From my journal📓✒️

 “Think about it for a while, nothing happens. Think about it a bit longer, you begin to ache a little”.   I’ve heard this before and I reflect on it, if it hurts, it hurts you fully. How does contemplating it briefly or a bit longer make a difference? Makes sense when you put some perspective into it. There’s a common saying. Holding a glass of water with your arm out causes no pain but prolong it, and your arm aches. Why do we cling to so much pain in our hearts and minds? Human beings are logical, facts, and figure-driven. Our brains are simply wired to be this way. Must it not be simple to let go?  It’s not always the pain of what has passed rather it’s our emotional response and attachment to that feeling. It’s tough to release something that occupies your mind for the most part. It’s even more difficult to accept and heal from it. Because once you shut it out, what are you left with?  But isn’t that the only way to move on? If so, why doesn’t it feel better? Ra...

Isn't life truly fascinating? It's remarkable how a single moment in a person's life can alter what seems predetermined as fate and destiny, yet in our eyes, it's merely a moment of interchangeable paths – that instance when life takes an unexpected yet incredibly beautiful turn. These are the moments that, once entered, leave us forever changed. Perhaps it's destiny gently guiding events towards a perfect ending. There's a yearning for home and belonging, even in places that no longer hold that feeling. Not because of sad events, but because moments evolve into cherished memories, and life has ushered us along a different path. These are the moments that beckon reflection. As you sit in that exact spot, in the same seat, you can't help but wonder how those moments have transformed into memories, sometimes overlooked as life's hustle takes center stage. Isn't it beautiful how one ordinary step on an average day, at the most ordinary time, can become ...

So I've been having difficulties coming up with a blog topic, then I figured why not talk about that? When I initially started writing, I had this idea in my head that the things I write should always have a purpose and be of an excellent caliber, but as time passed, I realized that wasn't always the case. Blogging does not always have to be about discussing things that need to be heard by the majority. To be realistic, it can be as straightforward as writing about your day. Blogging, in my perspective, is essentially open-access journaling.  We express our feelings simply by talking about them, and we receive a response that usually goes something like "I can absolutely empathize with this". There's something restorative about writing, even if it's about the most illogical of subjects.  It's the human connection we feel while discussing significant moments in our lives that might have a completely different impact on someone else depending on where that m...

  What’s the one word we’d use to describe the world we live in today? Will we use terms that make this world sound fascinating and progressive? Or will we take a brief moment and consider all the crises that are currently happening?  If someone were to ask us for a brief description of what it’s like living in this modern time, how would we respond? Will we explain to them the endless ways this world  brings prosperity? Or will we talk about how humanity is so hard to restore?    In my opinion, this world is a place where good and bad is bound to happen. Whether we choose to be part of the good or bad is a decision we make every day. It’s the decision that builds us up and prepares us for what our future looks like, don’t you think?    The world can be a beautiful place if there’s more good than bad, more love than hate, more strength rather than weakness, more unity rather than division. But with everything that’s happening these days, it...

 The term YOLO sounds so simple yet so particularly deep. Sure, we live only once but we also experience each day once which sounds bizarre considering we live every day in the same pattern.  Every day that we live, every minute that passes by never comes back almost like we’ll never relive today again even if tomorrow feels the same!   This makes me wonder how a small improvement to a 24 hour day can change the way we live it. I sometimes find myself pondering life. How it’s the perfect balance of consistency and inconsistency, how one decision made today can completely alter the route of your life the next day. It’s the perception of realizing that there are so many people in this world who we’ll never know, who will never have any impact on us or whose life we’ll never be a part of.   It’s the notion that no matter how slow or fast time flies, it’s always somehow moving forward and never stationary. It’s the awareness that happiness can be attained if we’r...

  Quite often, I observe a lot of people struggling to achieve something great, something that will change the way they live their normal ordinary lives, something that will change the way others think about them. Usually, the outcomes vary but it always ends up benefitting them in ways they couldn't have imagined.   These days, the idea of success is based on how huge the outcome is in no relevance to the input. Most of us assume that we're only successful if we've achieved what we've been working so hard for but it's not all about the end result. Every step we take towards something we're passionate about, big or small is an achievement. It could be something as little as getting out of bed when you thought you couldn't or as big as accomplishing your monthly or yearly goals.   Often times, it becomes a task to even consider the small failures as something that help build our success story because we're convinced that success has to be this pictur...

  With everything that’s been happening in Kashmir, I sometimes wonder if humanity will ever be restored. It seems like a never ending cycle of hatred and aggression with no sympathy towards human beings whatsoever.   Just because people don’t follow the same religion as you or aren’t of the same nationality such as yourself doesn’t automatically create a barrier between you and them. In my opinion, it should motivate us to stand more strongly for each other especially in times of crises. That’s when you rely on someone the most, when all hopelessness sets in.   If nationality and religion are what you believe sets a difference and makes other peoples lives less valuable, then maybe thinking about them as normal human beings can help set things in perspective. There is so much negativity around us that even the smallest motion towards spreading love and compassion can change everything wrong with the world, more than we think. Sometimes, I wonder if  we have fa...

