What are some of your favorite memories of being an NYUAD student?
I was sitting in Washington Square Park during my semester abroad in New York, eating from my favorite cookie dough store. It was a sunny day and I was just starting to become comfortable with the new move. For the past year, I was working with ElevatED, the education SIG on campus to create a children’s book to distribute to refugee children in Jordan. The team was collaboratively working on the project across three different continents and we were all exhausted from the process.
There were so many logistical challenges and many times we wanted to give up on the project. As I was scrolling through my phone, my project partner sent me a picture of her holding the first physical copy of the book. It suddenly hit me that my dream of becoming a published author came true at the age of 21! I started crying in the middle of the park and I couldn’t contain those tears of joy.
NYUAD has given me the opportunity to pursue my dream, help others, and advance in my career. Happy crying in the middle of Washington Square Park will always be a moment I hold close to my heart when I look back to my NYUAD experience.
How has senior year been?
When I first got the email that senior year will be taught remotely, I was at a very low point in my life. I felt like my university experience has come to an abrupt end, one that I wasn’t prepared for and didn’t want to settle for.
I was scared about not being able to go back to campus: I hadn’t said goodbye to my friends, the campus, the professors, or my life in Abu Dhabi. But thankfully, like many others, we were able to return to campus to continue our education with safety measures in place.
Although senior year has been so different to anything I’ve ever experienced before, it was surprisingly a year full of exploration, reflection, and acceptance. While the Class of 2021 was deprived of many experiences previous senior classes had, I feel we managed to make something new for ourselves.
There’s never been a time when I felt more connected to the city; I was able to take many walking trips around Abu Dhabi to explore new places. I’ve also had the deepest conversations with my friends because of the more intimate settings and restrictions. It’s challenging for me to not be able to go to classes, meet people in random places, or have large senior year gatherings. I felt lonely many times, but I’ve always been able to remind myself of the other opportunities that have been presented to me. I’ve never felt more grateful for everything this institution has provided me.