Most visitors to Hawaii dread the day when they have to pack their bags and end their vacation in paradise. Freshmen Kalei Akaka and Lois Ornellas, however, looked forward to leaving the island chain they call home, even if it meant adapting to a completely different environment in Milwaukee.

The jeans, scarves and gloves Kalei, a student in the College of Engineering, and Lois, a student in the College of Health Sciences, wear now are a far cry from the shorts and sandals they would don in Hawaii, where temperatures currently hover in the low- to mid-80s. Despite the change in wardrobe, both girls were glad to get the opportunity to study away from home.

"I came here to study and keep my focus off the beach," said Kalei, who hails from Kaneohe, a city on the east side of Oahu, an island on the far western end of the chain.

Lois, a Honolulu, Oahu, resident, agreed academics were a large part of why she chose Marquette. She also "wanted the seasons," she said, since changes in the weather are hard to notice in Hawaii.

The two friends, who are the only students from Hawaii in the class of 2008 and did not know each other back home, were so confident they didn't want to stay home for college that neither applied to the University of Hawaii, which local high school graduates consider a safety school. There would be too many distractions if they stayed home, they said, and both were looking for a new experience away from the comforts of home.

Their families also encouraged them to leave the islands to experience a different lifestyle and as a reward for their hard work.

"I actually told her that she should go to (Marquette)," said Christina Ornellas, Lois' aunt. "She worked really hard in high school and she deserved (to) leave the island for college."

"She needed to grow," said Karen Akaka, Kalei's mom, and in order to do so, Kalei needed to get away from home. "I think it's a great challenge for her."

Nor did the pair seriously consider attending a university on the West Coast, a popular college destination for Hawaii high school graduates, because it too closely resembled home.

"I think I'd have a harder time on the West Coast," Kalei said. "I knew I'd be too close to home" to concentrate on studying.

As a result of their determination to get as far away from Hawaii as possible, Kalei and Lois mainly applied to universities in the Midwest or the South. When it came time to choose between the front-runners, Kalei decided to attend a city school rather than one "in the middle of cornfields," while Marquette's financial aid package better suited Lois' needs.

Though they are now roughly 4,000 miles from home, the pair is not bothered by the dramatic change in temperature or homesickness. Both have experienced cold climates prior to attending Marquette: Kalei visits relatives in Libertyville, Ill., for Christmas every year, and Lois traveled to Washington, D.C., last November for a conference.

The cold also provides Kalei and Lois with the opportunity to pursue a hobby they developed since they arrived — shopping. At home, both prefer pastimes closer to the shore, such as surfing and going to the beach with friends. In addition to shopping, both are Marquette basketball fans, and Lois is a member of the club crew team.

Homesickness rarely troubles the pair, who made friends quickly thanks in part to their background.

"I think (Kalei) enjoys the different people," Karen said. "I think the kids are more stimulating."

"When it says you're from Hawaii on your (residence hall) door, you make friends like that," Lois said.

One of her friends is College of Education freshman Mary Madden, who said she befriended Lois in the first few days of school.

Like most people who meet students from warm climates, Madden "didn't know why (Lois) would come here," she said.

However, Lois has adjusted well and "doesn't seem that homesick," Madden said. "I think we complain more about the cold than she does."

Christina and Karen don't sense homesickness either whenever Lois or Kalei call home.

Lois "doesn't seem like she's having trouble," Christina said. "Some of her friends are homesick, but not her."

Kalei "has the homesick periods," Karen said, but overall is doing well. Kalei could return home at any time — her father is a flight attendant for United Airlines so he can arrange for a cheap ticket — but "she chose to stay where she is," Karen said.

Though both girls enjoy Marquette, they are also looking forward to going home for winter break.

"I'm not homesick, I'm just excited to go home," Lois said.

This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on Dec. 2 2004.