Choosing a college major can be an overwhelming task. With so many fields of study, it can take time to determine what aligns best with your interests and career goals. When I began my college journey, I struggled with this very issue. My interests include economics, government, political science, philosophy, law, and more. After much contemplation and research, I decided to study policy at the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy — this was the perfect fit for me!

When people discover that I’m from Hawaii, the most common question I’m followed up with is, What brought you all the way to Cornell? Here, I share the three main reasons that brought me to a college across the country.  

Unique Areas of Academic Study 

When I started my “college search” in high school, I wasn’t sure what to major in. My interests in and out of the classroom varied: I was fascinated by science and medicine, I loved learning about world language and culture, and I had a long-standing passion for cooking.