People are What Bring Learning To Life by Sarah

People are What Bring Learning To Life by Sarah - November 2016 Scholarship Essay

I remember sinking in my seat at in second grade, shortly after I moved to America from Egypt, when my teacher, Mrs. Sesams, mentioned the 9/11 bombings. My face became a humiliating shade of red while I watched as my classmates turned their heads around to look at me. I was the only Middle-Eastern girl in the classroom, and for some reason, I was tricked into feeling a guilt that I did not deserve. Through elementary, middle, and high school, I’ve had to deal with being the only Arabic-speaking girl at my school, and I have been thrown into stereotypes and categories that have been detrimental to my self-image and confidence. Although I eventually learned how to accept who I was and take pride in my Egyptian heritage, I’ve always dreamt of being surrounded by people who I could relate to. In college, I am most looking forward to the people I meet because I’m ready to explore diversity of opinion and experience. Instead of striving for homogeneity, I dream of the day where I am able to find home in a college where plurality is embraced. I will be most thankful for the open minded people who will not judge me based on my first language, skin color, or religion, but ones who will get to know me and respect every aspect of my identity. I want to be able to learn from people who come from different cultures and geographical regions. Witnessing how a different life can cause a person to view the world in a unique way would be enlightening.

Fast-forward to my junior year of high school, when we were debating about whether or not Syrian refugees should be allowed into the country in my AP US History class. I was surrounded by a classroom of all white students, except another girl, who was African-American. In this situation, I felt outnumbered and held under the responsibility of defending all Arabs. The students in my class were not well informed about the issue; I live in the suburbs of Charleston, South Carolina, where xenophobia is prevalent. All eyes immediately were drawn to see my reaction and response to a girl who stated that violence was rooted in Islam, my religion. I want to feel comfortable in my learning environment. I want to have discussions that aren’t motivated by targeting a minority but by education. People are what bring learning to life. I want to be in a classroom where we can have heated debates, where opinions from people who have lived all kinds of experiences are shown respect. I want to be in an environment where I can be comfortable enough to be myself, but also challenged to develop my own beliefs.