Dana Q.
Photography by Natalie Bell
If you’re reading this, I’m happy you’re here.
We are all happy that you’re here. You have come a long way and you’re doing incredible things.
That’s what my brothers have always told me since I moved across the world to the United States from Jordan and attended my dream school, SMU.
As an international and transfer student, it was challenging to feel like I belonged here. It was difficult for me to adapt to a new environment, and for me to accept that I am different, and that is okay. I often thought to myself “If only they knew how cool and fun the place I come from is,” and I wished they could see my beautiful childhood through my eyes: surrounded by people who constantly supported me and those who knew me for who I was.
I felt like no one.
I felt lost and lonely, but I always had hope. I held onto my hopes and dreams so tightly that every time that I felt like giving up, I stood back on my feet and returned to what got me closer to where I am today. Hence, I used gratitude to cultivate a more positive and openhearted outlook to new experiences.
They say, “take your journey at your own pace,” right?
I wish someone had told me this before I tried controlling the reality of the uncontrollable things around me. At first, I was so eager to prove myself to others but, along the way, I realized that I could lose myself trying to do so. I learned to invest my energy and time into things that made my inner self happy, and I found that it reflected my positive energy and fulfillment onto others.
Soon enough, others could see me through my eyes and see what I had hoped they would see. I felt at ease when I found people I could relate to, seek advice from, and share happy times with while in college.
Some of those people became my friends, my best friends and even a few became like members of my family.
If only the younger me could see how far we've come. Younger me would never believe that we made it to our dream school, studying for our dream job, and surrounded by people that we love and love us. Younger me would never believe that we made it to the Hilltop.
Dana Q., Southern Methodist University
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