Others find new friends and an instant shoulder to cry on as they battle homesickness.

By the end of the year, everyone excitedly preps for an annual luau, digging make-shift imus, stringing leis and practicing hula — all for the love of their Island homes, thousands of miles away.

All of these memorable experiences come from the helm of Hawaii’s next generation, a generation in their final steps to adulthood. Hawaii-based students attending Mainland colleges are building unique support systems and social groups through their schools’ Hawaii clubs.“When you see other people from Hawaii on campus, there is an instant connection,” Tammy Uyetake, a junior at Northwestern University, said. “Where else can you go to talk about Spam musubi or pidgin and be understood?”

But the clubs are also attracting students from elsewhere, who just enjoy the warmth of the gatherings, or want to learn hula or how to play slack-key guitar.

More Hawaii clubs sprouting

The clubs are steadily growing stronger on West Coast campuses and some are even popping up at East coast schools. Hawaii clubs are sharing local traditions with their Mainland universities and becoming as common on campuses as fraternities and sororities.

“Hawaii clubs add a lot of diversity to the schools,” said Wendi Vincent, a senior and president of University of Southern California’s Hawaii club. “Our campus stresses diversity, and Hawaii is truly one group that embodies all of these different cultures.”

At USC, the Hawaii club has 75 members and holds summer orientations on Oahu at which incoming students can talk to upperclassmen from Hawaii about classes and the trials and tribulations of living on the Mainland before they even step foot on a plane. The club also coordinates a “Warm Welcome” flight, on which incoming USC students can fly together at the beginning of the year.

“We make sure we meet the incoming students at the gate,” Vincent said. “We take them back to school, cook breakfast for them and help them move in.”

During the year, the club plans events aimed at rootless freshman, such as going together to shop for school clothes (a real challenge if you’ve not been through a winter and have no transportation). They also enjoy Thanksgiving dinners and bonfires together, helping new students become acquainted with the Big City.

“It really helps freshmen to adjust,” Lindsey Kudo, a sophomore at USC, said. “It provided a chance to get off campus and meet a lot of people and get to know them better.”

Parents gain support, too

The clubs not only comfort the freshmen, but their parents, who are also adjusting to their children being away.

“My mom definitely felt better knowing I had people from home to help me,” said Cheryl Okumura, a senior and member of Claremont Schools’ Hui ‘O Lauleia.

Keala Kilcoyne, a newly graduated student and the 1998-99 vice president of the University of San Francisco’s Hui ‘O Hawaii, agrees and believes the clubs act as a support system for the new students, which can make transitions easier.

“In many aspects, I don’t know if I could have made it without the Hawaii club,” said Kilcoyne. “It was my grounding — it made my life easier just knowing it was there to help me with homesickness.”

Like USC’s Hawaii Club, the University of San Francisco’s Hui ‘O Hawaii decided to plan activities before school started, beginning with a summer picnic two years ago.

The USF club, which has been around for more than 40 years, was in a slow state four years ago — disorganization and lackluster support from members begged for drastic change when the 1995 freshmen class arrived.

“We took it close to our hearts,” said senior Ann Enriquez, the 1998-99 USF’s Hui ‘O Hawaii president. “We approached it more seriously and with motivation. Being away from home in a new place is hard, and the Hawaii club is the closet thing to home. It was something we wanted to make stronger.”

Enriquez says the executive board met during the summer and drew up goals, including recruiting more members and encouraging incoming freshmen to become more involved.

This year, the club has 100-plus members, the most in its history. Members came not only from Hawaii, but from the Mainland as well.

“We were overwhelmed at the response we got this year,” Enriquez said. “Our club is filled with a good, mixed group.”

Luau is highlight of year

Hawaii clubs also give members remarkable memories of activities that young people from Hawaii may never have never experienced before — ski trips, visits to amusement parks and, of course, putting on the annual luau.

