I am not supposed to be here. I’m about to start my fourth year as an undergrad and I’m a Junior, I should probably clarify that I’m also a transfer. But really, I’m not supposed to be here. I was born pre-maturely at six months with a few complications that could’ve taken the life of the person who gave me life, aside from my own. I’m here today, but that’s not the only reason why I feel like I don’t belong. I was never a great student until my last two years of high school. I attended a state school (Florida International University) ten minutes away from my home the first two years of college. I had no intentions of leaving the tropical climate of Miami, but after one year I thought about moving to New York as a theatre student in order to enhance my opportunities. during this time I was a bit confused of my religious identity, my curiosity led me to take a religious studies course.
Eventually we spoke of almsgiving, greed, love, hate, peace, conflict and topics that made me think of a world beyond the one showed to me by my parents, who as immigrants have seen the many faces of our planet. This was the best course I took at FIU and it had nothing to do with my area of study. I realized at the end of that semester that I wanted to change the world and I couldn’t really do that as an actor that may not reach “success”.
Someone close to me suggested that I should to apply BU. By the end of spring semester 2016 I had to make a choice between NYU and BU; understand that not many people from where I come from think of attending college and much less a private institution. I chose BU, but not all of my credits transferred and I had to redo my sophomore year; so obviously I regretted the decision (this is a joke, please laugh). I was always the youngest person in my class, at BU I’m one of the oldest. I always lived in an area where the temperature never dropped below sixty degrees Fahrenheit, at BU it’s always cold as long it’s not summer.
I’m majoring in Middle Eastern and North African studies and everyone here is so smart, sometimes I feel left behind, sometimes I feel like I don’t belong. Maybe I am here for a reason though, maybe this is a test from God to overcome a challenge and strengthen me for the future. I believe God makes no mistakes and the opportunities put in front of me are to help, not just me, but everyone I can when the time is right. I hope to go into the human rights field. I hope to join the Peace Corps after I graduate in order to help people anywhere I can and ease their struggle.