Posted 4:14 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026
Carlie studied at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa
“Hi everyone! My name is Carlie and I am an Exercise Sport Science major and Nutrition and Biology minor. This past spring I studied abroad through the NSE program at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa in Honolulu, HI. The classes I took while attending school there were Global History of food, Biology II (plants and organisms), Nutrition in sport and exercise, Science of the Sea and Japanese Dance. I also worked as a tour guide on campus. What has surprised me about Hawaii was the variety of Asian cultures that can be found there. I expected native Hawaiians to be represented on the islands, but Japanese, Korean, and Polynesian culture are all represented in food, language, and ethnic background as well; it’s truly a melting pot of cultures. The land (āina) is very important to Hawaiians, and that’s apparent when talking about the environment, especially the oceans and the animals. Although it’s a US state, it feels very different from the continental US. My advice for future students would be to not be afraid to study abroad without friends from your home campus. I didn’t know anyone before traveling to Hawai’i, and I truly believe it helped me open up in a new way and create new lifelong friends I wouldn’t have made otherwise. I also want to assure students that this time away from home will be such a great part of your college experience. Although I didn’t want to miss out on events going on back home and fall behind my classmates, I can say the memories I made and experiences I had were so worth it. I had such unique experiences, classes, and adventures I would have never had if I didn’t travel away from home. I encourage every college student to look into some form of studying abroad!”
Interested in studying away in the U.S. somewhere like Carlie? The National Student Exchange applications are open now through February 15th for programs during the 2026-2027 academic year! Start planning now; attend an Education Abroad 101 session if you haven’t yet or check out available programs on Via.