If You Never Go, You Will Never Know! 😊

Click. I tapped. It was a click intended to ‘Submit My Application’. It was a click that was fueled by passion with a lot of uncertainty. It was a click that was eagerly waiting for a response, yet, unsure of the consequences. I still remember the day when I submitted my application for enrollment in the Career-Prep Fellowship Program at Amal Academy. After that single click, I became a part of a systematic process where I was informed about every stage, my progress and upcoming events. From the online application, till the video interview, till the group assessment session and finally the orientation, I saw myself revolve around emotions. Enthusiasm, curiosity, excitement, nervous, a-little-under-pressure and what not! 😂 Gradually, after successful completion of all steps, I managed to attend the very first session of our Fellowship on December 5, 2020. As planned, I was on time. Again, it was just a click. A click, that gave me access to a platform where I could see countless new faces, unique souls and untold stories. A click, that changed my life forever.

The first two weeks at Amal Academy have been easy and difficult. They were easy in terms of the workload that had been assigned, however, they were difficult in terms of getting along with new fellows and presenting yourself, your ideas, your plans in front of those fellows who were still unfamiliar. When I think about my first two weeks at Amal Academy, I am reminded of the scrumptious red velvet cupcake that I baked at home. Likewise, when I look at the picture of the red velvet cupcake that I baked, I am reminded of my first two weeks at Amal Academy. The connection is quite interesting. During the early sessions, things looked pretty understandable. The discussion was fun, the conversations we had in breakout rooms sounded relatable and I could sense myself getting involved. However, when we received the first Project Work task, I was out of words. The project was filled with tasks, online courses and of course, a deadline. In the very same week, I had planned a surprise birthday party for my niece at home. I had no idea that managing the party celebrations with a project work due could be the most inconvenient thing I could ask myself to do. I had to bake the cupcakes, reach out for decoration, organize the table, interact with guests, and also deal with the pressure of an incomplete project work! I started working on the project as soon as it was uploaded — but, I assisted myself with breaks. My focus on quality, instead of quantity, urges me to put in my time and heart in everything that I do, so whatever the task was, I demanded time.

When it was the time to bake, I felt overwhelmed. With the right set of ingredients, I managed to bake some good-looking cupcakes, presentable enough to be served in the birthday party 😁. The party was a success, and so were my cupcakes, but what about my project work submission? It was incomplete with only six more hours remaining for timely submission. I realized that this was an opportunity I totally did not want to miss, regardless of how exhausted I was. I stayed awake, completed my pending tasks in the project and managed to submit a completed version of my work exactly one hour before the deadline. Pheww! 😅 It’s over! I reassured myself.

After about a week, fellows are given feedback on their previous project work submissions. Again, this was something new I was getting used to, but it was always worth the wait. As soon as the session commenced, our program manager decided to share feedback, starting off with shout-outs for fellows who had submitted quality projects. Guess what just happened! From a batch of about thirty-six fellows, there were six fellows who were acknowledged for their hard-work, and the name ‘Hajra Ijaz’ was at the top of the list! Hurray! 🤩

What a moment that was! Appreciation and compliments from almost every fellow totally made my day. I forgot the exhaustion I felt a week ago. I forgot all the stress I felt at the birthday. All I could do was, express gratitude — gratitude, towards my family, my facilitators and my fellow batchmates who boosted the energy I had. As soon as the session I ended, I realized that it was time to reward myself for not giving up. I kept thinking, what should I do? What should I eat? Where should I go? I was blank, until I was reminded of something. I was reminded of my efforts, the red velvet cupcakes I baked, and there you go, freshly baked red-velvet cupcakes at your service!

Happiness is when you reward yourself!

If you never go, you will never know!

The first two weeks at Amal Academy have taught me the value of believing in myself. Telling myself that ‘I can do it’. Telling myself, ‘Don’t worry’. Telling myself, ‘It’s okay’. I realized that we often get too harsh on ourselves, however, we must not do that. Life requires a positive approach with a soft heart. Do not be hard on yourself. All you really need to do is, work hard. Just do the best you can do with all your heart. Going the extra mile will always come with a reward, so make sure to aim for it! 🙌

Thank you Amal Academy! Had it not been you, I would have never had the chance to enjoy my very own cupcakes, specially made for myself 😊. I will never forget this remarkable start of self-discovery, a story that changes your life, and a life that welcomes you towards understanding that ‘if you never go, you will never know’. ✨