Did I like the way I was? No!
Did I want to change my life around? Yes!
After joining Taylor’s, everything changed. Being an international student, it was crucial for me to change how I was to survive university and to enjoy it to the fullest. So, I slowly started stepping out of my comfort zone. It didn’t happen overnight. It took time, patience, and effort but I began coming out of my introverted shell and approached people. The more people I reached out to, the more I enjoyed connecting with people. It somehow became an addiction. I began doing everything I escaped from back in high school.
Extracurricular activities started to seem like a better and easier way to make new friends. My extracurricular journey began by founding Taylor’s Bangladesh Student Society and becoming President, and because of that, I never looked back. I joined many other clubs and societies such as Taylor’s University Student Council, Taylor’s University International Student Council, and Community Service Initiative (CSI).
Back in 2018, I joined Taylor’s SHINE Award Programme and came under the guidance of Senior Administration Executive, Ms. Tasha Thamalagha, who helped me to engage and connect with more Taylorians from different backgrounds. She inspired me to take up more leadership roles and achieve more things at the same time.
I was then motivated to do things outside of Taylor’s as well. I’ve been working with an NGO called Inclusive Outdoor Classroom, which works for special needs children, for more than 2 years. I’m also trying to be involved with more communities that need the help of young people.
The more I do, the more I love being the person I am today. That shy, introverted kid, who wouldn’t even dare to talk to someone new, is now doing things to change his life around. It wasn’t easy, but I had support from my friends and peers.