Weeks 2-5

 

It's been a long time since I have written a mail since it has been busy in school. Weeks 2-5 were pretty stressful weeks, learning how to manage my time, learning how to socialize, plan, and organize schedules. But throughout the weeks, I have been able to get through college life, and it will only get harder. My major has been pretty difficult since I'm learning all the different kinds of wood types and still learning the measurements here in America, hahaha, so confusing.


I have been able to join a community of volleyball players in the gym. People here don't judge you in sports for not being good; it's all about fellowship and meeting new people. If you do something wrong in the sport, they will uplift you and say it's all good. Everything is a learning process, and I am enjoying it so far, learning how to adult. There are days I wish I could go back to the Philippines because it is an easier life, but the people around me have made it worthwhile. I enjoy the company of my roommates and how easy it was for them to accept me and become my friends.

One thing I learned throughout the weeks is how you should live your life how you want to. It may be scary to think about what others think, but I learned about Free will. Nobody will remember what you did, so spend your life how you want it without the fear of judgment. Compared to here to Philippines, I could feel that I cared about what I did because I was scared of judgment, but here in America People don't make it a big thing about what you did. So I try to spend each day trying to build a reputation, meeting new people, since it is like creating a new identity. 

Life has been fast here. I feel like life in America is fast-paced compared to the Philippines. Things are faster here; people are in a rush daily, while in the Philippines, you take life slowly and try to enjoy it. I'm trying to bring that slow pace to my life here in America so that I don't feel pressured.

I hope that the weeks get better from here on forward. Miss u mom & dad <3 and my baby tofu

-Zachy boi ٩(＾◡＾)۶

First week of BYUI!!!!!

 

The first week of BYUI was interesting because almost all my roommates are friendly and older than me. There is this one guy who is very talkative and sometimes makes me run out of social battery, but I would say that he’s still fun to talk to. Honestly, it’s better than having no one to talk to.

My first experience at school was nerve-wracking because I was part of the minority, meaning there were mostly Americans rather than Asians. However, they all seemed to be pretty kind to me. My first class was BIM (Building Information Modeling). In this class, we are tasked with picking a project for any house we’re interested in, and throughout the semester, we will be designing it using an app called Revit. Going into class, I was surprised because my teacher was walking behind me and already knew my name. He said, “I’m just walking behind here over Zach,” which caught me off guard.

After class, I went to work, which made me nervous since it was my first time on the job. Even though there were a lot of people, my boss and coworkers helped me overcome my nervousness, and I was able to get through the day. As the week went on, I got pretty good at the job and didn’t need to ask my boss for help anymore when taking deposits from students. There were still times when students asked questions I didn’t know how to answer, so I asked for help, and my boss was always willing to help me out.

After work, I had a long class from 4–7 PM, which was my framing systems class. I was shocked when I first walked into the room because the workshop was huge and had so many tools, some of which were pretty dangerous, like saw machines. I picked a spot and sat at a table, and someone else sat with me. His name was Cooper, and he was around the same age as me. We talked about where we came from, and he told me he worked for a marine biology company and had been to Indonesia. I told him that I lived in the Philippines, and luckily, we ended up becoming groupmates for basically the whole semester with two other people. In this class, we were tasked with making a scaled house out of wood. I was scared because I didn’t know anything about construction, but one of my teammates had seven years of experience, so he taught me a lot. I asked questions and tips about why he did certain things while we worked on the group project.

The next day, I had English class, and I immediately didn’t like the teacher, so I decided to leave the class and switch to another one. I changed my English class to math because I didn’t like how the English teacher taught and how slow he was with technology. His teaching style felt old school and made me sleepy.

My framing systems teacher, Lopez Sal, taught us something important in class: FAIL—First Attempt In Learning. I really loved the way he taught because he genuinely cared about his students.

One thing I noticed about most of the teachers at BYUI is that they really want you to succeed. Unlike some colleges where there are “terror” teachers, this school focuses on student success. Even if you’re falling behind, the college provides many ways to help you improve, such as support centers and free tutoring.

Overall, my first experience at BYUI has been fun. I feel lucky to be here because most of the people I’ve met so far have been kind, and my roommates are chill and feel like older brothers. They aren’t shy to talk and can easily connect with you through shared hobbies.

Yours truly, 
Zach Sy

Dry Run ! Chilly But Warm Entry

 

                              Today I’m leaving Saratoga Springs, where I’ve been staying with my elder brothers for the past 2 weeks, to begin my journey at BYU Idaho. It’s about a 4-hour drive, and later I’ll be touring the campus, my apartment, and my classrooms with my elder sister. I’ve also started working as a cashier on campus, which is a great way to meet new people and get settled into college life. Excited for this new chapter ahead!         

                                                                                 

 

January 07-2026

January 8, 2026

Free Jacket (Freshman Benefit)

Attending church at 12 noon