By Sarah Hendrix | Staff Writer

With Thanksgiving coming up this weekend, what are you thankful for this year?

Naomi Uchida
Age: 18
Hometown: Honolulu, Oʻahu
Major: Culinary Arts

“My life in the past was kind of difficult, the way my mom was treating me, she wasn’t giving me much independence. Recently in the last year I met a friend and this friend was helping me with being more independent. Just having this friend helped me a lot. There were a bunch of friends I met afterwards because of that and I’m thankful that it all happened the way it did.”

Yanmin Mo
Age: 21
Hometown: Guangdong, China
Major: Hospitality

“I am thankful for my family and parents.”

Michael  Delamerced
Age: 19
Hometown: Pearl City, Oʻahu
Major: Pharmacy Technician

“I am thankful to be accepted into Pharmacy Technician program and hopefully after the program I can do the compounding certification in Washington state next February.”

Kristina Zhang
Age: 18
Hometown: Guangdong, China
Major: Hospitality

“For my parents because I just got my driver’s license so they bought me a car. So family.”

Ayana Sakai
Age: 21
Hometown: Ehime, Japan
Major: Hospitality & Travel Management

“Personally my boyfriend is here so I kind of got my family here. Cause I was here by myself, and he really treated me well. So I kind of experience thanksgiving in Hawai‘i for the first time with more family so I am thankful.”