Connecting with nature and the beauty of the island are things seniors say they wouldn’t want to miss out on
From hiking to see the sunrise to surfing at Castles Beach to diving with sharks, students said they come to BYU–Hawaii with long lists of things to do before graduation. Wilford Wu, a senior from China majoring in accounting and business management, said the more time he spends in Hawaii, O’ahu, the longer his bucket list grows. “None of my bucket list is really done. I’m living in it right now,” he explained.
Wu and Alyssa Parry, a senior from Utah majoring in marine biology, said exploring the island is how they release stress and cope with being away from home. “It’s harder to be homesick when you’re out having fun,” Parry shared. She said going out and exploring is how she practices self-care.
Wu said one of his favorite things to do on the island is to go hiking and camping. “Just connecting with nature, it’s a peaceful and quiet time,” he shared. “I can think and ponder about all the things in my life.”
Iosefa Taliu, a senior from Fiji majoring in math education and mathematics, said while balancing school and work, “Sometimes you need that mental break to go out and explore.” He explained, “It prepares you for what’s out there in the real world. You get exposed to more and get to have new experiences.” Parry agreed, sharing, “Living here, it’s so beautiful. You have to make time to go see it.”
When she first arrived on the island, Parry said she wanted to do everything, but, as a marine biology major, one of her most memorable experiences was shark diving. She said, “It literally took everything I had to get in the water. I was so scared that as soon as I put my flippers in the water, I was going to get chomped by a shark.” She continued, “But then, after I was in the water for like five minutes or so, it was so peaceful.” Parry said being able to be an observer in their world helped her overcome her fear of sharks.
Also wanting to take advantage of the close proximity to the ocean, Taliu said one of the first things he checked off his bucket list was learning to surf. He said he was nervous at first, but “when we actually went on the board and paddled out to where the waves were, it was like all my fears and the nervousness went away.” Two turtles even swam by while they were in the ocean, Taliu shared.
Wu said appreciating the beauty in nature has helped him connect to where he is living. “Last Christmas Eve, I camped on Crouching Lion. I watched the Christmas sunrise last year,” he explained.
“I feel [it’s important] to build deeper connections with the places where you live,” Wu shared. “We should learn about nature, learn about the place that we live in and create those unique memories and experiences so we can think back and learn from it,” he added.