Needless to say, it is a cliché that people say they know what they want to do with their life. However, in my case that happens to be a far-fetched idea because my family decided everything for me; from the clothes to wear to the academic career to choose. “My child will be a doctor” had always been an apprehension in my life. I still remember the pleasant day when I was first provided a computer at the age of 12 by my parents. Similarly, it was the same day a feeling of affinity towards it aroused inside me.
At that moment I couldn’t realize what it was. Later, slowly with the change of time, I grew more familiar with computer fundamentals from my middle school courses and became keen to explore more. Soon, respecting my alacrity for computer, people started approaching me with their computer questions. My peers saw me as a tutor during their computer assignments and my teachers expected more from me. The most satisfying moment was when I stood up to all of their expectations.
Soon I began to wonder, “How could a thing like software, that makes any user’s job easier, be in existence?”, “How could a simple set of words called codes result into such a magnificent things as programs and applications?” and “Could I ever be a part of this extraordinary field and give my all for its further progress?” I started Massive Open Online Courses for indulging my predilection for Computer but that passion and alacrity of mine always remained recessive against a simple fact that my family had decided for me to be a doctor.
An answerless question always rambled in my mind. “What is the real purpose of life? Was it just to follow what other decided for me or to seek the potential inside of me and achieve something to bring meaning to life?” Whatever the answer was, I was never so courageous to do the latter. After the completion of secondary school, I enrolled in science faction with biology.
Instead of giving meaning to life, I accepted what my family had planned for me. But when my motherland was bestowed with the catastrophic earthquake everything changed, me and my country. During the volunteering campaign organized by Red Cross, I went through worst case scenario of my country. Those indignant cry of the country and the people over the things they lost made me realize the essence of life, that it was uncertain and tentative. I started to realize that in this uncertain period of time, who I want to be was far more important than what my family wants me to be. Believing that, achieving success on my desired field rather than what other expected from me could create a huge difference in narrow perspective of my society (Belief that student’s future must be decided solely by their grades rather than their interest), I resolved to move forward.
My mind and soul will never forget those horrifying moments that still sends chills through my spine but on the contrary I am glad that those same horrifying moments were the catalyst that engendered a new reason for me to move forward. With a big dream to achieve, I believe there is no better institution than those in USA for Computer Science, so it would be an opportunity of a life time if I were to graduate from a respected Institution. My decision for international exposure is not only for myself but to bring back that experience here and create a difference.
To recapitulate, carrying a dream of illuminating my society and country with broad perspective through the education and experience I receive, I will one day return back to this place to make sure the posterity won’t suffer any more like I did.
