My Personal Narrative (Incomplete, sorry)

I've been working on my personal narrative, trying to make it as good as possible. I have only written half of it so far. Let me know if it needs changes. Thanks.

Amidst the bustle on the Hong Kong Airport, I walked to my next terminal gate. In the glass window to my right, above the horizon of airplane tails, I gazed at the congested metropolitan, full of high-rise towers. The shimmer on the bay water and clear blue sky hoaxed calmness and ease. Walking the long mile in the sea of people, I couldn’t help but think of the events that had surpassed fourteen hours ago. Somehow the garrulous teenager and stories of her erratic life in Australia had swayed my mind for the past nine hours. But now, I walked alone.

“Got everything you need? … Passport? I-20? Kuch reh tou nahin giya? (Anything left?)” said my dad, as we walked out the front door. “No, I think we have everything. Let’s go before I miss the flight,” I replied. My mom was already in the front seat. The weather was a little better than it was yesterday, less humid. But the scorching August sun in the clear sky made the air hot. It was a usual Pakistani day. I squeezed in the middle of the back seat, my siblings on either side.

“Remember; call me as soon as you get to Karachi. Phuppa Jaan would be there to pick you up, ok? Tell him if you need something to eat, alright? You would be hungry by then, I should have made you sandwich. Do you want a sandwich? It will only take a minute … buy something from the airport then. Is your cell phone charged? Call me before you board the plane…” my mother continued talking while I nodded my head. I knew that she was the one most concerned. I can never forget how hard it was to convince her to let me go to college in the states. None of her siblings, or her children had attended college outside Pakistan.

No one mentioned when I’ll be seeing them again, but of course, the question still loomed in the back of our heads. The usual conversation continued till we pulled up in the parking spot close to the departure terminal. My brother and I took out the suitcase trolleys from the trunk. “Bang!” the trunk’s lid closed.

Home, the place where I belong.

As thanksgiving holidays arrive, and Christmas soon to follow, everyone seems to be packing up their bags to head home, to their families. All those who plan on staying here for thanksgiving know how it feels to see your roommate putting all their stuff in the big suitcase while they excitedly tell you all about what its like, "thanksgiving at their place." Regardless of your interest, you stand, nod your head while your mind strays to the thought of your family. Even though I never celebrated thanksgiving, the holiday still make me miss home.


Last night, I went through the pictures of my last week in Pakistan and I came across this one group photo of my family at what they called, "Talha's going-away party." I could see the deep emotions under those smiling faces, reflecting their true feelings. Being the youngest of three children, I had a much intimate bond with them. Now, that i had chosen to stand on my own feet, and take up responsibility, I admire their utmost support and belief that they have in me. Without them, nothing would have been possible. I owe them a lifetime!


The consistent connection I've had growing up with my cousins brings back those wonderful memories. Gossiping, crank calling, watching movies, random hiking trips, conversations that lasted till dawn and all that fun we had in our little summer house in the hills, engraved memories in my mind. I still look back at those days, the moments we enjoyed and the memories we made.

I am grateful for my family, and for the memories I have shared with them. I cannot wait to visit them over summer break.

"Earning Your Tuition"

Last Friday, in my American Heritage lab, our TA, while talking about using different resources on campus to do better on tests and papers, mentioned a phrase "earning your tuition." It just struck me right there, and instantly, I wrote it on the front page of my notebook.

I think that phrase has a deep meaning in the life of every college student. For me, it brought back all my memories of hard work. All that I had persevered to be successful enough to accomplish so much and make it here today. The sacrifice and struggle we all put in reaps its fruit for all of us. Its not just that first pay-check you get from your very first job after graduating from college, but its all that you earn at an institution. The priceless knowledge that you attain, it becomes a part of you and your life forever.

As my first semester at BYU comes to an end, I feel I have already learned so much in so little time. The experiences, the memories, the friendships, the relationships, and anove all, the knowledge... all that this prestigious institution has given me has helped me grow. It excites me to think about the rest of my years here-so much to look forward to!

My first football game

Its funny that outside US, football is an altogether different sport. So, like other things, my transition to American football took its time. Prior to coming to BYU, I had heard a lot about its football team. I couldn't get an all-sports pass but I hoped to attend at least one football game at the huge LaVell Edwards Stadium.

I got the ticket, and I was all pumped up for the game. The only problem left was, I had no idea how American Football is played. All I knew was, each team tries to get the ball on the other end of the field where there is 'a' line that is supposed to be crossed. So, I looked it up on the internet, learned the basic things like positions and rules. Youtube definitely helped a great deal. After watching all that, not only had I become a BYU football fan, but also the sport in general.

Finally, it was game-day. Busy roads, traffic diversions, and the color blue everywhere. We got there a little late and the game had already kicked off. Soon, with BYU's first touchdown, we were singing "Rise and Shout, The Cougars Are Out." I ended up screaming so hard, that I temporarily lost my voice (but it was definitely worth it!)


Looks good, till that last part.


