How you think your major/study will help you reach your future career/life goals?

My major will allow me to experiment in many different future careers. It has been difficult for me to decide exactly what I want to pursue in the future, but this does not scare me. Being a communications major taught me that anything can be something that can take you places and open many doors. It is about having the agency to create a product or service that has meaning and a purpose. I find myself a creative person and always have the urge to express myself through different mediums whether it is print or visual.

How you juggle your studies with any hobbies/groups/clubs/careers you participate in?

When we reach that mid-point of the semester, things tend to get overwhelming however, it is important to prioritize tasks and making sure that my time management skills does not cause me any stress. Although, stress as a university student is inevitable but it’s worth it (sometimes) because I get to do the things that I love.

Who are your favorite professor(s) at Northwestern Qatar and why?

Each professor I had at NU-Q taught me a valuable lesson that I yet carry on with me to this day. I appreciate the way they believe in our capabilities to flourish as young adults and their support in making sure we are on the right track. My favorite professors (and this is not in order) would be Professor Dana Atrach, she taught me that there is no limit to creativity no idea is a bad idea when you put your all into it. I also admire that she allows me the space of no judgment and to be who I am are and express what I like and incorporating that into my projects. I also very much appreciate Professor Christopher Sparshott, I never had interest in history classes, I always thought they were pointless and boring. However, the way he delivers his classes and lectures has opened a new realm for me in discovering history and how things are the way they are. I very much enjoy analyzing history and looking at the different generations within many regions. Professor Kristen Pike is also one of my favorite professors that taught me how to analytically critique films and other forms of media that we consume.

What is your favorite class you’ve taken at Northwestern Qatar?

The class understanding media context, taught by professor Kristen Pike. We explored how films and television shows have conventions and aspects of politics and history embedded into media. Some of them are problematic and last for decades that create unrealistic standards of beauty for women but also pressuring men to act in a certain way due to the stereotypes being represented in the media. In one of her lectures, we explored the history of feminism and how the films in the 1970’s labeled women in a stereotypical box with generalized beliefs about women such as emotional, irrational, uneducated and etc. This class taught me many important things to look at while I am consuming media because most of the time offensive media can be overlooked and dismissed, and now I think it is important to point out these issues.

Any other future aspirations you have for after you graduate?

I want to pursue a master’s degree either in English literature or psychology. Literature has always been an interest of mine; I love reading poetry but also writing them too. Something about writing words down helps me clear my mind and also, I love using words as a means to express myself. Words hold so much magnitude which goes beyond my own interpretation and anyone can relate to any piece of writing in the way that it applies to their own life circumstances. I think that my interest in mental health made me want to pursue something in psychology and my major compliments it well as I think that words are important and the way we address important issues such as mental health should be way more serious and less stigmatized. We are seeing positive progress in the recent years with diluting the stigma around mental health, however there is so much unlearning behaviors and beliefs for us humans to reflect on in order to be able to create ones that better serve us as people.