Chafeeza

Celebration doesn’t always include an audience. Sometimes you have to clap for yourself.

And graduating from Florida International University with my Master of Business Administration during the pandemic taught me that truth in real time.

The world was uncertain, plans were paused, and milestones looked different, (do you remember drive by baby showers and birthdays?) but the discipline it took to keep going became its own kind of victory. 

I was working full-time during the day and there were even longer nights, I felt isolated against my will, and there were plenty moments of doubt that required more faith than motivation. 

I’m thankful for my baby sister keeping me sane, cooking for me & stressing me out from time to time. I’m appreciative of the cohort & the community we built during the program. I’m blessed that my family and friends supported me from afar, reminding me that love can travel any distance. 

Five years later, I am still standing in gratitude for the resilience that carried me through, for the lessons that shaped me, and for the reminder that even in isolation, growth was happening.

Despite never “crossing the stage”, we did it! Class of 2020, you are resilient and there is no obstacle you can’t overcome.