When Paolo Poblete decided on being a biology major, he said he realized he didn’t want to give up his ability to express himself through writing. So, he wrote a poetry book.
For Poblete, a senior from the Philippines, writing poetry is a source of self-expression and creativity. As a biology student, he said he doesn’t get to do that. “Biology is very technical and scientific. There’s nothing with biology that uses the right area of the brain about creativity.”
He said he wants to put himself out there and make sure he doesn’t miss out on his talent for writing. He plans to publish his poetry book when he graduates in April.
A free spirit
Attending BYU–Hawaii was not part of his plan, Poblete said. However, when he was accepted, he said he told himself, “Why not?” Because he had previously attended nursing school, Poblete began working on a biology degree, despite his passion for writing.
In his hometown of Cebu, Poblete attended the university nursing program for two years before leaving on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
During his mission in the Philippines, he said his close friend, Hyrum Seth Castro, invited him to take the Michigan English Test, an English exam required for Filipino students who want to apply to BYUH.
Castro, a senior from the Philippines majoring in business management operations and supply chain, said he knew Poblete would pass the test because his English was the best in the mission.
Poblete said they took the English test at a stake center and they both passed. After their missions, he said Castro asked Poblete to continue with the BYUH application. “There’s no harm in trying,” Poblete said. In the end, they were both accepted.
Poblete said his friends refer to him as a free spirit. Leaving nursing school to attend BYUH is a result of that, he said.
Choosing a major was not an easy decision, Poblete said. Because biology fit well with his experience at nursing school, he said he decided it was the best choice. However, he said things changed when he noticed his grades were dropping from As to Cs.
The drop in his grades, he said, was due to the uncertainty he felt about his career path, and he is still uncertain if he wants to pursue medical school to become a doctor.
“I felt that I was born to do something more than a biology major,” he said. “Was I really doing the right major, even though I like [the biology] major a lot?”
Poblete said he considered an English major because of his writing ability. He said he can write books and poetry. “I was the editor-in-chief of my high school publication. I can write, but then I don’t want to be a writer either. I just want writing to be part of me and not my job,” he explained.
“Because I felt really uncertain about my major at some point in my under grad life, I decided to write a book because I didn’t want to feel I missed out on my talent or on my capacity to be able to express myself beautifully and fully through my craft in writing,” he shared.
Finding his tribe
When he got to BYUH, Poblete said he made friends from Hong Kong, Samoa, Fiji, Japan and the Philippines. “It was fun. It was really easy for me to make friends.”
In the beginning, it was exciting to meet new friends, he said. But as the semesters went by, the smaller his circle of friends got. He found his tribe, he explained.
“[Poblete] knows how to have fun but at the same time excel in his studies,” Castro said. One weekend, Castro said he and Poblete invited another friend to town. “It was our first time doing so, and we did not have a reliable GPS at the time. Although we got lost and missed some exits, we still had so much fun.
“I think that reflects him and our friendship,” Castro said. “Sometimes we don’t have a concrete plan, but somehow our plans still work out, and most importantly, we find joy in our journey.”
Jaden Sigua, Poblete’s friend from Utah, said, “[Poblete] is the type of friend you can rely on to lend a compassionate ear when you want to talk to someone.” Poblete is a very good listener who asks questions and thinks deeply about what you say to him, he said.
Sigua recalled a time he and Poblete went to Park City, Utah, and stayed up until 2 a.m. by the fireplace outside of their hotel.
“I remember laughing super hard as we told stories and danced by the fire. It was super meaningful to me as we grew closer with each other and some other friends. I felt connected to Pao and everyone else on a deep level because of the things we shared and all the laughter.”
Anna Gomez, a junior from the Philippines studying clinical psychology, said, “Paolo is the kind of friend who you can be comfortable and real with because he also does the same,” she explained. “He is real, not afraid to share his opinions and emotions, and because of that you would want to do the same around him.”
Gomez described Poblete as a friend who shows his love by giving. “It doesn’t matter what he gives, big or small. A simple card or a treat to a meal, it is sure to be something thoughtful and sweet,” she shared.
Into the unknown
After graduating from BYUH, Poblete said he plans to work in Utah for a year to save money.
As for his career path, Poblete said he has four options: Working as a biology teacher in Japan, moving to Italy for a master’s in art history, completing a master’s in biology in Provo or going home to the Philippines to attend medical school.
Although he said he wished the path to take was clearer, he quoted Elder Boyd K. Packer, by saying, “Faith, to be faith, must center around something that is not known. Faith, to be faith, must go beyond that for which there is confirming evidence. Faith, to be faith, must go into the unknown. Faith, to be faith, must walk to the edge of the light, and then a few steps into the darkness.”
Poblete said every decision people take in life has to be done with faith in Jesus Christ. “We just can’t know it all. … There’s always the risk worth taking, but that’s the beauty of life. You have to take the risk to see what’s going to come.”
There’s always the risk worth taking, but that’s the beauty of life. You have to take the risk to see what’s going to come.
Poblete said he is focused on making sure he steps into the darkness with confidence and his Savior will slowly light the way with every step he takes in faith.