Beirut Notebook: From design to diplomacy

BEIRUT; After 18 years of studies, I was excited to enter the university world where I would study a specific field of interest. I was set on Interior Architecture. I never had a career counselor at school, but I just assumed that I liked decorating homes. My first two semesters involved basic knowledge of design, whether it involved painting a color wheel, drawing immovable objects or constructing a Papier-mâché.

I was overwhelmed with starting university life, though surrounded by friends alongside meeting new ones. Thus I did not have time to absorb what mattered the most, if I was pleased in my major.

A year later, I started realizing that I was unhappy with my studies, but I stayed pursuing it believing it was only a phase and it would get eventually better. As semesters passed, I acknowledged that I didn't want to do this and I didn't find myself picking furniture and decorating rooms. I tried looking for different fields, I was particularly interested in hospitality and tourism management and psychology. After asking around before I made a final decision, I concluded that I couldn't see myself down the Hospitality Industry. Thus I adopted the hospitality and tourism management as a minor. The same happened with my interest in psychology, although I still take online courses and read tons of books regarding this field, I limited it to a hobby.

My fifth semester at LAU began as an Interior Architecture student, a week later, I got an internship at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants, specifically at the protocol department. A month had passed, and I realized I was happy at work, and never excited to go to university. One day, I woke up and decided that I was quitting this major and changing to Political Science and International Affairs. My mother at first, did not take the news very well since she got used to me being indecisive, but eventually she realized that I was actually serious this time, that I wanted to do this.

The internship at the Ministry shaped my decision since I was working in something that intrigued me tremendously, whether it was meeting with diplomats or observing the political sphere. Another reason that reinforced me to pursue this career path was the ongoing garbage crisis that had an enormous momentum. I started investigating what exactly had happened and what led us to this turmoil. To add, I had always been fond of being analytical, using critical thinking, complex problem solving, and social perceptiveness, all which were determinant factors in my new major.

Throughout my semesters as a Political Science and International Affairs student, I interned several places, ranging from the Lebanese embassy in The Hague, United Nations Development Program, (UNDP); Annahar, MOFA, and NGOs. I also founded my own university club, the  "Citizenship Club," focused on raising youth empowerment and enlightening young Lebanese on their roles, duties and rights in the society. Now I'm at my last semester at LAU, and I couldn't be happier with my new major. I'm always happy when I'm studying or working, I have excelled at university with a major GPA of 3.85 and excelled at work.

In parallel, I have been an advocate for political reform, human rights and women's rights, especially on social media. This major grew a sense of wanting to change the world to a better place, as cliché as it sounds. It made me want to be on the right side of justice. Often I would get comments and critics whether on Social Media or in live conversation that nothing is going to change but I do believe things will change if you advocate strongly for them. Other people would say many positive comments which in turn motivated me to continue and to have hope.

Moral of the story; always do what you love. I do believe it is all about passion, because when someone works with a heart full of desire and a determined mind set, they can achieve what they set their minds to. Also, it is severely important to explore options before taking any decision, to be able to decide accurately on what one wants to do. But even if not, even if someone finds themselves unhappy with what they thought they liked, it is always okay to change majors or career paths. It took me two and a half years to decide upon this, and I cannot be any happier. I would have had two options, finish earlier and work my entire life in something I was not fond of, or throw away almost two years of design, but become a happy person, believing I was doing the right thing and that I am on the path of reaching my goals. I chose the latter.

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Annahar is featuring an occasional series of personal essays, entitled "Beirut Notebook," from our readers, citizen journalists, and our own correspondents, on their life experiences, ranging from work, travel, encounters, Lebanon living, solutions, fashion, cuisine, culture, family, tech, sport, study, and more. No politics, just Life.

Submissions welcome, send to: [email protected]

Previously featured: 

Beirut Notebook: The heartstrings of home

http://en.annahar.com/article/558329-beirut-notebook-the-heartstrings-of-home

Beirut Notebook: Master of the Wild Dogs

http://en.annahar.com/article/555017-master-of-the-wild-dogs