     Nostalgia hits different when you get the time to look back at all the pictures and videos made in the past. There's something particularly exciting about it...about looking through videos of all the stuff you thought were so important back then when really, it was merely ponderous.    I recently spent a good amount of time sorting through google drive but ended up rewatching every video I've ever made since early year 8. From being taught math by one of the most intimidating teachers to saying yes when she asked me to take a picture of her with the school charts we were asked to decorate, I can't believe I saved all those videos throughout the years.    From making jars of happiness for my sister and cousin as their wedding gifts to forgetting about it the moment I gave it to them, there was this sense of achievement I felt. As if I had done something so incredible when really, it was just a jar with happy notes inside! Or the time...

  I've heard so many misconceptions when it comes to living in Saudi Arabia. From women not having the freedom to go out to not having enough activities to keep us entertained to constantly being asked if riding on camels is a way of transportation, I've come to the conclusion that people only hear what they want to hear. Being as unbiased as I can be, living in Saudi Arabia is way different than what people have made it out to be.   Every place has it's good and not so good sides and focusing on the good side from time to time can automatically make us better people. One of the most common misconceptions people have is the fact that wearing a hijab calls out the country for being "conservative" when really it's a form of modesty that should be respected worldwide. This, however, doesn't prevent us from carrying out our normal day to day activities. Transportation has been made very easy for going to offices, malls, restaurants, schools at any time of t...

  There's something wonderful about traveling, maybe it's the fact that traveling allows a change in perspective, gives the opportunity to learn about that particular place.  Or maybe it's a change from our daily routine which is what everyone needs from time to time.   I love the idea of traveling mainly because it allows me to capture the true essence of life. From the photography of landscapes to admiring the natural beauty, you'll always find my camera roll filled with pictures of nature!   Just recently, I traveled to my homeland Karachi to visit my nephew who's less than a month old! Which meant going bonkers over how adorable his size is, to never leaving his side while trying my best to not completely gobble him up! I've got most of my family in Karachi which is why visiting once a year is common and bubbles the same level of excitement in me every time!   From meeting my extended family to going overboard on mangoes to acting like a touri...

  It's been a while since I last wrote a blog post. That's because I've been occupied with finals and after a long never-ending month, I can finally take some time out to do the one thing that instantly cheers me up...blogging!   I've been meaning to write a post for quite a while but I just couldn't find the time to address all my thoughts into a post mainly because I was too distracted by everything else and this got me thinking how easy it is to replace a hobby with something that we consider way more important. Whether it be taking time out to study or having a job that takes up most of your time.   In my opinion, the only way to figure out what we're really passionate about is if we take time out from our usual regular lives and try experiencing new things. And this can be some very basic stuff, for example, reading books of different genres to figure out which genre interests you the most, maybe learning a new recipe from a cookbook or taking a few dr...

  Graduation...it's something we all look forward to, it's that one day when we finally feel like we're getting somewhere, like we've hit one of the many milestones in life. People say time passes by with a blink of an eye, that's exactly how this year passed by.   I remember the first day of senior year when I walked into my new class and met all my friends, it felt like I was reunited with family because that's what they mean to me. The year was full of "omg this is the last time we'll get to do this together" to "make videos of all the small moments so we can cherish it for a lifetime" to "omg next year, this day we'd probably be in different places" and so many more nostalgic conversations!  From ragging our juniors to getting dressed up for school events and taking pictures the entire day to putting together a bake sale, there's nothing more I could possibly ask for! All those dreadful classes that never seemed...

  How often do we encounter a small gesture from someone we know or from someone who's a complete stranger? Does it have any sort of impact on you? Let's say you were walking down a busy street and accidentally bumped into somebody causing the drink you were holding to spill. Let's say that person was kind enough to lend you a tissue, all the anger that was bubbling inside you would diminish and quickly be replaced with gratitude, but what if that person didn't acknowledge the spill and walked away? You'd be bitter about it for a while right?   Small gestures can really go a long way even if it's so much as someone lending you a napkin. In a world full of digital communication, from not getting enough likes on Instagram to not responding to text messages, small gestures have increased their value, whether it's holding the door for the person behind you or simply smiling at the person sitting next to you, could make a worlds difference for them.    Appre...

