I remember my very first day as a student at IBA being both an exciting and overwhelming ordeal. Coming from a pretty tiny A-Levels college-affectionately referred to by friends as a “matches ka dabba”- I was more than a little apprehensive by this giant of an institution. A million questions and scenarios rang through my head, each one more embarrassing than the last. Why did room numbers start with letters? What was ERP and why was the website so confusing? Why am I the only one wearing an ID Card? Do I really need to keep my birthday a secret?
Looking back at all the awkward encounters and mishaps that took place that day, I realize something I hadn’t noticed before but would have saved me from a lot of silly worrying. The truth is, absolutely no one knows what they are doing on that first day- not the fashionable girl who sits up front, not the pretentious guy who answers every question with his own, not even the group of friends who have been together since kindergarten. Each person is just doing what they can to adjust to this massive change; what matters, undoubtedly, is how much you are willing to learn.
As I made my way over the bridge at the end of the day, gawking at the Adamjee building on my left and the IBA Library on my right, I remember feeling a sense of accomplishment with a taste of bitter-sweetness. Somewhere between stressing over university applications and breaking my back in Ramadan studying for CIE’s, I had grown up. Gone were the days of disciplinary rules and school assemblies; the only person I was answerable to in this world was me, something that both excited and frightened me. As I watched the sunset over the beautiful landscape, however, I felt a new sense of peace. I would get through it, one day at a time.
5 thoughts on “Reflecting on my First Day at IBA”
AWESOME
This is such a well written piece and I can totally relate to every bit of it. It took me days to remember which code refered to which block, to figure out which side of Tabba led to Students centre and which led to Aman (still not good at it) and why was it called ERPs after all. But really well conceived is the thought that really no one- neither the enthusiastic one, nor the introvert- is clear about what world they have set their foot in. Everything is hazzy on the first day and yet irreplacable; the faces, the classrooms, the teachers all appear so not belonging to our own familiar world but the experience is just so worth it. Indeed, the new chapter, embellished with alot of newness, anticipation, thrill, adventure, anxiety, excitement and learning, is bound to continue and yet ignites the hope that we certainly will move forward.
This is beautiful!! Love it!!
This is so relatable. Loved itt