First Impressions

When I arrived at Glasgow University for the first time from my apartment, I took the first desk in the class. Huzaifa was the person I missed on my first day of university. I recalled my old school days when I used to enjoy working at the front desk, and my friend Huzaifa would tease me, saying,

"Why do you like being the locomotive of the train, eh?"

Reading is a passion of mine, and on that particular day, I was immersed in Jalal Uddin Rumi's Mathanawi. I am from Lahore, Pakistan, a Lahori, so to speak. And here's a little known fact about me: I despise even the letter "M" in the word 'Mingle,'"

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In the first class, a warm welcome was followed by an entire day of inspirational speeches, cheerful introductions, and enthusiastic words of encouragement from each teacher in succession. One professor made his curiosity known: "So, do we have foreigners here?"

As a girl seated in the back of the class raised her hand, the professor said, "All right, the Girl in the back. Is there anyone else here?" the professor inquired again.

I also raised my hand after a while. "Alright! You the man in the front." Professor Dunkinson said.

As I raised my hand, he looked at me with a smile once more. "Good! We have a nice combination of two strangers here. The Girl in the rear, the boy in the forecourt." Professor chuckled as the class laughed.

'So, you, the man in the front, could you please introduce yourself?" He aimed his finger at me.

I stood up to respond, which I believe was the kindest thing I could have done for someone all day, but I am never thanked for my courtesy. Because the world probably always demands more, I keep the act of giving and being kind at its most basic. This is the way I am.

"I'm Haseeb Khan Lashari from Pakistan," I told the professor.

"It's so nice to meet you, Mr. Lashari of Pakistan. Is there anything else you'd like to say about yourself?" And I couldn't say anything more, so I just replied, "no, sir." The entire class regarded me as if I were a caged monkey in a zoo. "Do you have any goals or ambitions?" inquired the professor.

"Yes, sir, I want to go to bed every night feeling comfortable and satisfied; that is the sum total of my goals and ambitions," I stated.

"Well, that is quite impressive, and it is nice to see you here, Mr. Lashari or should I say, Mr. Khan...?" I nodded in response to his inquiry. ".... at the University of Glasgow in Scotland." As I sat, the professor completed his sentence.