Tuesday, September 11, 2001, a date that will forever be a part of history, a tragedy that shook the world. I recall going back to school the following week, an 11 year old Muslim 7th grader ready to start her day. Boy was it difficult. The deadly stares I received while commuting on the NJ transit bus to and from school. I felt like I was the blame for every tragedy that has occurred. Being a covered Muslim girl suddenly became a burden. The students ridiculed me, asked me if I was a terrorist. I literally went home crying every single day to my parents and begging them to transfer me to another school. My parents simply said, kids are kids and you just have to move on. I just could not accept that as an answer. I decided that just after 1 year of putting on the hijab (head scarf); I decided to take it off in hopes of being accepted by my peers.
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Flash forward to 2007, first semester as an engineering student, new faces, new classes, and new rules. How was I going to adjust and make friends? This was the first time in all my years I felt like I can fit in because there were people who came from all various backgrounds. Within a few weeks into my first semester, I made plenty of friends. Despite sharing the same ethnic and religious background , I felt like there was still a since of …show more content…
I clearly remember 15-year-old frustrated Delviniah. She just always found a reason to give up on any difficult task. After many tears and one-on-one tutoring, her “thank you for all your help,” affirmed that I am making a difference in someone’s life. I have had my share of personal struggles, but despite those obstacles; I was still able to accomplish my dream of becoming a teacher and helping students to
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Flash forward to 2007, first semester as an engineering student, new faces, new classes, and new rules. How was I going to adjust and make friends? This was the first time in all my years I felt like I can fit in because there were people who came from all various backgrounds. Within a few weeks into my first semester, I made plenty of friends. Despite sharing the same ethnic and religious background , I felt like there was still a since of …show more content…
I clearly remember 15-year-old frustrated Delviniah. She just always found a reason to give up on any difficult task. After many tears and one-on-one tutoring, her “thank you for all your help,” affirmed that I am making a difference in someone’s life. I have had my share of personal struggles, but despite those obstacles; I was still able to accomplish my dream of becoming a teacher and helping students to