College and I — The Story of Us!

I have wanted to share my story of getting into the university for a very long time now. But this particular story is a bit long. And writing it needs time. (and a specific mood.)
Right now, I've got both.

Okay, here it goes;

I graduated high-school in 2010.

let's talk about my idea of 'college/university' when I was in high-school: I didn't have any. I honestly never thought about college or about a specific major seriously. It was always just one of the things that I didn't give much thought. Come to think of it, when I was in high-school I didn't give much thought of anything other than high-school. I don't why, but, I always kind of thought of college as similar thing to regular schools. You know, it'll be just going from one grade to another. Or moving from one school to another. Like graduating from middle school and going to high-school..

And by the time I was in high-school, people started asking if I had a specific major in mind for when I go to college. And my answer was ALWAYS this; English Literature. (Even though I knew nothing about that major except they read novels in it.)

At the time, I knew nothing about myself but how much I loved the English language. And from then on, English Literature was my only idea of college.

Then, when the time came and I actually graduated, I applied to only one college and one major: College of Arts - English Literature major.

And guess what? I got accepted.

But it was in Alahsa'a.

So, again, guess what? I didn't go there.

Yeah.. I didn't go.
Because it was 1. (considered) far. And 2. My parents (and myself) didn't want me to go and stay in the dorms. So that's that.

By that time, all colleges have closed their admission systems/portals.

So, that semester, the first semester after graduating, I stayed at home. With absolutely nothing to do. And with absolutely no company but boredom.
We thought it'd only be one semester. So we just thought it was good to take a semester off.

The semester after that I wanted to apply at the College of Arts in Dammam, which is nearer to home. But I didn't. Because it had a very bad reputation. And, trust me, I do know that getting a bachelor's degree is not supposed to be easy. But (after istekhara) I studied going there and I couldn't bring myself to apply at that college.

So, that semester, which is the second since graduating high-school, I got accepted at King Faisal University in the Distance Learning.

I studied online for two, maybe three, full months. And, for me, it was one of the worst experiences. Ever. Some other people might think the exact opposite about distant learning. But for me it was bad. I used to sleep in the morning and wake up around 6-7 at the evening. I never go out. And I gained 10 kilos. Wow. (No worries, I lost them now.)

So, as obvious as it is, I dropped out.

I knew that there was something better for me.

And I stayed collegeless till the end of the year.

That's a whole year without actually getting into a proper college.

After that one year comes the third semester, the semester that I applied at the University of Kuwait. They actually told me that I was 100% accepted at their university (Because I got a good GPA—for them—. And my mom is Kuwaiti.). They just needed to finish the paper work and approve of my high-school certificate (Because I'm a Saudi girl applying at a Kuwaiti University.) Anyway, you'll never guess what happened..My certificate—my original certificate, mind you.—got lost. How? GOD KNOWS. But, with a miracle, we found it. Right after the admission system was closed.. Yeah.. The true definition of Kheera (Allah always knows what is best for you.)

So that was my third semester 'collegeless', at home.

After that I tried applying at the University of Bahrain.. But then..

THEN..I got accepted into the University of Dammam - College of Applied Studies and Community Service. (The college I'm studying at right now.)
And let me tell you something about getting accepted after staying at home for a YEAR AND HALF: I cried. I literally cried when I got accepted. Even if it wasn't something I had my mind set on.

I got into a college I knew absolutely nothing about.
I knew absolutely nothing about the majors there.
I had no idea what I wanted to major.
But then my dad told me about that MIS major.
And I started thinking about that..

MIS.

Management. Information. Systems.

It was enough for me that it was about computers. In a computer. For a computer. Just something that takes place in a computer or a laptop.

Yeah.. I had my mind set on THAT.
And I thought, "I'll be getting into it in sha'a Allah."
"That's my major."

Let me tell you one thing about our college; we have two prep years. Not one.

So all the way through those two years I was anticipating the time that I would major in MIS.

The time came. But I wasn't accepted in my most desired major.

Instead, I got accepted in my most dreaded one; Accounting. (No offense Accounting lovers.)

After spending two-miserable-weeks in that dreadful major, they transferred me—among others—into Business Administration.
Which was a thousand times better.
But it wasn't MIS.

I studied a whole semester there, intending to transfer and become and MIS student. All the (women) staff in the admission administration were NOT supportive. At all. They even told me that I would never get accepted into that major..blah blah blah. Whatever.

Nevertheless, last summer, summer of 2014, I submitted my 'Major Transfer Application' online. Feeling so sad about not being accepted already. Without actually getting the news of whether I'm accepted or not. And I was an absolute pessimist about it..

Anyway, at the end of the summer I got an e-mail from the dean, (it was a group e-mail), saying that "..people who wanted to transfer majors need to check the system to see if they got accepted or not. And that, if they got accepted, they need to approve of the major they chose.."

*whispers*
I approved.

Because, for the third time, guess what?
I. GOT. ACCEPTED.

*WHAT!!!!*

I don't think I have ever felt as proud of myself as I felt that day.
It was one of the happiest days of my life.
Specially after going through so much just to figure out what I really wanted. To figure out what I can do best.

Too many people have told me that I can never do it.
That I will never be accepted.
That I just need to accept the fact that I won't be successful in it even if I got accepted.
People have told me that I will fail.
People told me that I'm unsuitable for it.
They told me that this major is so hard I won't be able to go through with it.

I can't even begin to tell you all the other horrible words that I got.

But I can tell you this, I. AM. PROVING. THM. ALL. WRONG.

And more than that, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't, firstly for Allah, then for all the people that have motivated me and told me that I CAN DO IT and told me to 'GO FOR IT'!

Right now, after spending two months studying in this major, I am at my happiest.
This major is a source of happiness to me.
This major, after Allah the almighty, is my safe haven. My sanctuary.

It does not mean that I'm getting perfect grades or anything, because I'm actually not. It just means that I am studying something that I want to study. Not something just to get by with.

All my high-school friends, are graduated.
And I am happy for them.
I don't feel bad for not graduating yet.
You know why? Because I am getting to know something I love.

This major is a door opening for me.
It's not just some words to memorize, or grades to get.
It's something to LEARN.

You know the saying "Do something you love and you will never have to work a day in your life."? Well, I never understood it. Until MIS.

I told my dad a few weeks back that; after majoring I feel like I'm in a whole new and different place. I walk into college everyday feeling like it's a different college. Not the one I studied at for the past two and a half years.

Let me tell you something about myself;
I am not the studying type of person.
I loath studying.
Sometimes, I go to exams without actually studying. I just read the course and go and take the exam. (And end up having the worst grade in history..But never mind that..)

Right now, studying feels better.
It's like I want to get to know my subjects instead of just memorizing them for grades.

Right now, I feel better. I feel more complacent. And I thank Allah everyday for getting accepted.

* * * * * *

I am writing this to motivate every single person that needs motivation.About anything. Not just college/studying.

But I am mainly writing this for me.

To remind myself that the obstacles/difficulties in the way are there just for a better result.

Writing it down makes me actually FEEL the accomplishments that I have made.

Writing it down makes me hang on tighter to it.

To my determination.

It makes me hold on to never giving up.

And I will be reading this and re-reading it every single time I get a spark of doubt.

I hope you'd do the same.
I hope you never give up! (on anything)

Always remember:

"Do something you love and you will never have to work a day in your life."

Be Happy!