  I'm a sucker for horror movies! If I was asked to make a motto related to a movie genre it would definitely have to be " the chiller, the better!" I think I've always preferred a movie that has you on the edge of your seat at all times and by all, I literally mean ALL. Anything less than that automatically makes the movie a 5/10 which is why it's impossible for me to find any movie worth watching.   Although, I've watched a few movies that left me petrified when I was a kid. The first one to make the list would have to be Paranormal activity , more specifically the first part which was the start of my horror genre obsession! The anticipation didn't leave until the movie came to an end! Call me weird but even tho I had trouble sleeping for a few days I enjoyed how every scene made you wanna rip your eyes out but want to watch it at the same time! Not to mention, I was around the age of 10 when I thought I was old enough to watch it so it might not even...

  Do you know how there are some moments when everything just ticks you off in the worst way possible? But then there are days when even the smallest things crack you up making the whole ambiance joyful?   I’m sure we’ve all had plenty of those days but recently, I realized how sometimes we take those short joyful moments for granted, thinking they aren't worth much. But we choose to let even the slightest bit of worry take up most of our time. It’s weird how we do this without even realizing it...don’t you think?    About a month ago, my friend and I were talking about our passions and how not many people are going to support us all the way, how we’re definitely going to be criticized and it could be literally anyone we know...or don’t know! And it got me thinking, why is it that when someone motivates us, we feel good for about 10 minutes then forget about it, but if someone criticizes us we hold on to it for a longer time?   It’s not like their opinion...

  So I've had some trouble thinking of topics to blog about and I thought why not talk about exactly that. When I first started writing, I had this idea in my head that the posts I write should always have an aim and should always be up to the level but as the days passed I realized it's not always going to be that way.   Blogging shouldn't always have to be focused on talking about topics that need to be heard by the majority. Honestly, sometimes it can be as simple as  "How my day was" or " How I completed a task that I didn't feel like completing". In my opinion, blogging is basically journalling that's open to the public. Don't you think?    We express our emotions by simply talking about them and receive feedback that usually goes something like "I can totally relate to this" which is what motivates me to continue writing! There's something therapeutic about writing, even if it's the most random of topics. I never ...

  Have you ever missed a moment while you're living it? I like to call it nowstalgia. It's probably not even a word but makes a lot of sense if you think about it. Feeling nostalgic for a moment you're living in. I feel that's what my friends and I are constantly going through these days.   Knowing we've got only 2 months of school left hits us like a ton of bricks because let's be real...we never realized how fast these days would pass by until now! When my senior year started, I honestly couldn't wait to be done.  But now that I think about it, we'll probably never get those tidy timetables on the first day of school, or the long list of events planned out for our entire school year which got us all pumped up! The fact that we'll probably never take a dozen pictures with the dull school walls posing in our uniforms looking ridiculous, to say the least.   It's all of the small and irrelevant moments that we end up cherishing the most. I...

   We're always taught about the importance of charity, how even the smallest of donations can make a difference in someone's life. That's where the idea of a bake sale popped in, and since it's our last year, we thought it would be a memorable and beneficial act!   Once our teachers were on board with the plan that's when we started the discussions. Our aim was to not only make it successful but also an enjoyable experience! From planning out attractive props to figuring out which baked goods sell the most, we paired up into small groups to help out with all the baking!     I paired up with 3 of my friends and we agreed on baking mini cupcakes and cookies! To be honest, we were initially overwhelmed with the idea of baking 200 cupcakes and cookies that not only looked eye-catching but also tasted delicious! However, we did a pretty decent job of getting them all done.   6 hours and a lot of batters and chocolate tasting later, we successfully b...

  How many times have you found yourself scrolling through social media apps when you should be getting important work done? I never realized how fast time passes once you aimlessly start scrolling through Instagram or Facebook.   I initially used to watch a crazy amount of BuzzFeed videos whether they were about weird conspiracy theories, easy 1minute mug cake recipes or taking random quizzes to know what type of bread I am! I’m sure most of us are guilty of doing that but it’s so addicting there’s really no way out of it!   I remember this one time I just couldn’t help but feel distracted and thought maybe a 5-minute scroll on Facebook will help me get back on track. Little did I know those harmless 5minutes would turn into a solid 2 hours of nonstop scrolling! I actually reached the end of my Facebook page which is when I realized how long I procrastinated. I didn't regret doing that though! I ended up watching soap-cutting videos as I had already wasted half my d...

  It’s been a while since I last posted mainly because of exams week that ended just yesterday! I feel like I can breathe again. The one thing I looked forward to after a long day of studying was getting to talk to my best friend. It’s crazy how ranting about your stress automatically reduces it.  It got me thinking about how long we’ve been in each other's lives. I still remember the first day of kindergarten, walking into my classroom and sitting next to her. She was playing with her eraser when I sat down beside her and said hi, that’s actually how we became friends!  I don’t really remember much but we had this instant connection that, to this day hasn’t died. We’d spend all day talking at school only to continue our conversation at home. I mean what do kindergarteners even talk about? Cartoons? Our favorite foods or subjects? That’s actually an adorable level of innocence.  Honestly, it’s funny how we had this specific timing for our 2-hour phone calls th...