What are your Hobbies?
I enjoy cheerleading, dancing, color guard, playing the clarinet, piano and drums, painting, astronomy and my Bengali culture!
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What makes you special and unique?
Something that sets me apart from everyone else is that I can live in two different worlds, with me having to conform to two different cultures and languages, every day of my life. The first is my original Bengali culture and the second is the American way of life. I truly enjoy and love both. Also, I think that being born exactly on the opposite side of the world (Dhaka, Bangladesh) makes me exceptionally unique.
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What is the best advice you have ever received?
My brother, Amlan (22), always said to me "Stand out and be different no matter what you do." In my life, this has been of great influence because it is the main way I live and think and it sets me apart from the rest of the crowd.
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Name one thing you cannot live without.
One thing I can not live without is music. Whenever I want to express my feelings and I can't talk to anyone, I'll either play my piano, clarinet or my drum set. Surprisingly, it releases lots of stress and tension! I am blessed to have the ability to play so many diverse instruments.
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What's the most valuable lesson you've ever learned?
In September, 2006 I was in a bad car accident where the car flipped three times and landed upside down after our tire blew out. My four friends and I had to crawl out from underneath its crushed body. After this incident, I learned to live everyday of my life to its fullest and that there is never a bad day, but that some days are better than others. I really don't understand how I am alive today, but that evidently, God has a plan for me in my future endeavors, and I thank Him everyday.
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Who is your most valued role model and why?
My most valued role model is my dad. He is the most determined person I know. He was born in a small village in Bangladesh--a country east of India-- and lived in a house made out of straw and clay. Yet, he did not let his lack of money limit him in life. Today he is a successful professor at the University of Southern Mississippi where his excellence in teaching and research is shown through his many awards. Also, he earned his PhD at the University of Alabama in Birmingham and his MD in Bangladesh where he practiced pediatrics for 16 years. He has made me realize through example, that determination is the key to success and to never give up on your dreams. Now I am striving to be as driven as my dad and follow in his footsteps.
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What was your most unexpected moment?
My most unexpected moment was when my name was called over the intercom at my school saying that I had won the HOBY Leadership Essay Contest. Writing was never my forte. I had entered an essay contest earlier that month which I never thought I had a chance at winning. Fortunately my English teacher, Mrs. Lenoir, had taught me well enough. It was the greatest feeling to know that I was going to be the only one representing my school at a leadership conference in Jackson!
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What is your workout routine?
Besides music, working out is the second best stress reliever. My workout routine includes 4 days of cheer and dance and 3 days at the gym. While I'm at the gym, I focus on different parts of my body like upper, lower and core along with at least 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercises. Practicing those dances we learned at orientation helps keep me in shape, too.
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What has been your biggest accomplishment to date?
My greatest accomplishment in life so far was when I spoke about my platform (Bridging the Gap between Cultural Differences in America) in front of a large, culturally diverse audience in Jackson, MS in April, 2007. Public speaking had always been one of my greatest fears. Every time I would open my mouth to speak, I would freeze up, start shaking and turn bright red--or maroon in my case. Thankfully, through my title, I've not only been able to spread the knowledge of cultural diversity, but I've also overcome my fear of speaking in a formal setting. I even went out for the debate team recently and made it!
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What is the best compliment you have ever received?
My chemistry teacher said to me the other day, "Your parents have done a terrific job raising you." This really was a big honor to me because it made me realize that all the hard work my parents had put in to raising me finally had paid off. I live to honor my parents because I know that they would give the world for me.
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What is your secret wish?
Okay, I'll tell you, but you have to promise not to say anything. I've always wanted to be a belly dancer. Ever since I was a little girl, I would watch foreign films and fall in love with their entrancing dances and exotic costumes. I'm sure my dad and brother would completely disagree with it, but hey, a girl can dream!
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What was your most embarrassing moment?
Everyone knows that I'm a complete klutz. I've never been the graceful type really. So in the eighth grade, my friends and I were at a step/dance camp and we were warming up. Of course, I being the show off I am, had to do a high kick in front of everyone. Evidently my kick was a bit too high and I landed flat on my face. Yes, everyone laughed, but I managed to get in a few laughs at myself, too. I mean hey, life's not fun if you can't laugh at yourself. I tend to do that a lot.
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What is your biggest guilty pleasure?
I'm ADDICTED to Oreos!! I don't think I could ever get enough of them. I try to limit myself though, and eat one after a really stressful day once or twice a week. I so could live off of those though.
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What is your favorite movie and why?
Hands down--best movie ever--Aladdin. I've grown up watching this movie and I can never get over the cute love story of two people forbidden to be together because of their social ranking.

