Nafia’s Student Story

Meet Nafia

Nafia is a Pakistan first-generation college student who grew up on the Northside of Chicago. They graduated from their neighborhood Chicago Public School (CPS) high school in 2022 and was an International Baccalaureate Diploma student. They are currently enrolled at a private university based in a suburb outside Chicago and are pursuing their bachelors in neuroscience with a minor in English.

Navigating High School

During their first semester of high school, Nafia loved walking on campus and seeing that their classmates were from all over the world. “I really appreciated how diverse [my high school] was. I felt like that’s something I really benefited from because I came out of [my high school] being more open-minded and being a better person.”

Sadly, during their second semester of Sophomore year, the pandemic started. Which completely altered Nafia’s experience, and even their school memories. “I’m not going to lie, I can’t really remember what my first two years at [my high school] were like. [Before the pandemic] I had friends and stuff, and so I think it was just a normal high school experience. But then Covid happened, so then I kind of got memory wiped.” Despite the pandemic drastically changing their schooling experience, Nafia appreciated the time at home. “I feel like Covid was actually a good time for me because being at home was good and not having to go to school was fun.”

“I’m not going to lie, I can’t really remember what my first two years at [my high school] were like. [Before the pandemic] I had friends and stuff, and so I think it was just a normal high school experience. But then Covid happened, so then I kind of got memory wiped.”

One of their most vivid memories was Senior year. Nafia started their first day of Senior year in-person, after over two years of remote learning. “Senior year came and we were back in classes, and that transition was weird again because I forgot how to interact with people.” Nafia explained how awkward it was to readapt socially to in-person school.

But the worst challenge they faced when going back to in-person classes were their International Baccalaureate (IB) exams. When talking about those exams, Nafia shook their head and described exam day as a nightmare. “Oh my god, IB tests were the worst thing that has ever happened to me! And even as a college student, I feel like I haven’t done anything as hard as taking an IB test at 17 after Covid. It was bad!”

“Oh my God, IB tests were the worst thing that has ever happened to me! And even as a college student, I feel like I haven’t done anything as hard as taking an IB test at 17 after Covid. It was bad!”

Nafia took IB and other college prep courses because they planned on going to college. Although they were committed to college, their ‘why’ changed throughout high school. At first, they felt pressured. “I was hardcore programmed and thinking that’s all I could do with my life.” This pressure made them feel obligated to take IB classes. “Even though I was taking all these hardcore courses, it was because I felt like I didn’t have any other option. I felt like, not that I didn’t have any other option, but just I didn’t know where else I would fit in life besides college.” Nafia named they felt this pressure from both “my parents but also I feel like society.”

Even though Nafia focused only on going to college, their energy Senior year to navigate applications was low. After being in high school during the pandemic and navigating a rocky transition back to in person classes their Senior year, Nafia was burnt out. “I felt like I had just been surviving through school my whole life, and I didn’t want to do that forever. I didn’t want to just go to college and survive through it.”

“I felt like I had just been surviving through school my whole life, and I didn’t want to do that forever. I didn’t want to just go to college and survive through it.”

Their counselor encouraged and supported Nafia to persist. After working together on Nafia’s college essays Nafia was invited to join the schools’ college ambassador program. It was an afterschool program that invited students to be near peer mentors to support their student community navigate the college application process. “We would just talk about how to encourage students to do the next step in their college journey. Sometimes it meant encouraging students to finally hit submit on their applications. So then we would make posters and put them around school or post on our social media. We created an Instagram page for it, and we would give shout outs to students who received scholarships or got accepted to schools, and we would take pictures of our friends holding campus college campus merch…it was really just building an encouraging environment so it’s not as anxiety inducing.”

Looking back, Nafia noticed how student-to-student support was a more encouraging way to motivate students through the college application process. “And it would be student-based, which would be helpful because then I can just ask my friends if they’ve been working on their personal statement instead of a faculty member coming and being like, ‘have you been doing your college work?’”

“And it would be student-based, which would be helpful because then I can just ask my friends if they’ve been working on their personal statement instead of a faculty member coming and being like, ‘have you been doing your college work?’”

Nafia was also a part of a college preparatory program which invited them to interview with several colleges in one day. During the interview day, they met the college admission representative of their current university. “I wasn’t taking [the university] seriously as a prospect. And because of that, my interview with the guy was so casual … I felt like I really enjoyed his vibes and I remembered that.” Coincidently, a couple months later Nafia’s counselor invited a college representative from that university for a visit and insisted Nafia meet with them. “He wanted me to meet her. So then he set up a meeting for us and I said ‘dude, why do you want me to meet her?’ And he said ‘because she’s a really cool person of color, and I think even if you don’t choose [this university], she’ll be a cool person for you to meet.”

Nafia was still exploring their options and applied to other schools. However, even after financial aid, the schools were too expensive for Nafia. “And because I was so stressed about IB exams and so burnt out, I had missed opportunities for scholarships and stuff. So, I felt like [my current university] was a good choice for me and a safe option.” Ultimately Nafia decided to attend the school they had been connecting with throughout the year.

“And because I was so stressed about IB exams and so burnt out, I had missed opportunities for scholarships and stuff. So, I felt like [my current university] was a good choice for me and a safe option.”

Nafia’s College Journey

Initially when Nafia started school in the fall, they felt unsure. “When I was going into college, I’m not going to lie, I was not super into it. I just felt like school wasn’t my thing, even though I was kind of academic and a nerd. I don’t like the school system, but I still went to college.” This feeling of uncertainty grew, as Nafia heard about their other friends’ college experiences. “I felt like all of my friends were going to colleges that super resonated with who they were as people. And I was like, ‘damn, I can’t talk to anyone about this.’ So that was anxiety inducing.”

