Fatima Zareen

Academic

Career

Verbatim text

Fatima Zareen (i17-0847) 
 
I remember the first time I walked through the university gates feeling a mix of emotions that I could not comprehend at that time. I had taken a big leap of faith for this degree and it suddenly seemed all too real. I felt as if 4 years would never pass in this strange place with even stranger people. Little did I know that from that bunch of strange people, I would find the most amazing and the sincerest friends I’ve ever had? With those friends by my side, these 4 years have gone in the blink of an eye and I realise this place means more to me than I ever thought it would. FAST is not just an institution for me. It taught me perseverance when I was buried in workload that seemed never ending. It taught me how to cope and work well under pressure. It taught me how to fight for what I want. It taught me the importance of hard work and always made sure to reward me for my efforts but this place never failed to make me humble. FAST is like that strict parent who is hard on you but only because it wants you to become a better, toughened up version of yourself who is ready to go out into the world and succeed. However, the best lesson that this university taught me is that you do not live to work, you work to live.  
The person I was back in 2017 is so different than the person I am in 2021. I owe it all to FAST and my people that I found here. I have grown into this confident and an intellectual person who knows what they want to pursue in the future, career wise and in my personal life. Reflecting on my time here, I realise that I have come a very long way and I will always hold this place in my heart. I will miss everything, from running through the corridors to get to the class on time, to walking to cafeteria after every lecture and eating the same food every day, to attending all the social events and having the time of our lives and to making memories on the bus ride home, I will profoundly miss it. All the bittersweet days I have spent here, I will cherish it all. As the graduation day comes near, I would just like to take this opportunity to thank my teachers who taught me all the skills and knowledge I needed, my lab instructors who polished my understanding of the technical world, the guards who were always nice to everybody and the people of cafeteria who have given me more free food than I can count. I thank God for His plan to send me here. My time here will always be irreplaceable and I am honored to have spent 4 years here. I would not trade my time here for anything in the world.