A baby bird is dependent on the mother bird for its basic needs of food and shelter. Slowly and gradually the mother bird teaches it how to open its wings and fly independently in the sky. The baby bird is anxious in the beginning but eventually flies with all it’s might and can rise to the greatest heights independently.

I came to the U.S. as a baby bird two years ago. After completing the first two years of high school in my home town Karachi, Pakistan, I continued the rest of the years in the U.S. The idea of entering a new educational system in Carrollton, Texas and being among people whom I have never seen made me feel nervous, just like the baby bird who is afraid to enter the practical world of reality. A unique world in which I lived before was completely contrasted by the one which I faced in the U.S: wearing white uniforms with red strips on it along with clean nails and polished shoes, and then suddenly expected to wear jeans and t-shirt in school intimidated me. Entering the school every morning in Pakistan by attending assembly and now suddenly expected to start the day without any ceremony made me feel incomplete. How can I deal with these variations? How can I become part of the crowd? My mind was filled with all kinds of questions. Moreover, I was greatly dependent on my parents and teachers for the minutest decisions and actions.

Along with the fear of facing new people, the fear of not being at the same level as other students of my age overwhelmed me. During such situations, I remembered what my mom always taught me: “Everybody can be successful but some get a straight road to success and others have to face various obstacles. If God has chosen an intricate road for you then He expects you to work harder than others in order to prove yourself.” My mom’s words motivated me to work diligently and formed the foundation of my new life. No doubt, the journey was arduous but at the same time it is true that one does not feel joy if the goal is acquired easily. Therefore, I realized that I have to face challenges in order to feel the true joy of success at the end.

It is a matter of common observation that God never gives a person a burden he is unable to carry. With the help of my teachers and parents, I made up my mind that no matter what happened I would work hard as I have the potential to do so. In the beginning, I attended before and after school tutorials. I abhorred getting up early and reaching school an hour before the actual times. Moreover, after attending the tutorials and reaching home an hour late all my strength vanished. Following the tedious routine everyday life seemed difficult. There was a day when because of stress and lack of sleep I wanted to give up. That day was 3rd June 2009. After finishing the last exam of my sophomore year, I headed towards home –calm, relaxed and tensionless. On reaching home I received my counselor’s call. During the conversation she explained that I had to come to school on 4th June 2009 to give my honors chemistry exam in order to get exempt from it. On hearing that news my heart started to beat faster, my pulse dropped and I started to sweat in stress. The thought of reviewing the whole course in one night overwhelmed me. I wanted to give up, but soon I realized that if I gave up once then I would regret it forever. I picked up my pen and started taking notes from the teacher’s website. It took me twelve hours to finish the review. Eventually, the sun of 4th June 2009 shone brightly and declared the beginning of the day with its presence. When I sat in a vacant room with the exam paper in front of me, I was given an hour and a half to prove my ability. At that point one thought came in my mind – now or never. Once I gave the exam I felt confident about it. Soon I received the news that I would be exempted from chemistry. The desire of academic progress kept me on the path of industriousness and taught me how to accept responsibility of my own work. After this achievement I started to work diligently and came closer to my destination of success.

Today, when my parents and teachers look at me proudly, my heart feels content. I cannot forget my parent’s face glowing with happiness as they saw their daughter receiving the Crimson Honors award for two consecutive years and the certification in Microsoft Office, nor can I forget the smile on their faces when they heard their daughters name as an honors graduate. Their smile and their words “you did it” made me realize that I have reached my destination by making the two most significant people of my life ecstatic and proud. Life’s journey is not over yet; in fact, it has just begun, but now I do not fear to face challenges of life in order to rise to the greatest heights independently. At last, I feel myself prepared for the new world–the real world.