Ahmed was a bright student who always scored good grades. Every teacher had high expectations from him. He passed school with good grades, making everyone proud — his teachers, friends and family. He even received a shield for being the highest scorer, along with a certificate. Now it was time for him to apply to college for his A Level.

Ahmed applied to a top college in the city. After passing the admissions test, he was awarded a 100% scholarship. This news thrilled both Ahmed and his parents, who naturally had high expectations for him. However, the difficulty level of college studies, particularly A Level, was higher than he had expected.

Ahmed, accustomed to his past successes, began to believe he could excel at everything with his usual effort. Despite warnings from his seniors about the challenging nature of A Level, he thought they were exaggerating and didn’t pay much heed.

There were all kinds of students in his college, some who came to college just for fun and some who took their studies seriously. There was a group of boys known for flaunting their lavish lifestyle and disregarding academics. These boys were often seen glued to their phones even during lectures. Ahmed was impressed by their outward displays of wealth, sought their friendship. Things seemed smooth at first, but whenever he visited the library or rushed to the class, they’d taunt him. They criticised his dedication to studies, labelling him a ‘bookworm’ or ‘nerd.’

Ahmed felt embarrassed at being mocked by his so-called friends. In order to catch up with them, he started missing classes. He believed his intelligence meant he didn’t need to study every day. Figuring he could learn everything on his own, he stopped studying altogether to spend more time with his friends in college.

Ahmed’s teachers warned him that his lack of seriousness would lead to his grades slipping and he might lose his scholarship. But Ahmed didn’t listen.

Finally, it was time for the monthly tests. When Ahmed reluctantly opened his textbooks at home and saw the topics, he was shocked as there was so much to learn in such a short time! He tried his best, but only managed to cover a small portion of the course material. During the tests, regret took over him for not listening to his teachers. He finished the tests, but a deep sense of unease settled in — he knew he hadn’t done well.

When the results came, Ahmed failed badly. The school gave him a last chance and if he failed in the next monthly tests again, he would lose his scholarship.

Ahmed was shaken to the core and realised his mistake. He had been too confident about his studies and ended up keeping the company of those that distracted him from it.

From then on, Ahmed focused on his studies, and soon, all his hard work paid off! He got good grades in his final exams, making his parents and teachers proud once more.

Published in Dawn, Young World, July 20th, 2024