Realizing a Dream of Becoming a Flight Attendant—A Student Life Held Up by Many Hands

Drawn to the Polished Professionalism of Flight Attendants

My interest in the airline industry first took root in the third grade, on a tour of an aircraft maintenance hangar at an airport. I was overwhelmed by the size of the aircraft, and the visit also made me keenly aware of the people who work in the airline industry.

What turned the job of flight attendant into a clear goal was a family trip we took by air after that tour. In the fine attention and consideration the flight attendants gave each passenger, and in every economical movement they made, I sensed a high level of professionalism, and I felt a powerful longing: I want to be like that too. That experience is where my dream began.

Choosing Meiji Gakuin for an Environment Where I Could Chase My Dream

In my third year of high school, I began to think seriously about where to go next. Even then, I was looking for a university where I could prepare for the future I wanted. Because I hoped to revisit Hawaii, the site of a memorable family trip, having a study abroad program there was another important factor in my choice of university.

As I looked into it, I learned that Meiji Gakuin offered the Hepburn Airline Class and a well-established study abroad program with the University of Hawai‘i, so I attended an open campus event.

On the day of the open campus, I remember being captivated at first sight by the beautiful view of the Shirokane Campus from the main gate. The senior students who showed us around were bright and warm, and my wish to study at Meiji Gakuin grew even stronger. I decided to pursue my dream at this university, which offered both an environment where I could take on everything I wanted to try and a warm atmosphere across campus and among its students.

Steady, Patient Preparation and One Large Challenge

From the moment I enrolled, with the Hepburn Airline Class in view, I worked backward from what realizing my dream would require and began acting on it. I used every spare moment to build the English skills a flight attendant needs, and I focused on my coursework to maintain a high GPA. Outside of class, I took a part-time job at a restaurant frequented by overseas customers to build practical English skills.

Studying at the University of Hawai‘i through the Department of International Business’s curriculum study abroad program also greatly nourished me as I pursued my dream. In particular, the days I spent with people there gave me a new perspective. The students there come from diverse backgrounds, and they engage with others while holding fast to their own way of living. Seeing that in how they played, ate, and took part in club activities made me realize how important it is to be yourself. That realization later brought me back to my starting point—"be who you are”—whenever I hit a wall in my job search. From the way they warmly accepted me and went out of their way to speak with me when I was anxious about my English, I learned how important it is to stay close to the person in front of you and create an atmosphere where anyone can speak at ease.

It was a formative experience that not only built practical English skills but also gave me the confidence that people can connect even when their backgrounds differ.

My Weaknesses Are Room to Grow—Turning Them into Confidence

After my study abroad, I joined the Hepburn Airline Class in my third year. The class works mainly on company research, self-analysis, seeing yourself through others’ eyes, and interview practice. As the course went on, my biggest challenge became putting my thoughts into words.

Writing job applications and sitting for interviews require answers that are precise and the right length. To grasp the intent behind a question and convey your own experiences and ideas in reply, you need to be able to organize your thoughts quickly and speak in an ordered way. It is not enough simply to talk; to get the feel of holding a conversation with the landing point in view, I practiced relentlessly and focused on growing comfortable with it. Alongside that, I met often with members of the class, in person and online, and we gave one another advice and polished our answers. Through trial and error, and by encountering perspectives and ideas I would not have reached on my own, I sharpened my ability to converse.

I also thought about using “power words” that would stick with an interviewer. I described the appeal of customer service, for example, as hospitality that rivals a theme park, and I practiced again and again words that could catch someone’s interest in an opening line.

Practice like this requires you to face what you are weakest at and to keep pushing your own limits day after day. There were times when the pressure nearly crushed me. But I made a point of telling myself my weaknesses were opportunities for growth, and all I could do was overcome them one at a time. Facing each challenge instead of running from it was hard, but every one I got past metamorphosed into firm confidence. Also, instead of bearing such burdens alone, I told my classmates what was troubling me and asked for their advice, which cleared away my feelings of being stuck.

Toward a New Self, in an Environment Blessed with Warm People

What I gained through the Hepburn Airline Class was the ability to put things into words and the courage to rely on other people. I used to keep things to myself, but my instructors and classmates taught me that borrowing other people’s strength is itself a strength that carries you forward.

The instructor who guided our class listened to my feelings and hesitations and helped me put them into words. For me, that was like having a running partner I could lean on without a second thought.

The classmates I studied alongside supported me again and again. When I grew anxious before an interview, or came away from one feeling it had gone badly and sank into gloom, they stayed up late going back over it with me. They also took what I had thought were my shortcomings and recast them as strengths, showing me things about myself I could not have seen on my own.

Those classmates aiming for the airline industry like me were precious. We pushed one another to improve, supported one another, and drew out one another’s strengths. Learning new perspectives from how they thought and taking encouragement from how positively they approached things, I grew little by little.

Meeting my instructors and my classmates raised me into a new self, one that accepts its own immaturity and moves forward while relying on others. I am grateful to have met the people who supported me, and I want to keep those relationships close in the years ahead.

A Starting Line I Have Finally Reached: Becoming the Person I Pictured

After graduation, I will work in the airline industry as a flight attendant. Because this has been my dream since childhood, finally reaching this starting line fills me with renewed resolve. I intend to make full use of the interpersonal and communication skills I cultivated during my student life at Meiji Gakuin, becoming a flight attendant who gives every passenger the best service and a genuinely warm experience.

To Those Considering Meiji Gakuin

What struck me after enrolling at Meiji Gakuin is that every student here is working positively toward a goal of their own. I love this environment, where the people around you spur you on and make you think, I’ll give it my all too.

Sometimes you may go through something painful, or your chest might fill with difficult feelings. But in the end, the one who can best believe in you is you. Please do not give up. Hold on and keep at it. It is precisely the hard experiences that should become the driving force carrying you to the place you are aiming for. Try to take everything on in a spirit that enjoys even the process. The experience of having worked hard will surely become the strength to take your next step.

When I was in junior high, my father gave me these words: show me you can beat who you were yesterday, even by one percent. They carried me through my entrance exam years, and they still push me forward today. I hope all of you, too, will keep moving forward and believing in your own possibilities, whatever comes. I sincerely hope your efforts bear fruit and lead you to your dreams.