College Admissions

College Admissions

College admissions are always tough. It was one of the most nerve-wrecking parts of my senior year. I'd like to pretend that I was calm, cool, and collected during the decisions process, but in all honesty I was a mess. I had the jitters, and my fingers could barely log on to the decision portal because they were shaking so much. 

However, now that the dust has settled from the battlefield known as college applications, and many soldiers are returning home victorious while others limp home bruised and battered, I want to take a moment to address three main categories of people. 

To the rejected applicant:

It is one of the worst feelings to not get a college decision/award that you thought was rightfully yours. You worked four years, only to be left feeling robbed.

However, I'll stop you right there.

 It's OK. Really it is. Life moves on. Life and the extent of your life should not be determined by much more than a piece of paper with a few words on it. Honestly, in the grand scheme of life, undergrad is a very small time. The college you go to does not define who you are as a person or what you believe in or stand for. As long as you can say, I tried my best then that is all that matters :) 

You will end up going to a college that was the right fit for you, and you will flourish there. Do not turn your head back and keep wondering "what if". That's the past. Do not feel dejected at your hard work. Look around you, and realize that there are people (teachers, students, parents, me) that care about you and are here to support you through a rough patch. Rejoice in the fact that whatever college you end up going to go is blessed to have you, and it will provide a an enriching experience for you.

To the wait-listed applicant:

Ah here's the toughie. I would consider this to be like a limbo. Neither here nor their. However,  I would advise you in the same way as the previous category. 

Make sure you go ahead and explore options at schools you were already accepted to. Don't keep wondering about "what if" and "if only I had been pulled from the wait list". Trust me, those are pangs that lead no where but sadness. Focus on the institutions that did accept you, and set plans in motion. In the meantime if you get pulled of the wait list and still want to attend, then hey more power to ya. But do not be that one kid that is waiting till May 10th 11:59 P.M. 

I think the overarching message for both of these groups is that "It's not where you do it, it's what you do". So many kids are under the impression, I have to get into college X to get a good job when that simply isn't true. Yes it's good to strive for colleges and whatnot, but don't get hung up on "because I didn't get in, I'm a failure". That's simply not true :)

To the accepted applicant:

Congratulations! I would like to say congrats to a battle well fought. I wish you the best of luck on your undergrad journey. However, this is just the beginning. There is lots more to be done. We still have entire lives ahead of us, and great things to achieve in those lives. Do not lose sight of why you are getting an education. Do not lose sight of your goals and chase money. Also never forget where you came from. Use that as fuel to guide you where you're going. 

*bonus* To those not going to college:

Whatever the reason may be, remember that education does not simply mean a book and a pencil. Remember that education is a lifelong journey, and that wherever you go, I urge you to continue your education and keep striving to gain new knowledge in whatever form - whether it be street smarts, leadership in the armed services, or so on. 

Whatever category you fall in to, I wish you the best of luck. I really do. I look forward to the great things our generation will accomplish. People say our generation has lost it's culture, taste, and viability. Let's prove them wrong :)

- BlueJay 18

Muslim in America

So just a quick recap I'm a Shia Imami Ismaili Muslim. Now before I get a plethora of posts asking what exactly that is, let me explain briefly. In Islam there are two main branches Shia and Sunni. The Shia believe that after Prophet Muhammad, Ali continued the leadership of the faith and became the Imam. As Ismaili's we trace this lineage down through time to our current leader His Highness the Aga Khan.

Muslim In America

I've been meaning to do this blog post for quite some time now but I just keep pushing it off. So as I sit here on a Saturday night, I've finally built up my resolve to share with the world what being a Muslim in America really means. 

Growing up in America, I always hid my religion. It was much easier to say "I'm spiritual, but not religious" than to explain being a Muslim only to face a slew of terrorist accusations and being asked if my uncle was Osama. It was much easier to explain that I had an allergy to pork or to say I go out with family Friday nights than to explain it was due to my religion.

A lot of it had to do with the media portrayal of Islam. Somehow when a Muslim committed an act of violence, his actions defined the psyche of over 1.6 Billion people. However, if someone that was not Muslim committed a massive atrocity (such as I don't know say shooting up a crowded movie theater) well he was clearly just a disturbed individual. While we as an American society focused on the 6% of attacks on US soil that were due to Muslims, somehow we overlooked the other 94% of non-Muslim attacks as "weird occurrences" .

However, I find it impossible to keep being secretive about my religion. The nature of Shia Islam creates a stout bond between spirituality and religion. And in turn religion has an inextricable fusion with my daily life. It's those core principles that have guided my life. It's those core principles that have taught me to care for my fellow people, to volunteer, and to give back to my community.

I read something very interesting the other day. I forget who the exact author was but it went something along the lines of  "The quote on the Statue of Liberty doesn't say 'give me your English-speaking only, Christian-believing, heterosexual masses.' It says 'give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, tempest-tost.'"

I am not writing this blog post for sympathy. I guess the nature of this post is really a "coming out" of sorts. I'm done hiding my religion. I am a proud Muslim and I am also a proud American and No I'm not a terrorist. GASP. Yes they really do exist.