It has been a long year and a half enduring the pandemic. From remote school and closed country borders to battling a new disease, quarantining and getting a recently developed vaccine, it has not been easy. We wanted this issue to acknowledge the adversity and confusion the BYU–Hawaii ohana has bravely endured.
For many students, the COVID-19 vaccine policy felt scary and divisive. A question and answer with Laura Tevaga (pg. 12) can provide reassurance and answers. Some students have also struggled to find a place to live. BYUH leaders provide some explanation and possible solutions on page 50.
Despite the difficulty of the pandemic, it is time to move forward. Learn about activities to look forward to during Fall Semester (pg. 16), how to feel at home in a dorm room (pg. 28) and the best things to do on Oahu (pg. 21). In addition, be inspired by a student who looked at her affliction, which stemmed from sexual assault, as a way to become more beautiful (pg. 58), or another who works to create a more loving and faithful community for LGBTQIA+ students (pg. 40).
Overall, acknowledging the past is a necessary part of this issue, but even more important is considering how we can move forward as an unwavering community to spread aloha even during trying times. We hope this issue can help accomplish just that.
Abbie Putnam, editor-in-chief