating for both staff and student. I acknowledge this and experience first hand these frustrations, setbacks, headaches and heartaches, but I also know that life is full of frustrations, setbacks headaches and heartaches. This season is a microcosm of and training ground for the opportunities and challenges ahead that we call life.
In the last year I have observed that at times the student body feels mistreated and ignored by the administration, and the administration feels misunderstood and underappreciated by the student body. Campus wide we seem to have difficulty communicating clearly and effectively, and it affects the morale of students, faculty, staff and administration. I have seen this dynamic play out in a myriad of ways this past year. I love this place. I want to do something to help it thrive.
This spring I started talking. It didn’t take long to collect a group of enthusiastic students who share my love of this university and desire to improve it. We pooled our time and talents over the summer and created this, The Student Voice--an online newspaper run entirely by students. It’s a place for you to get the facts about the latest changes, read the thoughts of your fellow students, and to raise a voice of your own. Our mission is to inform and engage the community of BYU-Hawaii.
Got an idea? A rant? A petition? A question? Looking for something fun to do? Wondering why the latest change has taken place? We are here for you-- because this is your newspaper. This is your avenue to invest in your college experience. This is your place to raise your voice--The Student Voice.
*Want to be a part of something epic? Join our staff or submit an article! Meetings are Monday nights at 7pm in the Aloha Center room 132. Come check us out, or forever wish you had.