A Class of 2021 Reflection: Amna Hassan

We ask Amna Hassan from NYU Abu Dhabi Class of 2021 to reflect on her college journey, and she shares with us the friendships formed, how she’s grown, and her favorite NYUAD memories.

For your friendships formed during university, what has surprised you most about them? 

I have met and interacted with people with different interests, passions, and motivations. Through these interactions, I have been able to reflect and really flesh out the kind of person I am, and the kind of person I aspire to be. My friends have taught me how to be accountable, acknowledge mistakes and apologize when I am in the wrong. They remind me to breathe and calm down when everything makes me frustrated. They also taught me how to forgive and move on in difficult situations. Because of my friends, I learn to be a better person every day. 

How has NYUAD helped shape who you are today?

When I first arrived on campus, I had two luggage bags with me. They were heavy for me to push around. Students who arrived together with me made their way quickly through the palm trees and inside the campus center. I felt left behind, slightly embarrassed and struggling to catch up.

Four years later, I can carry all my baggage with ease, emotionally and physically. Through crowded airports, train stations, and bus stops, I walk with my head held high. Now when people move quickly ahead of me, I am more confident in my ways. I congratulate, support and root for them, no longer feeling left behind. 

What are some of your favorite memories of being an NYUAD student?

I am grateful for every moment I spent here, be it running to the Baraha for free food, sitting in the amphitheater and listening to songs, or napping under the palm trees.

It is here that I learned that it is okay to take a break when the going gets rough, and to ask for help when I need to, or be selfish and prioritize myself. At NYUAD, I learned how to take care of myself.

How has senior year been? 

Being a senior during a pandemic and studying remotely has been very hard. The entire student life came to a standstill. I felt sad that I would not be able to sit in a classroom again, celebrate Halloween at the Marketplace, go to Ferrari World with the ResEd, dance at the Pakistani mock wedding, or have a movie night with all my friends in one of the rooms behind the Baraha area. However, I am in awe of the resilience my classmates have shown. The empathy and support we have for each other grows deeper by the day. My classmates continue to inspire me and give me strength to face any obstacle that comes my way.