After the game, we decided to order a pizza so we called Pizza Hut and placed our order. When we went to the pizza hut on North Canyon Road, we found out that we had accidentally placed the order at their Springville branch. So, we ended up canceling that order, putting up a new order and waiting another hour to get $18 bucks worth of pizzas only for $8. That night turned out to be one the most amazing nights I've had since I've come to BYU. It was the perfect escape from the hectic college workload. I'm really glad I had the opportunity to enjoy that night with my best friends, Stacey and Andrew.

Moving on... with school

Going over my blog, I realized that I have written too much about religion. BYU certainly is a big change, and there is a lot more that has been going on in my life since I have came here.

College classes are really different from high school classes (especially, for me). Over the last 12 years of life, I had been studying under the British education system. I felt a significant difference in the style of education practiced here in US. The most prominent difference is in the approach towards learning. British education practices focus more on principle and theories, whereas the American system teaches more about practicality, and how to implement the ideas in real life.

Surprisingly, I spend less time in front of books now, and obviously I like it a lot better. This certainly does not mean that school is easier here, but in fact it teaches me more. I believe this style of education prepares students to go out and be more productive. They can easily relate class room principles to real life, and hence be more efficient at work.


In high school, you could study in the last month before exams and easily ace that class. It definitely required 10+ hours of studying in a day, but you get the advantage of enjoying the rest of the year. It definitely isn’t the same in college. It doesn’t make too much difference whether you have two classes in a day or four, with a balanced schedule, you can balance out work and leisure.

179th Semiannual General Conference and the trip to Temple Square

The morning of Oct 3rd 2009 was pretty cold. I was suited up and had a scarf on as I walked over to my friend’s apartment at 7 o’clock in the morning. The sun still behind mountains made it seem like dawn. The hype of General Conference had me all excited, and wondering about the day’s proceedings. Soon, we were on the highway, on our way to the Salt Lake Temple.

I had barely spent over one month at BYU, and I had already heard so much about it. “It is the biggest tourist site in Utah; the biggest LDS temple in the world.” In fact, my question is, how can anyone not know of Salt Lake Temple or Temple Square if he or she is at BYU?

We finally reached there around eight. By looking at all the traffic diversions and parked cars I could tell that a lot of people were going to show up. We walked almost quarter of a mile from the parking spot to Temple square, and I was glad we had a close parking spot. Temple Square, just as I had heard, was gorgeous.

A little while after getting seated, President Monson gave a brief welcome speech. The gigantic Conference Center was almost filled up. Afterwards, Elder Scott, Elder Clayton, Elder Bednar, and President Uchtdorf delivered their speeches. My favorite one was by Elder Bednar where he talked about expressing love to members of the family. It made me reflect on my family back at home, and reminded me of my responsibilities. I was really impressed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I was awed every time they sang a hymn. With all the lighting, it seemed epic.

After the first session was over, we roamed around temple square, and went through the Church Museum where I learnt a great deal about church history. That day was a very unique experience for me. Four months ago, I would never have imagined visiting so many new places, and learning so many new things. I am truly grateful to have the wonderful opportunity to experience all this just because I decided to come to BYU. I hope that during the rest of my time here, I keep experiencing new things.

The best Family Home Evening!

I know this blog is being posted REALLY late, but I still want it to be up there.

Since coming to BYU, and being surrounded by such a religious influence, I have reflected on my religious beliefs a lot. In light of these experiences, I decided to do an interesting FHE activity, something I knew no one in my FHE group had done before; talk about Islam.

Ramadan, the month of fasting had just come to an end, and it was Eid, the most important day on the Islamic calender. It just felt like the perfect time to do something like this.

So I started preparing for a talk, or presentation. I couldn't quite tell what it should be. Ideas kept swirling through my head. There was just so much I wanted to tell, but I knew I wouldn't be able to. I looked up my sources and compiled what seemed to me the perfect set of facts to outline a religion of over a billion people on this planet.

The activity started with some slightly awkward glances as everyone (except for my roommates) had no idea where this discussion was heading. I don't blame 'em. Coming to attend a completely Mormon activity, this was definitely least expected. To make everyone comfortable, I told everyone that I was not a member (which wasn't a surprise), and explained my reasons for coming to BYU. I told them why I felt the need to do this, and they seemed quite interested in whatever I had to say. I outlined Islamic belief, history, traditions, practices while my roommate compared every aspect to Mormonism. It was incredible how similar many beliefs were. Questions like, "Do Muslims use technology?" "Have you ever been to Mecca?" "Do you have to marry a Muslim girl?" kept coming and I answered them one by one. The activity definitely went over an hour.

I enjoyed that activity alot. I got to learn so much more about my own religion, like I believed in John The Baptist but I always knew his with his Hebrew name "Yahya." I hope I get the opportunity to enjoy more Family Home Evenings throughout my time at BYU.

My observations about the LDS Church and BYU, and how it affects the lives of its Students

Last week, I wrote a paper for my class "Intro to LDS Church" describing my experience at BYU. I thought it would be something interesting to post on the blog...

