Like most universities, UH Hilo has a website for students to consult when preparing to live in our residence halls. Should you bring a microwave or a mini-fridge? Pro-tip: There are community fridges and microwaves in the halls, so if you do not mind sharing, you can probably do without.
We all have our favorite pillow, so this one is key because we want our students to get a good night’s sleep! If our students are coming from a distance, they often plan to purchase things in Hilo or have things delivered. That works, too.
When I worked in Illinois, I led a team that “adopted” a residence hall, so we helped with move-in. My hall, the oldest women’s dorm in Illinois, was a beautiful building that had no elevator and no AC, so lugging things up the stairs was an adventure (and a great workout!). It was a tiring but joyous day, as we witnessed students, particularly the new students, prepare for the upcoming year. This same thing will happen this week at UH Hilo, where teams will greet students with aloha, help the residents get settled, and in general share in the excitement of our newest students.
A recent article in the New York Times suggested that students might need some other things — phone cards, medical records, an emergency credit card. Some families tuck encouraging notes in their students’ belongings, to be found and opened when they unpack. Others give their student a free pass of sorts. “If you get in trouble, call me and I promise I won’t get mad. Call me so I can help.” There is logic to this: We all hope students will not face any hardships or get involved in something they shouldn’t, but we want them to feel comfortable asking for a lifeline when they need. And of course, our campus has staff who can help in emergencies.
Every August, I spend time with families, reassuring them that we have the backs of the students: We know how to deal with natural disasters, pandemics, and all manner of lesser challenges. We understand the trust that families place in us, and we take it seriously.
The other thing that students often bring with them is a big bag of advice. Family and friends and teachers all dispense advice, and most of it is quite good. Students will receive even more advice on convocation day from me, from deans, and from staff and faculty. We have all been in their shoes in one way or another, and at least in my case, I have been welcoming students at convocations for over 20 years!
Some of the advice has stayed the same, offered before in this very column: Ask questions, get involved, make friends. These are still valuable and relevant. At convocation, several of us will say the same things. It can’t hurt to reinforce good advice, after all.
Because we often repeat ourselves, however, I may actually change it up this year. 1. Learn Hawaiian, or, if you are a ‘Olelo speaker, offer to teach someone a few phrases in Hawaiian. As more of us learn more ‘Olelo, we become even more of a community on campus, and we honor our host culture. 2. For students from off-island, take a walk downtown and talk to a shop owner and buy something local if you can. Talking to people who actually live here gives you a different view of our community and shows that you want to be a part of our community while you are here. 3. Most importantly, open your mind to new ideas. Doing this does not mean that you forget who you are or where you came from, but it is the way we learn. More and more employers are looking for the so-called soft skills, and an open mind leads to empathy and understanding of others as well as learning.
Hilo is a remarkable place, and at UH Hilo we want our students to emerge as responsible world citizens. Learning language, meeting people, and understanding the world all contribute to making the leaders of tomorrow, both in our community and across the globe.
Bonnie D. Irwin is chancellor of the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Her column appears monthly in the Tribune-Herald.