Plus, I met Aladdin in Disney World and he told me he was in love with me. It's likewise for me.
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What do you like to do for fun... relaxation... recreation?
For fun, I love to watch baseball and football games with my friends. We all usually get together and gear out in our school's colors and have a blast screaming at the top of our lungs for the players. Relaxation for me includes: canoeing, shopping, and really really long bubble baths. For recreation, my family and I go fishing, or we have picnics where we invite close friends and their families to the Paul B. Johnson Park. Either way, I always find something to do to have fun.
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What would be your dream vacation or destination?
I would love to experience Switzerland one day. It's such an interesting country to me because it has managed to stay so put together even though it hasn't been too involved with many foreign affairs with other countries. Also, it's melting pot of cultures attracted me to it. But above all, it has some the best chocolate and scenery in the world!
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What do you like best about the state of Mississippi?
Though this is rather cliche, my favorite thing about Mississippi is its southern hospitality. When I had moved here, I had no urge to stay and experience it's wonderful nature. The first thing I could think was-"Get me out of this place!" Time passed by and people just kept getting friendlier and friendlier. I felt like I was right at home. You just don't find such nice people everywhere anymore. Now, I'm proud to say that I live in Mississippi and be a part of their warm southern welcomes.
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Where do you see yourself in ten years?
In ten years, I see myself graduating from college at the University of Florida with my MD getting ready to renovate my brand new after hours pediatric clinic. Then later, starting my own organization for different ethnicities who want to learn and accept one another for all they are. Hopefully I'll have an impact on the community through my motivational speeches and service projects.
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What extracurricular activities do you participate in?
Hugh O' Brian Youth Leadership Essay Contest winner, Mayor's Youth Advisory Council, Oak Grove Marching Band, Oak Grove Color Guard, Oak Grove Varsity Cheerleader, Hub City All-Star Cheerleader, La Studio dancer, Anonymous Communication Program Leader, District 5 Honor Band, Oak Grove Wind Ensemble, piano, National Senior Beta Club, Student Council Rep, and Asian Cultural Society.
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Who am I?
If you haven't realized already, I'm not your everyday kind of girl. I was born in Bangladesh and I can speak four different languages. I like to take pride in the fact that I'm different but that's NOT how I want people to remember--"that foreign girl." I want to make an impact in this world and be remembered for me. So let me tell you some other things about me.

I'm a very determined person. I guess I inherited that from my dad. My life revolves around succeeding at whatever I intend on doing in that point in time. My mother is also a huge influence in my life. I like to think that I'm really caring when it comes to other people's feelings. My friends say that I'm sometimes too nice. And that part of me came from my mom. I like to set priorities in life and am learning to organize my life through writing in a planner which is quite hard considering I don't like limiting myself or having barricades. I enjoy music greatly and it is a huge passion in my life even though I don't plan on pursuing it as a career. Music has no limits and that is why it represents me. I am also a very diverse person. I love music and the arts just as much as I love cheerleading and dancing. To me, the adrenaline rush during a cheer or dance performance is unequal to any feeling in the world. Though being a "band geek" and a cheerleader don't go hand in hand, I've tried to somehow pull it off.

I love eating and cooking cuisines from different countries. Even though my concoctions may not be the perfect taste, trying is always fun. I enjoy astronomy as well. My family and I go to astronomy camps in many cities through out the state. At these camps, people who are as intrigued with outer space as I and my brother am, set up little camp sites to lay out their telescopes in the pitch dark with no lights and look for constellations and galaxies. It's amazing to me to be able to see how big our universe is.
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Tell us about your platform.
"I am an American." As you all may know, these famous words were spoken by that of Martin Luther King junior. This quote is one hundred percent true for every person that lives in America and no one person should be treated otherwise. I chose "Bridging the Gap between Cultural Differences" as my platform on account of one main reason. Unfortunately, through my experiences and encounters with ignorant people, of many races, I have realized how much our society today still has to learn.

It is human nature that if one is not educated about something, they tend to stray away from it. Spreading knowledge about one's culture would help a great deal with preventing ignorance. By showing others what a unique heritage different people's ancestors really have, inconsiderate judgments would not as often be made. Something as simple as inviting your neighbor over for a meal could make a world of a difference.

By widening our knowledge of different races and heritages it would hinder the chances of prejudice. If we look back on the America's racial history, we see that there have been many accounts of bias opinions, some of which were due to lack of knowledge. To take this initiative to grow knowledge and make correct judgments would stop our generation from repeating history all over again.
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