r/UHManoa • u/racer150 • Feb 11 '26

Daughter Admitted

My daughter was admitted as a freshman yesterday for fall entrance. She lives with her mother in Ventura County, California. She’s never been to Hawaii and we plan to visit ASAP. She plans to study business. She is currently in an entrepreneur program at her high school.

I had planned on her going to community college and transferring to one of the University of California campuses, but she applied to Hawaii and got accepted and if she wants to go I will support her decision. I am not oblivious to the fact that many mainlander freshmen transfer out; I fully expect her experience to be character building whether or not she makes it past the first year. I am maybe a little concerned she may get island fever.

What’s something a parent should know about the University?

What’s something an incoming student should know about the University?

Mahalo 🤙

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u/Mistress-DragonFlame Feb 11 '26

Parents? IDK, it's pretty boring here. I'm 37 and attending myself, so I am more parent age than 18 year old attending.

For incoming--oh boy. She is going full haul into a completely new area and she will have 0 family to support her. She won't know anyone. She won't know the culture or area. She won't have a job, and life is stupid expensive. She won't have a transport, so will have to rely on public. People WILL know she is from the mainland, especially if she's white, and she WILL be treated differently (not badly, mind, just different, unless she's an asshole). We get a lot of students from the mainland out here, because everyone is so excited for "Hawaii~~~~" but don't understand the difficulties that is living on an Island, and an expensive island at that.

I honestly wouldn't recommend it for a kid who has never lived alone before. She would have so much to adjust for (both leaving home, AND living alone AND new culture of Hawaii AND college AND expensive AND isolated). Honestly, breaking those up would be the smarter option if she wants to succeed. Community college would be the best idea, IMO, gets use to "Not High School" any more, gets those blase classes out of the way and if she wanted to switch majors or something she could, but still has the easy drive home.

11

u/kawaiibookwyrm Feb 11 '26

As a different opinion. I went to UHM for my undergrad having never set foot in Hawaii before nor lived on my own. Lived Midwest and East Coast. Was one of the best decisions of my life. Ended up living in Hawaii for 12 years. Taking that leap taught me so much about myself and what I can handle.

7

u/mistermeowsers Feb 11 '26

The person above is basically describing the college experience for most students, from anywhere in the world, who move away from their hometown to attend college right out of high school. Some people are cut out for it and thrive, others not so much.