The University of Hawaii - Hilo

Date: Jul 29 2006
Major: History/Histories (art history/etc.) (This Major's Salary over time)
Like all universities, UHH has its share of positives and negatives. There are some aspects which I like, and others that drive me mad. Many people will either love it here or hate it; I think a lot depends on your personality and your expectations.

It seems a lot of students from the mainland have idealistic and unrealistic expectations of life in Hawai\(`i and are unprepared for reality. A little research beforehand would eliminate a lot of grief. For example, Hawai`\)i Island has a population of about 180,000 spread out over an area the size of Connecticut, which works out to a density of 37 per square mile. This is RURAL Hawai`i! If you come here expecting big city excitement, you'll be bound to be disappointed. Also, Hilo is carved out of a tropical RAINforest. Don't be surprised if it rains more than back home in Phoenix! (Although the claim that in rains "every day" is a gross exaggeration). Yes, Hilo can experience wet spells where it rains off and on, for days on end, but we can also undergo dry spells that last for several weeks at a time. Also, if you feel like you'll faint or have a heart attack if you see a gecko or roach, perhaps UHH isn't for you. Human beings aren't the only ones that like the tropical climate. Some bugs are just a fact of life here. Just get some Combat or something.

I spend a year on exchange to Quebec, Canada, but I didn't whine about how cold it got during the winter. Why? Because I knew cold winters were simply a fact of life in most of Canada. Don't move to a rainforest and then whine about the rainy weather!

As for the food service provider, yes, Sodexho does suck, but UHH is certainly not unique in that regard. There are basically three major corporations that provide food service for nearly all universities in North America, and trust me, the others aren't much better. I will concur that the dorms ARE a bit rundown, but hopefully funding will be available for a complete renovation now that they've jacked up housing fees. Also, Hilo is mainly a commuter campus, with only 600 students residing on campus out of a student body close to of 3,500. I should also mention that perhaps one-fourth of the students are "non-traditional" meaning that those more mature students who are in their late 20's, 30's, 40's and even older, don't have the same interests as fresh out of high school 1st years.

Of course, the university as a whole could also use more funding. There seems to be a backlog of routine maintenance and many facilities and equipment continue to be used long after they should be replaced and the university's staffing has not kept pace with its recent growth, further burdening and already burdened system. But remember that tuition and fees are just a fraction of what other universities charge. UHH would be a top-notch university if it charged $20,000 or more in tuition like a lot of other universities.

Bottom line, if you enjoy small class sizes, accessible professors, a laid-back small town atmosphere with a slow paced life, and outdoor activities, you stand a pretty good chance of loving UH-Hilo. If you crave the excitement of big city life, a large and diverse social life full of clubbing, bars, and large wild parties, you might find Hilo a bit stifling.