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Nour El Houda Lhouij

Mr. Oussama Er-Rady

First Year Experience Seminar

29th April 2024

Jump to University Life

After graduating high school, it was time for me to start looking for colleges

where I’d pursue my higher education. Little after getting the baccalaureate

degree, I was lost and didn’t even know what I wanted to study nor where to go.

One thing led to another, I found myself in a community college in my

hometown studying something that had nothing to do with any of my past

ambitions or goals. I felt disoriented, I thought to myself “Is that it? Does life

just turn gray after High school?”. I began to normalize the thought of studying

something I don’t like. I reckoned it was the norm. Soon enough, I started

missing classes, I lost interest in my pursuit of academic success. I spent four

months taking online courses, trying jobs here and there. For some time, I

thought I found my “thing”, I figured I was a hustler that makes money any legal

way possible. However, somewhere deep inside me, I knew there was more to a

career than financial income. I had a deep-rooted belief that knowledge and the
process of learning was a noble thing to pursue, no matter the subject, nor the

material outcome that comes because of

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it. I had to expand my awareness of various subjects; I had an insatiable thirst

for knowledge. This is where AUI came to the rescue. While most colleges in

Morocco discarded my application because of how late I was, AUI didn’t

discriminate against my profile because of that. After my application, the

university quickly contacted me to come pass the necessary tests. Little after

that, I had my first class.

“Real” college is everything I ever imagined, it helps shape you as a capable

society member, develop your hard and soft skills, and prepare you for the ever-

expanding competition in the job market. The liberal arts system, unlike other

Moroccan education systems, provided me with enough freedom to consider

doing other activities besides studying and working on assignments. However,

it’s obvious that it came with some difficulties and some points I had to adapt to.

For instance, the monetized identity cards, also known as “cash wallets”, came

as a culture shock. I had a hard time getting over the thought of how

mischievous, greedy, and profit-thirsty that strategy was, especially that the

restaurants here are private companies and charge as much as luxury restaurants

typically charge. But fortunately, time has helped me come in peace with it. I

stopped trying to protest or get more people on my side. On the other hand,
when it comes to relationships with professors, it is very different from high

school. Professors are way more open to discussions; they consider us capable

adults. They are therefore more

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willing to explain and break down any uncertainties regarding the course or

anything else during their office hours or after class time. The perceived

relationships with mentors have changed from an unshakeable torrent authority

figure to a helpful noble prophet whose job is to pass down his knowledge.

Finally, I plan on taking advantage of all the college facilities rightfully and

make the most out of this wonderful opportunity I so thankfully had the pleasure

to acquire. With an open mind and an adaptive personality, no hardship is ever

insurmountable.