All of the Hawaii club members agree that the luau is the biggest event of the year. It takes an entire year’s worth of meetings, practices and stress in order to present authentic Hawaiian food, entertainment and dances.

“Luau was definitely the defining moment,” said Nate Aoyagi, a USF senior. “It was not even comparable to other years. It was something not to forget.”

Luau coordinators or luau chairmen usually begin planning in September, sending out flyers to members’ parents in Hawaii asking for donations or contacts for the club. Committees are created for decorations, food preparation, raffle tickets, programs and entertainment. Some schools average 1,200 people in their audiences and many fly in entertainment — not to mention food and flowers.

Violet Kaneshiro, sales director at Hawaiian Airlines, heads a program that helps college Hawaii clubs ship their goods and donations from home.

“The luau is real important to the clubs, because they want their communities to get involved.” said Kaneshiro. “This year, I had 15 schools from all over. It’s almost like every year, we’re adding two more schools to the list.”

Pat Stacey, who has been Hui ‘O Hawaii’s adviser for the past two years, believes the annual luau is one of the most significant events on campus.

“The overall quality of luau has improved because they have a good way of making people feel at home,” said Stacey. “If the campuses didn’t have the Hawaii club, they would certainly miss it.”

With the stress and difficulties that surround luau and the pressure of school and work responsibilities, is this extracurricular activity worth it?

The students say “yes!”

“There are a lot of last-minute pressures and hassles,” said Yoh Kawanami, a junior at the University of Washington and member of their club, Hui Hualoha Ulana. “But, it is definitely all worth it. You put so much into it.”

“During luau, it was 3 in the morning and we were still finishing our greens for kahiko (hula),” said Vincent. “But, we were singing songs and I guess, ‘bonding.’ It was then that I thought, ‘This is what it’s all about.’ At that moment, I realized we had potential.”

This potential should benefit future clubs. USC plans to create new activities and goals for the club next year by encouraging more people from Hawaii to join and also begin to gain Mainland members.

Reaching out to non-Hawaii students

Jenn Choi, a senior and Hui ‘O Hawaii’s 1999-2000 president at USF, said they hope to start a “Culture Day,” where they’ll set up different stations to teach students how to string a lei or pound poi.

“We’ll start small, but we want to take another step forward,” said Choi. “Luau is more of a place to sit down and enjoy. We want to try more hands-on activities.”

As college freshman pack their bags to “get off of the rock,” many start off thinking they want to cut their ties to the Islands because they are ready for new experiences.That often changes.

“Honestly, when I was about to go to USF, I was thinking that I didn’t want to join the Hawaii club because I’ve been there all my life,” said Janice Ngyuen, a sophomore. “But, I realized how cool we are and I wanted to be a part of that.”

“You want to get away,” Aoyagi said. “But, when you get there, you’re like, ‘Oh, my god.’ It’s a complete culture shock. But, there are others from Hawaii who are just as scared as you and that really helps to keep things in perspective.”

Others find themselves embracing the powerful portrayals of the Islands’ identity, culture and pride in a unique and different way.

“It’s important to have an identity,” said Kapono Kanoho, a junior and the 1999-2000 vice president of Hui ‘O Hawaii. “Some go to the Mainland and try to forget where they came from. But you need to use where you came from, so others can understand and learn about your culture.”

Which sheds light as to why the clubs are so popular with students from all over the United States.

“My friends from the Mainland joined because they got a real warm reception,” Choi said. “They think Hawaii is a beautiful place, with beautiful people and you see their reaction, it just gives you a greater appreciation for home.”

“When I was here, I took it for granted,” Choi said. “But, it’s good to go away. Every time I come back, the ocean looks bluer and bluer, the people are laid back, the weather is nice.”

“There are no other states who have a club. We’re unique,” said Kanoho. “It’s like growing up in Hawaii gives you a tight sense of family. There’s something definitely here that makes us learn to stay together. It’s almost universal.”