Mika Martis, an alumnus from Japan, graduated in the winter of 2025 with a bachelor’s in social work. The journey throughout her time at BYU–Hawaii is one of perspective, learning, and navigating the twists and turns of this beautiful thing called life.
Currently an intern with Counseling Services at BYU–Hawaii, Martis is hopeful that this is a piece of the puzzle that will help her realize the potential she knows she can achieve.
I Choose BYUH
Martis said that she had longed to attend a church-affiliated institution. “I had always been drawn to attend BYUH because of all the good things I had heard from other people,” she said. “Besides my sister paving the way for me, I saw the small, caring, and close-knit community when I served in Laie as a missionary, and it confirmed to me that this was the place.”
In other words, the connection that BYU–Hawaii values and showcases within its community was a key factor in her decision to stay here. And when asked which memories she cherishes most from her academic journey, it was exactly that— “The interactions I’ve had with people of different walks in and out of classrooms are what come to mind immediately,” she shared. “It was those conversations with my roommates and friends where I felt so connected. The mutual trust, curiosity in each other, and fun times shared together are what I cherish the most from my four years as a college student.”
Truly, the remarkable things in life are hidden within the simplest of patterns that are often overlooked.
“Courses I took, professors and peers I looked up to, and overall experience at BYUH added perspectives to my curious yet naive mind,” she said. “It taught me critical thinking and the strength to be myself while recognizing the strength in others.”
A Challenge and a Change
Now working as an intern at BYU–Hawaii Counseling Services, Martis said that her experience at the university shaped both her career path and personal growth, but it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. “It was an emotional and mental challenge that developed over a period of time. Exposing myself to a bigger world (than a rural Japan) pushed me to the point where I could not function like I used to. It was scary, feeling like I was no longer capable,” she shared. “Yet I am grateful that my desire to overcome it was bigger than my fear, and I kept pushing myself. My last two years as a student were filled with those opportunities to confront the fear, and it taught me resilience, persistence, and faith. I am still in the process of overcoming it and believe true growth is happening experience by experience.”
Alongside her professional journey, Martis also described marriage as a major source of growth and a change of direction in life. “He brought a completely new set of lenses to my sight and expanded the way I see the world,” she said. “Understanding each other required much effort and time, but we kept investing in and nurturing our relationship.”
Choosing marriage, she explained, also meant reconsidering parts of her immediate career plans in order to build a future together. “While it is daunting, it also brought unseen possibilities we could achieve because of each other,” she said.
Confidence During Uncertainty
Looking ahead, Martis acknowledges that life has not always followed the plan she once envisioned, but she has learned to find meaning in that uncertainty. “I think it’s important to consider the unexpected,” she reflected. “We all have visions for our lives, but sometimes things don’t go exactly as planned. When that happens, I try to accept it and be grateful, because even if I can’t see the full picture, it doesn’t mean I’ve lost my goals.”
She added that growth often comes through detours rather than direct paths, and that confidence doesn’t necessarily equal competence:
“I believe those goals can still be achieved—just in different ways. We can only see one step ahead at a time, and I’m learning to be okay with that.” She continued, “I thought to be confident is to know and be capable of everything, but I learned that I can be confident in my uncertainty with faith that I will thrive anyway.”