There’s an array of light of such magnificence, it’s said, that it can pierce through mountains, yet it meanders its way to its ultimate destination coming in contact with nothing but where the man - in his multiverse of madness - leads it. It’s said that everything is written. It makes one but wonder what the purpose of oneself is if in the end, he’s going to be exactly where the universe wants him to be, exactly when. It’s said that every alternate step we take, decision we make, love we show, conversation we start, tear we shed, and hand we hold takes us into an alternate universe where our ultimate destination - though written as well - fluctuates.
I wasn’t born when Pakistan lost its heart in Dhaka, but I wish it could’ve been written differently. Nabil Samad was born and raised in Bangladesh - a nation born out of a fluctuation that changed the subcontinent’s dynamics for good. He told me his childhood - more or less - was never short of something amazing. “I remember I got everything I wanted to have,” he said. When asked how the general people are back home, he said there too many of them, but he’s glad it’s always lively. “I’ve come to realise that people in Bangladesh and Germany are actually not that different. Being at Jacobs University for three years has taught me that all people just want to be loved and respected.”
Nabil is an Intelligent Mobile Systems major and is glad he’s graduating. He told me that he was very lucky to be at Jacobs University. “My plan was to study in the United States,” he said. “But my visa was rejected there. Thankfully, I knew about Jacobs University from someone in my family and applied here straightway. “Because of societal pressure, I was given but one choice: to be an engineer. When I first came to Jacobs University, I had no clue about it, but went along with anyway. It was hard and I had to spend countless nights studying, but in the end, I managed it and now I am graduating. “I’ve learned a lot at Jacobs University. When I first came here, I was just a kid, but now I’m earning for myself and I count that as a personal achievement because I believe in financial independence.”
Nabil plans on learning the tech corporate system in Germany for a while before starting his own tech powerhouse. He says he will eventually go back to his country. “I want to invest in Bangladesh once I’m well-settled. I believe in this capitalist world we live in, we need more businessmen. I plan on encouraging and incentivising my young countrymen to do the same.”
Nabil plans on extending his stay at Jacobs University so that he can major in International Relations Politics and History (IRPH) as well. He wishes the upcoming third-years good luck. “Always focus on your studies,” Nabil said. “No matter what else you are doing, always make sure you finish your courses on time. If that is going good, nothing else matters. I had to study a lot in third year because I wasn't serious about my degree earlier. I faced a lot of academic pressure and had to sacrifice a lot, but I am glad I figured everything out in the end. Now, I am ready to graduate.”
BY MUHAMMAD SHAHZAIB TAHIR AWAN (PAKISTAN) | CLASS OF 2022
