A moment to remember

Last Saturday, brought a morning of excitement, when 372 students from the American University of Sharjah (AUS) reaped the award of years of hard work, which made them who they are today. As in all graduation ceremonies, students were rushing here and there to complete the usual processes of graduation.

Pre-graduation jitters

When students finally finished their formalities, they stood in what was supposed to be a line, but was rather a clump of groups of friends gathered together on the campus for the last time. Standing restlessly in line for half an hour, students kept asking the same question, "Where do we go from here?" While this day is supposed to be a culmination of past achievements, students were preoccupied with their plans for the future. Employment was their main concern.

"I hope I can find a job that will meet my needs," said engineering student Ahmad Al Didi. "Life in Dubai these days is very expensive."

What students are looking for after graduation is a career that provides potential, an exceptional salary and self-gratification. However, most students said they feel such an opportunity is rare.

"When you listen to the salary rates being given these days living independently in Dubai is practically impossible," Al Didi said. "Especially with the price of living being on the rise. And in many cases, if you do get that high salary, it's basically as if you've sold your soul."

And so that's where the concern lay in the hearts of students — in the future. A few words from the experienced however, eased their apprehension.

Words of the notorious

His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, congratulated the Class of 2007 on its achievement and expressed pride and satisfaction at the evolution of AUS into an internationally recognised university.

"Within a decade since its inception, the university has succeeded in laying the foundations of a pioneering institution of higher education in the region, and claiming a reputable place for itself in the world of academia," he said.

AUS Chancellor Winfred Thompson also applauded the graduates for their hard work. Highlighting the harmonious atmosphere at the university, Thompson cautioned students about the harsh realities outside the campus.

"I wish that I could assure our graduates that the world into which we send them today practices the same civility and everywhere embraces the values of racial, cultural and religious interaction that we so richly enjoy on campus," he said. "But it is not so. Regional conflicts are too well known to all of us to require enumeration here. One can hardly find a spot in the inhabited world where national strife, racial and ethnic conflict, and religious intolerance do not endanger the public peace and prosperity."

Communication is the key

Nevertheless, Jordan Prince Hassan Bin Talal, one of the official attendees of the ceremony, stressed the role of today's young generation in tomorrow's future, asserting that change is possible. One of the keys to global progress, he said, is effective communication.

"As you enter the world of employment and enterprise, you become a part of our region's strategy of communication — communication between ourselves, as Arabs, or Muslims, and with the rest of humanity: For we must engage locally, regionally and globally to safeguard and enhance our universal civilisation," he said.

Anxiety on stage

Seated on stage, students were worried about what seemed like trivial matters. "Imagine if we trip while we're walking up to the podium to shake hands with the Shaikh and the chancellor," said Sara Nour.

However, at a moment when all eyes are on you anything is possible. The time sitting on stage waiting for your name to be called seems like endless hours. However, once your name is called, that instant under the limelight seems like just a blur.

"I play it over and over in my head," said Fahad Arrabi. "Every time I do though, I can't even remember the minutest details like the expressions on the faces of the officials whose hands I shook."

Most students said that this was because the excitement takes over the moment.

"It's something you and your family look forward to for years," said Arrabi. "And all of a sudden, it's just gone."

So, in the end, who are we?

Samreen Hayat, the class speaker, said that this stage in the graduates' lives is where they venture out to the real world and discover their true character. She said that throughout life one's identity is questioned, citing the typical classroom experience as an example. We've all had that moment when we're asked to stand up and introduce ourselves to our classmates.

"At the beginning of every semester we are asked to introduce ourselves to our classmates who we will be spending the next 16 weeks with," Hayat said. "From the beginning until the end of our college experience we advance from freshman to seniors. We no longer have these labels, but we are left with so much more to identify ourselves with."

So at the end of the day graduates do have the right to worry about their future – about what they'll become after leaving the bubble-wrapped atmosphere of the university. However, no matter what path these graduates decide to take, their choices will ultimately impact the world around them.

"Our world faces many challenges but we have at our disposal the tools to manage them. You must remain committed to learning, and you must all be activists for positive change," Prince Hassan told the students. "Do not lose your enthusiasm, for remember, in its Greek etymology, the word enthusiasm means, 'God in us'. By letting your voices be heard, by making conscious efforts to respond to world challenges, you can change the world."

An achievement of a lifetime

Upon completion of the graduation, students were embraced by their friends and family. Tears filled the eyes of parents who had been longing to see this moment.

"You never realise what this day means to your parents until you see the happiness in their eyes," Nour said.

However, this sense of accomplishment isn't only in the hearts of parents, it's in the heart of each student that was on that stage.

"Now we are truly exposed to the real world. I decide where I want to go from here," said Ahmad Oneissi. "The fate of my life and who I want to be is in my hands — and that's a scary responsibility."