Where do I begin? There are not enough words to describe my Aggie Story. In the words of Charles Dickins, ‘it was the best of times, it was the worst of times…’
I came to A&M with a clean slate, a fresh start. It was a time to find myself, my passion, my people. It was everything I wanted and much more.
For me graduation isn’t the end, it’s the beginning. It’s not about my GPA or my 120 hours of policy and business knowledge — it’s about my experiences, my growth, my future. It is the day I get to step into the world and prove that all my hard work is not futile.
First and foremost I want to thank the most loving, gracious people I know — Feroz and Shahnaz Bhai. They have made me the person I am today. They are my twin pillars and I am proud to call myself their daughter.
This last semester has been anything but ordinary. All those lasts that a senior hopes to have didn’t happen. I know I am not the only one, but it has been almost eight weeks since Spring Break and I’m still processing the fact that I’m graduating in four days and I wasn’t able to have one last laugh with my roommates, go through my last production night, take my final walkthrough of the Bush School or take my senior pictures. Even though my Aggie experience was cut short by a couple of months, my memories and experiences are not diminished.
My Aggie story began as I wandered through the warm musty halls of MSC Open House hoping to find a place at this huge school. I stumbled upon The Battalion. I listened to the speel, took the handout, and then kept moving forward. I had never thought about working for a newspaper in my life. I knew I loved to write, but I was nowhere near good enough to be hired as a reporter or so I thought. Too afraid to check the news desk box, I went with Science and Technology and a week later I was hired. From then to now, I have been a part of every desk from sports to news to photo. It is safe to say that without The Battalion and its people, my journey would be incomplete. From our advisor Mr. Pils to a freshman page designer that became one of my best friends, Brady Stone, and everyone in between — thank you.
A big chunk of my Aggie story is the people I met. I remember my first class, Arabic at 8 a.m., I made my very first friend — Morgan. We suffered through our daily 8 a.m. for a whole year and four years later, we continue to cheer each other on.
Like most freshmen, I came to Aggieland with no car and quickly became an expert at using the bus system. Frankly, I hated asking for rides because I never had to in the past, but no matter how much bus hopping I tried, there was no way I would make it to my place of worship all the way in South College Station. Finally, I texted these two ladies I had met earlier for a ride, and little did I know that those two girls from Beaumont would be my future roommates and friends for life. Saman and Hena I want to thank you for your friendship, it means more to me than you can imagine.
I have contemplated my decision to come to A&M, leaving my comfort zone comprised of my family, high school and childhood friends multiple times, but what I have gained always outweighs my losses. I have made friends that accept me for who I am, and without them, I would have never made it to this day. I have gained valuable experience and a family at The Battalion from my journey as a freshman writer to my current position as the news editor. The editorial staff has ripped apart my writing, cherished my commitment, and spent countless moments with me complaining about college.
Last but not least, I want to thank my biggest support, my sounding board, my big sister — Sarah Bhai. You fulfill all my wishes without me even asking and no matter how much you hate having me back home, know that you inspire me daily. Although I don’t say it much, I love you.
This may be the end of my Aggie story, but it is not the end of MY story. Aggieland has treated me well and I cannot wait to start the next chapter of my story.
Thanks & Gig’em
Sanna Bhai is a political science senior and news editor for The Battalion.