It didn’t help that for their first semester, Nafia said “I was a huge loner.” They recall this was in part of being in the honors program which pushed them to be “on my academic grind.” And because they were a commuter student. “As a commuter in general, it’s super hard to build real relationships besides just like, ‘oh, we’re in class and we’re sitting together and we’re talking.’ I felt like none of my friendships existed outside of class.”

“As a commuter in general, it’s super hard to build real relationships besides just like, ‘oh, we’re in class and we’re sitting together and we’re talking.’ I felt like none of my friendships existed outside of class.”

Another challenge Nafia faced was with their financial aid office. “The thing with that is [my university] really says that it’s all for helping first gen people, but I feel like in some of my first gen moments, I’ve felt super unsupported by [my university] sometimes when I was dealing with financial aid issues.”

During their Freshman year, their financial aid wasn’t going through and the financial aid office said that Nafia owed the school a large amount of money. Shocked, Nafia responded “girl, I would not have come here if I wanted to pay you guys money. What are you talking about?” They asked Nafia to send them a specific form to process their financial aid. “I was looking through all of my stuff for this form, and I’m talking to my super immigrant brown dad about how I need this form so that they can let my aid come through. Turns out that form doesn’t exist!” After an extensive search Nafia realized the office had miscommunicated so they sent another alternative document they guessed the office was referring to. Soon after, their financial aid went through.

“I was looking through all of my stuff for this form, and I’m talking to my super immigrant brown dad about how I need this form so that they can let my aid come through. Turns out that form doesn’t exist!”

Unfortunately, this is not the only miscommunication they have had with the financial aid office. Recently Nafia sent an email to them with questions they had about their tuition. “And [the department] replied, by not answering any of my questions.” Nafia emailed them again with a different approach and said “hey, here are my questions. Please answer at least one of them” and was finally able to get some answers. Reflecting on that interaction they said it’s like “literally texting a man who doesn’t like you.”

Nafia’s first semester came with challenges but also a huge, exciting opportunity. Once a year their school’s ministry leads a day dedicated to help folks reflect on their relationship with religion. “So a person from the ministry reached out to me because I was presenting Muslim and I used to wear a Hijab, and I was very hardcore into it. She reached out to me and said, ‘we need more Muslim representation on campus.’” Nafia was invited to give a speech at the preliminary ceremony. Nafia’s joy radiated from their smile as they remembered their accomplishment. “I gave a speech in front of the entire school as a Freshman in college, first semester! I feel like that really set the tone for the rest of my time there. I was downplaying it when it was happening to me, but now, I’m like I did that, I was 18. That was crazy!”

“I gave a speech in front of the entire school as a Freshman in college, first semester! I feel like that really set the tone for the rest of my time there. I was downplaying it when it was happening to me, but now, I’m like I did that, I was 18. That was crazy!”

Now finishing up their Sophomore year, Nafia feels happy and secure at their university. They are especially proud of taking a couple upper-level sequence classes. “It’s a really hard course, and you take one semester and then you take another semester of it. You don’t have to take it back to back. But I did, and I finally got done with it this last semester. So I feel like I finally accomplished something.” They also talked about the great friendships they have developed. “I have definitely built more stable friendships and people that I hang out even with over the summer. And we put an effort to maintain those relationships.”

Glowing with pride, Nafia shared “I’m a lot more comfortable at [my university]. I know more people. I’m one of the older students there now, so I’m more comfortable and it’s the vibe.” They now confidently said “this is the college for me.”

“This is the college for me.”

What worked for Nafia

• Having the college encouragement and support from their counselor and afterschool program: Although Nafia knew they wanted to go to college, they were so burnt out and uninspired during the application process. Luckily, Nafia’s counselor and college ambassador program inspired them to persist during a difficult time.
• Being able to connect with a university multiple times: Nafia was connected to speak with college admission reps from their university twice. A truly lucky coincidence, because the opportunities allowed them to learn more about the university each time. Eventually Nafia enrolled and after some time, felt that the university was a perfect fit for her.
• Early opportunities to build confidence During their Freshman year Nafia was invited to give a speech to their entire school community. The opportunity they mentioned “really set the tone for the rest of my time there. I was downplaying it when it was happening to me, but now, I’m like I did that, I was 18. That was crazy!” After the speech Nafia felt proud and confident which has boosted their motivation in school.

Nafia’s Aspirations For The Field

1. Advice for current High school students who think they won’t persist through college: “I didn’t want to just go to college and survive through it. But college is so different from high school and all the kids who think that they won’t survive in school, dude, you’re just 16, live your life, please. If you think you can’t survive in college, go to college and try it out because you might start to think differently.”
2. For higher education intuitions: “[My counselor] is someone who really encouraged me to go to college and do things with my life, despite all of the ideas that I had about myself. And so I think people in higher education should invest in college focused help in high school, and not even just for Juniors and Seniors…Freshmen too”
3. For higher education intuitions: After experiencing burn out, Nafia emphasized how universities need to make sure students are mentally well. “Mental health, making sure that students are actually doing well and if they’re not doing well, why that might be? Also, sometimes students do do well academically, but they’re burning themselves out because of it. And that’s not a healthy relationship with your academics. We should not be encouraging that.” They encourage universities to ensure there are mental health resources available for students and campus wide campaigns to interrupt unsustainable academic practices.