Alishba Zia

“I hate when people say ‘I wonder what everyone will think.’ People are always going to say something, so I just live for myself. 

I wasn’t always like that, though. When I was younger, I used to be really quiet and sensitive. I would keep to myself in fear of being judged by others, which made it hard for me to start wearing a hijab. In third grade, I wanted to start trying to wear it, but I never did. There was this one group of boys in my class who had made fun of me for the food I brought in for lunch, and I thought that they would also make fun of me if I started covering my hair. It wasn’t until fourth grade that I began to wear it, when I realized that it was okay to be different. 

Now, in high school, I’m still focusing on myself and what I want. I would say that I’m really independent. I’m a first-generation student. My parents didn’t grow up in the American education system, so they don’t understand everything I have to do. I have an older sister who has been able to help me, but other than that, I’ve had to mature quickly and learn to advocate for myself. In junior year, that can be hard, because things are already so overwhelming. I feel like no matter how much I do, there’s always something else. So, sometimes it can be sad to see my peers with really involved parents. But, I know that in the long run, I’ll be prepared to handle challenges.” - Alishba Zia