https://padlet.com/mariyam_raza19/yp8142k1f78h I am highlighting my life's themes that define and encourage me to become a better person each day en-us 2017-01-19 11:20:25 UTC 2017-01-19 16:03:23 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Dartstarget.png mariyam_raza19 https://padlet.com/mariyam_raza19/yp8142k1f78h/wish/148044397 “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.”
― Aristotle]]> 2017-01-19 11:50:18 UTC https://padlet.com/mariyam_raza19/yp8142k1f78h/wish/148044397 mariyam_raza19 https://padlet.com/mariyam_raza19/yp8142k1f78h/wish/148044855 Born in a middle-income household, the biggest inheritance that I've had, is the opportunity to be educated. 

At the same time, I've also seen around me, so many kids deprived of this opportunity, either because of financial restraints, societal norms, or mere disinterest in the country's public education system. ]]> 2017-01-19 11:52:16 UTC https://padlet.com/mariyam_raza19/yp8142k1f78h/wish/148044855 mariyam_raza19 https://padlet.com/mariyam_raza19/yp8142k1f78h/wish/148045951 I've met and interacted with many young domestic help throughout my childhood. It always bothered me to see child servants aged between 12-15 years doing the household chores at my grandparents' home during my summer vacations, while I was busy finishing my holiday homework. 

What made me different from those kids? Destiny perhaps? But isn't that unfair to blame luck and move on?

Eight years ago, I met a young girl named Tarrannum (domestic help) at a distant relative's place. The one thing that I remember about her is the positivity with which she lived her life. Despite all odds, she was happy with the way she spent her days; her biggest regret being that she could not figure out timings of her favourite TV show, as she was illiterate. 

That moment hit me home. As an 18 year old then, I realised that education was not just a necessity, but a way of life that should be promised to every individual regardless of their background. 

]]> 2017-01-19 11:58:21 UTC https://padlet.com/mariyam_raza19/yp8142k1f78h/wish/148045951 mariyam_raza19 https://padlet.com/mariyam_raza19/yp8142k1f78h/wish/148047411 At the age of 21, freshly out of college, I was offered admission into the country's top mass communication school. With nothing else in my hand, everyone around me pushed me to take that course. However, I was never interested in the subject, and decided to drop it for someone who earnestly wanted it. 

I realised it then, that educating oneself for the sake of it, did nobody good. And promised myself to employ the idea - 'love what you do, do what you love,' for the rest of my career. 

As I am inching towards completing my Master's degree from LKY School, I am enriched with much more than only education. The experiences of being here, have further strengthened my belief in being true to oneself.  ]]> 2017-01-19 12:07:32 UTC https://padlet.com/mariyam_raza19/yp8142k1f78h/wish/148047411 mariyam_raza19 https://padlet.com/mariyam_raza19/yp8142k1f78h/wish/148066165 The April 2014 kidnapping of 276 school girls in Borno, Nigeria left a deep impression upon me. It sent shock across the world, but at the same time brought me to reality at checking my privileges. The incident left me angry at the failure of this world, the politics of it, and pain at the helplessness of the parents, whose girls were kidnapped.

The fact that an extremist organisation was threatened by the spread of education is a clear indication about the power of knowledge. I believe, knowledge-oriented education is the only way how societies and mankind can progress, which no amount of money and power can do. ]]> 2017-01-19 13:32:02 UTC https://padlet.com/mariyam_raza19/yp8142k1f78h/wish/148066165 mariyam_raza19 https://padlet.com/mariyam_raza19/yp8142k1f78h/wish/148072696 As individuals, we are told that the primary purpose of our life is enhance our standard of living and work towards an easy and comfortable life. We are encouraged to pursue fields that rake in better incomes, generating a consumerist behaviour which ultimately satisfies a capitalist world. 

However, discussions about a fruitful life do not encompass our social responsibility. As 'Sapiens' author Yuval Noah Harari mentions, "Each year the US population spends more money on diets than the amount needed to feed all the hungry people in the rest of the world.” I believe that the goal of each individual should be to give back to the society in some way. 

For me, being able to spread the importance of education, and enable individuals to contribute to educating under-privileged children, is one such step of fulfilling my social responsibility. ]]> 2017-01-19 13:52:38 UTC https://padlet.com/mariyam_raza19/yp8142k1f78h/wish/148072696 mariyam_raza19 https://padlet.com/mariyam_raza19/yp8142k1f78h/wish/148076926 There will never be a better time to do what you really want to, than today. I'm perhaps getting too philosophical here, but through personal experiences in the past few years, I've realised that the future is really very unpredictable. It could change any minute, and you would lose focus because of several other distractions. So, in order to do things that you're passionate about, begin today. There will always be skeptics telling you that being practical is the safe way out, but if one is unable to even try to follow one's passion, he/she will only end up with regrets ]]> 2017-01-19 14:02:54 UTC https://padlet.com/mariyam_raza19/yp8142k1f78h/wish/148076926 mariyam_raza19 https://padlet.com/mariyam_raza19/yp8142k1f78h/wish/148079181 J. K. Rowling, has been an inspiring figure for me, not just because of what she wrote, but because of how she wrote it. Writing of what she thought was good enough, while being a single parent and living on welfare, requires courage and conviction in one's abilities.

Malala Yousafzai, is another person who despite all odds, struck to her mission. It might sound clichéd, but taking a bullet to your head and coming back to fight for a cause with full vigour, is no ordinary deal.

Steve Jobs. I am not much of a tech addict, but Jobs left with some of the most important lessons to live by, especially during his fight with cancer. His power to inspire millions of people in the weakest of his times, ability to invest himself into what drove his ambition and above all trust his instincts. 

If I could learn one thing from each one of these people, it would be to have courage and commitment to believe in oneself, even if everyone around you thinks otherwise.  


]]> 2017-01-19 14:08:29 UTC https://padlet.com/mariyam_raza19/yp8142k1f78h/wish/148079181 mariyam_raza19 https://padlet.com/mariyam_raza19/yp8142k1f78h/wish/148106661 Not everything that is written has to be followed. Question the implicit, challenge the face value. This is one lesson, that I want to practice. Whether academia, professional or personal life, agreeing to status quo is not the way to innovation and imagination. ]]> 2017-01-19 15:11:00 UTC https://padlet.com/mariyam_raza19/yp8142k1f78h/wish/148106661