What advice would you give to younger students?
The biggest piece of advice I can relay to younger students is to find genuine friends, teachers, and mentors during your tenure as a student. Finding that small group of friends who you can call your brothers and sisters gives you a deep bond that will last a lifetime. Those same people will push you academically and will have a true interest in you and your success as a person. Finding a mentor or teacher you really connect with is important as they can give you insight and wisdom to whatever circumstances you are facing as well as help guide you through life past high school.
If you could give one piece of advice or knowledge to yourself as a freshmen, what would it be?
I would love to tell myself to go with the flow and make as many memories as I possibly can. [During] these past four years there have been numerous times where I found myself overwhelmed and overthinking how each little action [might] transpire in the future. Planning for the future is a wonderful tool to use, but the most important aspect of life is to live in the moment and to enjoy your journey as an individual. I look back upon my time at NBTHS, and I'm thankful for each and every memory I have made. I remember wanting to save as much money as possible and almost skipping out on activities just to preserve the five or ten dollars it would have cost to attend. But now as a senior, I realize how important it is to create those lifelong memories because while the few dollars it may have cost will come back, that time to create those memories never will.
Who inspired/encouraged/guided you throughout your journey at NBTHS?
My four friends Omar, Joseph, Yandell, and Sebastian have all been my biggest inspiration throughout my journey at NBTHS. I consider these four to be my brothers and it's only because of their constant efforts of pushing me to be the best student and human possible that I made it through my four years of high school. [However,] my biggest sources of guidance at NBTHS have been my counselor Mrs. Abrahamson and my teacher Dr. Ismail. These two women have given me real world advice and guidance whenever I have needed it and have gone out of their way to help me grow as a student and human being.
What college are you planning to attend and what will be your major?
I will be attending Rutgers University to be a Finance Major on a Pre-Law track with the hopes of becoming a corporate attorney.
What are your goals during and after college?
For the next four years I will be attending Rutgers University with the hopes of earning a finance degree. I intend on using this degree to, in turn, work in the corporate law world. I hope to earn my four year degree and charge on to enter law school and become an attorney. I also hope to grow as a person and try to experience as much of the world as I possibly can.
What inspired you to want this honor of Senior Speaker in your school?
I vividly remember seeing my older brother Asad on stage as the class of 2021 Vice President and seeing him announce names made me want to one-up him. My mother viewed his achievement as a huge one and really pushed me to become a class president to try and have me on stage as well. After hearing about the student speaker competition, I knew it was the perfect way to be on stage and share my message with the entire class. I just wanted to one-up my brother and make my mother happy, so that's truly the reason I attempted to achieve this honor.
Do you regret NOT doing anything in life so far?
My biggest regret as of today is not getting my drivers license earlier. I remember turning 17 and everyone asking me if I passed my driving test and having to tell them that I haven't even received my permit at the time. While it is such a miniscule problem, it makes me wonder how many more memories I could have made if I had my license 6 months earlier. But I am still happy and content with each and every decision I have made.
What was your favorite memory of your time at NBTHS?
My favorite memory at NBTHS was the cold Friday nights watching the football games. It was a rare chance to see all my friends and classmates all huddled together and cheering on our team. Seeing the community all come together and rooting for a cause really made me feel like a Raider.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
In the next 10 years I hope to be a corporate attorney working in New York City. After watching shows such as Suits and Daredevil, I made it my goal to one day live that lifestyle and I plan on achieving that no matter what.
What struggles did you have getting to where you are in life now?
My biggest challenge in life has always been trying to be better than others. I sometimes fail to understand the true meaning of life is to be the best version of YOURSELF. It took me a while to realize how important it is to be appreciative of what you have. I try to work on being a better person and a more empathetic person to understand that everyone has their own struggles, but it's important to win your own personal battles before anything else. While I see improvement in myself in this regard, I know there is more room to grow and I hope to achieve that as I carry on in life.
Comments