SEATTLE - Styles Siva Tu'u, an O'Dea High School alumni, is a student currently studying at the University of Washington. Being the first in his family to attend college, he takes pride in his achievements and works hard to make his family proud. In an interview, Styles shared his experience of life after high school and the lessons he has learned.
When asked about the important life lessons he learned after leaving high school, Styles talked about time management and communication. He believes that managing time is crucial in college, where everything may feel rushed, and there's never enough time to do everything. He suggests taking things slow, processing information, and managing time effectively to avoid being overwhelmed.
"One thing I learned is how to manage my time, uhm you know being in college it may feel as if everything is rushed and you don't have enough time to do everything so what I like to do is take it at a pace where I can process everything and take it slow"
Additionally, he emphasizes the importance of being vocal about your problems and reaching out for help when needed.
"Another thing I learned is to be more vocal with the people I work with. you know teachers professors even coaches when I played football. Whether it was about schoolwork or a play, being silent about your problems never helps so definitely reaching out for help will help you in the long run"
Styles is most proud of getting into the University of Washington because of sports. He takes pride in being the first person in his family to attend college because of his athletic abilities.
He believes that hard work does pay off and credits his success to his dedication and passion for sports.
“Uhh just getting into college because of sports, umm I don’t remember if I told you, I probably did but I'm the first person in my family to get into college because of sports, I got into udub and all I wanted is to make my family proud"
He hopes to inspire his siblings, Eddie, Ciara, and Justice, to follow in his footsteps and achieve their dreams.
When asked about his advice for high school students, Styles suggests pushing oneself in the early years of high school. He admits that he struggled in his first year or two, but eventually found his groove. By the time senior year came, he was more organized and less stressed out.
"It might sound stupid but push yourself those early years of high school so you’re chilling your senior year you know what I mean. I struggled my first year or 2 but um I eventually found my groove and was able to catch on and by the time senior year came I was chilling man."
He credits O'Dea High School for shaping him into the man he is today and teaching him how to manage stress and be professional everywhere he goes.
Styles' journey from O'Dea High School to the University of Washington is an inspiration to many. His dedication and hard work have paid off, and he strives for excellence in all aspects of his life. His advice to high school students to push themselves early on and manage their time effectively is valuable, and his emphasis on communication and reaching out for help reminds them that success is a team effort.
"And that’s something O’Dea has helped me with too, the school has shaped me into the man I am today and has taught me how to manage stress and be professional everywhere I go."
O'Dea High School can be proud of the role it played in shaping Styles into the man he is today, and his family can be proud of his accomplishments and the example he sets for his younger siblings and cousins.