Senior Reflection | Akash Kurupassery, Ahmed Aljohani
Building Resilience through Difficult Times
Akash Kurupassery
W
hen I first came to Emory, I remember feeling overwhelmed. I had just left my friends, family and the place that I had called home for so many years, only to be thrown into the awkwardness of icebreakers and orientation groups. I remember asking my Orientation Leader how long it took for Emory to feel like a home to her. She answered that it took her time to be comfortable in a new place, but
despite my anxiety, I too would eventually well-being all at the same time. I have spent find a rich community here that I would be many nights, desperate for sleep, finishing reluctant to leave. Those first few days were up a paper or studying for an exam that I was terrifying, but I am happy to say that she was sure that I would fail. I have spent many right. Emory has become a home for me, and days running on auto-pilot just trying to put I am delighted that I was able one foot in front of the other to spend my college “No matter where my in order to not be experience in an overwhelmed by everything environment that protected path takes me, my time that I have to do. The worst me but also challenged me to moments are when a crisis is become the best version of at Emory will always actively happening. It is in myself. those moments that I am As a senior who is about to carry a special place in overwhelmed by panic and graduate, it is easy for me to anxiety, and I feel like view my college experience collapsing. But being able to my heart.” through a rose-colored lens. face crises in the protective As I walk around this campus, I am filled bubble of Emory has helped make me a with memories of the past few years, and I more resilient person, and I feel prepared to am sad that I will have to leave soon. From face and overcome the obstacles that may lie going on walks in Lullwater Park to having in my path ahead. late-night conversations and adventures I love my Emory experience, not because with friends, I will always treasure these it was perfect, but because it has prepared moments that have contributed to making me for the ups and downs of the real world. me the person I am today. I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to That being said, my time at Emory hasn’t attend such a wonderful institution, and for been easy. I have struggled to achieve the lessons that it has taught me. No matter academically, engage myself in my campus where my path takes me, my time at Emory involvements and take care of my personal will always carry a special place in my heart.
Akash Kurupassery is from Franklin, Tennessee. He served as the president of the Residence Hall Association and as the president of the 66th College Council. After graduating, he plans to study law at UVA in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Do Not Overplan Your Future
Ahmed Aljohani
Y
our future doesn't have to be planned out. We often hear that successful people have it all planned and well thought out every step along their way. We hear that we need to assemble a goal and follow it throughout our college years. While it is true that we need a preliminary plan for our future, focusing on the details is straining
and stressful. My peers seemed to figure out their four years of college life within the first week of school. I felt pressured since despite knowing I wanted to be engulfed in research, I did not know how to reach that goal. I felt how passionate my friends were about their futures, and I strived to match up to their determination without realizing the stress it was causing. I was scared that my four year plan could go wrong, because life is full of surprises. Nevertheless, my life started to change ever since I started following a specific saying from the previous president of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST): "Don't over-plan your future. Make an initial plan, but focus on excelling at what you're going through. When you do your best, you will find an opportunity." I started living in the present, focusing on my homework for that specific week and simply asking myself: what do I need to do now to graduate with a good GPA ? After I
managed to secure an excellent GPA in my first year, I started thinking about how I could join a research lab. I had always heard that I needed to reach out to ten professors to join their lab, and I should expect rejections. However, I only asked one, and he allowed me to join his lab the summer after my first year. I started focusing on how to succeed in my research, and eventually, with my advisor's help, I got published. Taking my college undergraduate experience step by step has helped me maximize my potential to succeed. To the students stressed about their future, you will be okay. Live in the present for a while, explore your interests and appreciate what you have done. College is a time to be open to all possibilities, and we will inevitably face hardships and struggle along the way. I'm sure we get frustrated every time we hear the words "unprecedented challenges." However, once you do your best in the present, opportunities will present themselves in front of you.
Ahmed Aljohani is from Yanbu, Saudi Arabia. He served as the co-president for the Emory Muslim Students Association, and was an academic fellow captain for two years. He was awarded the 2022 Rhodes Scholarship. After graduation, he will continue his education in the University of Oxford focusing on marine scientific research.
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