My name is Shahad Mohammed Kilaby. I am a Level 6 student majoring in International Hospitality Management. Some of you might remember me from the interview day I was one of the students helping and guiding you around.

Not long ago, I was exactly where you are now curious, excited, and also a little unsure. So today, I want to share my journey with you.

My university journey started in 2022 during the foundation year. I started at Level 2, and I still remember my first day. When I attended my first class, I realized the teacher had already explained Chapters 1 and 2. I was completely lost and confused, especially because the class was in English. Honestly, I felt like I needed subtitles like in the movies. It was a very difficult beginning… but I worked hard, I passed, and I kept going.

Then I started my major courses, and that was a big change for me. I was extremely shy because I had studied in a girls’ school my whole life, so I didn’t know how to interact with male classmates or even how to communicate confidently with professors. I also didn’t really understand what hospitality meant. Many people used to say it was just cleaning or making coffee, but I later discovered how big and important this industry really is.

I also struggled because I had many subjects in one semester, and I didn’t know how to prepare for midterms and finals. That year was fun, but it was also very challenging.

My real turning point was my internship. I did my training at Six Senses Southern Dunes at Red Sea Global. It was completely different from university life real work, real responsibilities, and real pressure.

During my internship, I started using LinkedIn to share my journey and achievements, and that’s when I really started to discover myself. I also had great support from my supervisor Yousef, who encouraged me a lot.

As part of my internship, I had to complete a project, so I participated in a competition organized by the Ministry of Culture called The Legacy of Our Kitchen. The idea was to cook a traditional meal from our culture, and Alhamdulillah, I won the competition. That was a very proud moment for me.

After my internship, I came back to university with a completely different mindset. I became more involved in student activities, joined clubs, worked as an event coordinator, and today I am proud to say that I am the President of the Student Committee.

Step by step, I started to see my growth. I became more confident, less shy, and even my English improved a lot. And today, I am standing here in front of you as a completely different person than the girl who walked into her first class feeling lost.

Finally, I would like to thank Allah, my family, my teachers, and my friends for supporting me throughout my university journey and my training experience.

Shahad is panel expert of the Student Voices panel.