Let me continue my story from the very beginning…

When I was a high school student, I had limitless dreams, just like most of us at that age. At the time, I dreamed of becoming an inventor or a scientist like Ahmed Zewail. I was fascinated by the Faculty of Science to the extent that whenever a family member suggested that I become a doctor or a pharmacist, I would immediately reply, “No, I want to study science and become like Zewail.”

My closest friend and I would spend evenings walking through the streets of our village, talking about the future and imagining everything we would achieve one day.

But those dreams quickly collided with the reality of high school grades and university admission requirements.

So I turned to what seemed like the perfect alternative at the time: the military academies. A new dream was born—to become an army officer or a pilot. I applied and began preparing for the admission tests.

One of my relatives, a graduate of the Faculty of Physical Education, was helping me prepare for the physical fitness tests. He suggested that I take the admission tests for the Faculty of Physical Education as a form of practice, since the physical requirements were quite similar.

I agreed and applied.

At the same time, I made a mistake while filling out my Military Academy application. The correction I made invalidated the file, and the regulations required purchasing a new one. Considering the difficulty and expense of traveling from my village to Cairo, I decided to let that dream go as well.

Meanwhile, I successfully passed the Physical Education admission tests.

I had applied on the very last day and did not even have enough money to cover all the required fees. I had to borrow money from a young man I had just met during the admissions process.

As fate would have it, we later became classmates in the same college.

At that moment, I felt that this was a sign from God that this was the path I was meant to follow.

As I mentioned in the previous episode, one of my father’s friends had told me, “You must graduate among the top students and become a teaching assistant.”

Those words became the driving force behind my university years.

I dedicated myself to practical sports training and intensive academic study, determined to graduate among the top students and join the faculty as a teaching assistant.

The dream grew bigger every year.

I could not imagine myself becoming anything else.

At that time, the university still followed a policy that allowed the appointment of graduates with a “Very Good” overall grade as teaching assistants. For me, that seemed like a golden opportunity that grew closer with every academic year.

Eventually, I graduated with an overall grade of “Very Good,” and I began congratulating myself on being so close to achieving my dream. The finish line seemed only a few steps away. Then came the shock. Fifteen teaching assistants would be appointed. I was ranked number sixteen. The difference between me and number fifteen was only 0.5%. That was one of the biggest shocks of my life.

It took me a long time to recover from it, and my military service years helped me come to terms with what had happened and prepare for a new chapter after losing what I considered my dream career.

The lesson I would like to share with younger generations is simple:

No matter which college you end up attending, and no matter what path life places before you, your determination and ambition are what truly shape your future.

Giving up has always been the refuge of the weak.

Do not allow weakness to find a place in your life.

Ride confidently into whatever field life places before you, and be the kind of person who dreams of victory and is willing to work tirelessly to achieve it.

To be continued…