NON-FICTION
Never stop believing
"Never stop believing in yourself. Perseverance and optimism are the route to success." Those are the very words that my father had told me, when I was very young. Verily, this credo has been implanted in my mind for a very long time. A very important lesson that I have learnt throughout the course of my life is that hard work never results in futility. However, unless you receive the support of others, the path to success is pretty much like a labyrinth. The former provides you with a tower of strength. In simple terms, hard work and succour are the backbone of success. My opinion might be very subjective, but this is what I believe in.
A year ago, when I was taking my O levels examination, I knew that it was a milestone in my life. For one thing, sometimes I was discouraged by people when they heard that I had taken eleven subjects. But I never felt the urge of dropping any one of my subjects. Why? Primarily because of two major reasons. First of all, I had always had an intense desire of garnering more knowledge about the world. So many things are yet to be discovered in the vast expanse of this world. Expanding my knowledge in different fields might allow me to contribute to new discoveries in future. Also, the more you know, the more you can help others. Who knows? Theories learnt in economics might allow you to save the entire economy of a country someday. Or perhaps chapters learnt in biology might help you to save a life! Because of these simple reasons, I could not choose to drop any of the subjects that I had. They were never a burden to me. It was challenging, but I like setting goals for myself.
For another, there were many who had always believed in me. First and foremost, I would like to thank Allah. I would never have made it if He had not been by my side. Moreover, without the unparalleled support and inspiration of my parents, I would never have made it. Whenever I had asked them to help me, they did so, without a hint of discontent on their faces, no matter how tired or annoyed they might have been.
My school, South Breeze, has evidently made a huge contribution towards my achievement. It has been my second home since childhood, and always will be. The fourteen years that I had spent there have made me who I am today. I would like to thank every single teacher of mine, who had spent hour after hour in teaching us. They contribute to moulding each and every individual in our school into a better and more responsible human being. Their contribution is a debt that can never be repaid. I would especially like to thank our principal, Mr. Zeenat Chowdhury, and our vice-principal, Mrs. Tanzeem Abdullah, for they are the ones who have made South Breeze such an amazing institution. Moreover, I would also like to express my gratitude to my teachers --- Mrs. Aneez Pasha, Mrs. Nazneen, Mrs. Shaheen Sultan --- without whose constant inspiration and support this would have been impossible. I would also like to thank The Daily Star for giving me an award. It has made a very huge difference in my life.
However, the day when I heard that I had got 11 A's and the world's highest in Human Biology, I could not believe it. I felt as if it was a dream, the most beautiful dream that I had ever had. I felt that my hard work had finally paid off. Nevertheless, in one way or another, my success is a product of the selfless contribution made by others. It has endowed me with the responsibility of contributing towards the development of my society. Although currently I am not residing in Bangladesh, that does not mean that I will shun my responsibilities. At present, I am doing International Baccalaureate Diploma in the United World College (UWC) of Hong Kong. IB is one of the most challenging secondary school courses, but it helps to develop one into a better-rounded individual. UWCs are boarding schools that offer scholarships to students all over the world. There are 13 UWCs all across the world, and in my school, I have classmates from 97 different countries. Studying here is truly an amazing experience. And whenever I get the opportunity, I boast about my country and its rich culture.
I know that I have huge responsibilities on my shoulders. In fact, every one of us from this new generation shares this responsibility. We all have to unite and join hands to build a better Bangladesh. We should remember the important role that our country has played in our lives. Bangladesh is a part of my identity, and I believe that one day I will be able to contribute towards its development. Again, perseverance, optimism and hard work can help us do so. We are, indeed, "The Nation Builders of Tomorrow".
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