As a Muslim student at BYU, I believe my experiences over the past couple of months have taught me a lot about Mormons and their peculiar culture. This university has helped me mature and take responsibilities in a way that I had never imagined. During my time at BYU, I have discovered that not only does this institute excel in academic excellence, but also emphasizes on high morals which bring out the best out its students while educating them on the essential concepts of world disciplines, and also keeping them closer to their religious beliefs.

A year ago, when I first learnt about Brigham Young University and decided to apply here as an undergrad, I had absolutely no idea about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The only time I had heard of the term “Mormon” was in a TV show called F.R.I.E.N.D.S, when one of the characters, Rachel, is asked if she would like an alcoholic drink and she declines. The person assumes that she must be a Mormon. Even then, I didn’t pay any attention to the term, or what it meant.

The Church’s name mentioned on the BYU website caught my eye. I looked it up on Wikipedia to learn a little about its origin & history, basic doctrinal beliefs, teaching practices, organization & structure, and culture. The preliminary information turned out to be really resourceful in giving me a clearer picture of the LDS faith. I kept reading more and more about BYU and Mormonism. I was impressed by the reputation of the Marriott Business School and its Accounting program; the tuition cost almost seemed unbelievable, and the emphasis on high morals identical to the morals of my own religion seemed ideal. The college seemed to be my perfect match. Upon my acceptance, I was also offered a generous scholarship out of the Church tithing. By summer break, BYU was what I was most looking forward to in the coming years of my life. Not until had I arrived here, did I learnt so much more in such detail about the peculiar culture of BYU.

My first impression of Mormons, as truly-devoted Christians made me respect them a lot. They way everyone implemented Gospel principles in their lives made me reflect on my own religious beliefs. I became enthusiastic to learn more about their religious beliefs and practices, and often I would compare it to my own. I really appreciate how BYU’s unique lifestyle harnesses the best out of its students by encouraging service and dedication. The university mission statement accurately outlines this in the words, “The mission of BYU is to assist individuals in their quest for perfection and eternal life.” The Church Missionary Program is excellent as it gets young individuals to go out and spread the message of the Gospel while reflecting on their own lives and hence preparing them for eternal perfection. It amazes me how this tradition strengthens the testimony of thousands, making them stronger believers. The Church also has an efficient organization. Daily scripture reading, three hours of Sunday Church and Ward Prayer, Monday Family Home Evening and occasional visits to the temple create a constant sense of commitment among Mormons, constantly reminding them to stay on the righteous path. Becoming a part of BYU, I enjoy taking part in these religious activities as I get to meet so many interesting people, and learn so much about Mormonism.

I wish all religions of the world were just as crucial about education as Mormonism is. The example of Church leaders like Brigham Young, Gordon B. Hinckley, and Joseph F. Smith has inspired millions in the quest of attaining knowledge. Back In the difficult days, right after migration to Utah, Mormons were living from hand to mouth but still, Brigham Young was persistent that some sort of educational system could be set up, and hence The Church decided to establish “stake academies.” The Church Education System ensures that the youth is educated not only with religious principles but all sorts of disciplines. The vast variety of majors and minors, and the broadly outlined University Core programs in BYU are evident of this fact. As a consequence, students at BYU are far better prepared for all sorts of situations.

The friendliness that BYU caters is exceptional; it has always made me feel at home. Even though Mormons have a deep commitment to their religion, yet I’ve never met anyone on campus so far who would be intolerant of my religious beliefs, instead they all have admired me for being dedicated to my religion. I really appreciate how respectful my roommates, friends, class fellows, and professors have been of my religious beliefs and practices, especially in today’s world, where Muslims are looked upon as fundamentalists and religious extremists. In one of my Family Home Evening activities, I gave a brief outline of Islamic facts, history, beliefs and practices. It fascinated me to see everyone so enthusiastic about the topic and their eagerness to learn more. I believe that if people of all religions could come together and start respecting each other just like that, we would stop having conflicts.

I admire Church leaders for their emphasis on “presenting yourself.” The LDS Church sets down a complete way of life with a healthy, presentable outlook for its members. The Church strongly prohibits any immoral acts like drinking, smoking, fornication or others which are widely disregarded in all societies and religious. This has created a very positive image of Mormons around the world. The honor code set in place at BYU works remarkably well to ensure adherence to these principles. One of the most positive outcomes of this honor code has been the general belief that BYU students have better work ethics than students of other universities, which is indeed true. Therefore, employers from around the world come to BYU campus every year to recruit students so they can go forth and contribute to the workplace.

Even though BYU maintains an ideal lifestyle, the one thing that makes me, and many non-Mormons uncomfortable about the Mormon culture and the atmosphere at BYU is the eagerness everyone has to get married. I appreciate the keenness towards fulfilling the most important religious obligation, but to an outsider, it just seems really odd. Another thing that stands out about most Mormons is that a lot of them belong to big families, and hence, plan on having big families themselves. This is a peculiar culture that is unlike in any other college or university in the entire United States.

In conclusion, BYU is an excellent institute with a great reputation, and its students have a strong commitment to high moral values and religious beliefs. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most organized religions on the planet that ensures its members are educated not only with religious doctrine, but also the essentials of all worldly disciplines and continue to lead a righteous life in the light of Gospel principles while going out to serve others.