Page 6 - FP Chronicle Issue 15, Oct 2020
P. 6
N “This is who I am”, “Accept me the way
ew
I am”. Things changed when I started my
Rules
university studies and joined the foundation
program. Back then, in my classroom, my
in a way that would sometimes annoy the
I am Fatma Ahmed Salim Al-Mashani classmates were very active and energetic
instructors. Being a person who gets easily
and I have something exciting to say in annoyed by any social interaction, I hated
this essay. Since it is an electronic mag- the atmosphere of our class, but eventually,
azine meant specifically for students, it I got used to it over the days. Meanwhile,
will be awesome to share my own expe- I found myself ignored by all my class-
rience as a foundation student. If you are mates because of the weird expressions that
not interested already, then feel free to I made. There is a simple point that I want
change the page or close your browser, to clarify about myself -- it is that I make
but if you are curious to find out what is weird and awkward faces whenever I feel
at the heart of this essay, then honor me nervous or happy. I bet that was the reason
and carry on reading. my classmates felt uncomfortable around
me. Therefore, at the time, I suffered a lot
Have you ever imagined what it feels because of the cold atmosphere around me.
like to go outside of your bridge of Then, one day, I was preparing myself for
thoughts? To experience something that my final presentation. I was afraid that I
is unusual to your normal habits? Well, would fail during the presentation by say-
I crossed my bridge once, and it wasn’t ing stupid things in front of the class. What
that bad. Since the day I was born, I was made it worse was the stares I got from my
an uncommunicative person, or in other classmates, who believed I was going to
words, I was socially an introvert. I re- lecture them about how to behave. All of
member my mother always told me that a sudden, the classroom filled with an ap-
being taciturn would find me in a lot of plause that I received from my classmates
situations where I would be misunder- when I finished my talk. They were cheer-
stood. However, I convinced myself that ing me as if I had saved their lives. I wanted
I would never change, with mantras like to leave the class immediately, but I did not
5 FP Chronicle Issue 15, Oct 2020
