Yassein

"I dream big — without much from the start — but I really want to get there."

By Students of NYC

March 21^st, 2025

"I have four jobs right now. McDonald's, Retro Fitness, LA Fitness and Uncle Sal's Burger and Wings. I just put my availability and pick up shifts everywhere I can, so I work almost every day. I try to keep myself busy, because I don't really like wasting my time. I'm also getting certified to be a beach lifeguard for the summer. That's one of the best jobs you can get. Financially, I didn't grow up with a lot. I compared myself to the kids around me and the opportunities they had. But then I realized, I can just make the opportunities for myself, and make my life into whatever I want it to be. Right now, I'm saving up money for a car.

In 9th grade, I was different. I didn't really know what I wanted yet. I was always being compared to my older siblings, and I didn't have my own identity yet. I didn't do great in school. People can keep telling you stuff, but you're not going to change until you genuinely want to change. That's what happened to me. Once you want something, you can really achieve it. No one can really push you get anywhere. It's all you versus yourself.

Now, I have almost a 99 average. I want to be a doctor when I grow up, but it worries me thinking about how long it will take and how expensive it will be. Mr. Esposito is my AP anatomy teacher. He is the most phenomenal teacher I have ever had. He did seven years of medical school but then decided he wanted to teach instead. To inspire people like me. He has helped me to find my passion. Seeing how much knowledge he had and how much he had that was actually useful and can actually help and save people. I've dissected a frog, a pig, a bird's brain, a sheep's brain. One day, I'd love to dissect part of the human body. I find it all so interesting.

I moved around a lot growing up until we found ourselves here, in Staten Island. My parents came from Egypt. I've never been back there, but I'd like to go. Maybe the summer after this one, if I can scavenge up enough money before college. There's so much more to the world. And after college, if I can pay off all my debts and get everything in order before I start a family, I want to travel, to really see the world. I feel like I'm in such a small bubble, and there's so much more to see. It's not just Egypt. Places like Portugal; I want to see Japan and the nature there and the architecture and the buildings. Of course, there are Arab countries I really love too. So yeah, I dream very big — without much from the start — but I really want to get there."