By Awista Hamidi, 12 Grade – Focus North High School

The saying “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it” reminds me that while we can’t always control the events in our lives, we do have full control over our responses. To me, it means that attitude and perspective shape our experiences more than the events themselves.

For example, I grew up in Mazar. My father worked for the Americans in a government office before the Taliban came to Afghanistan. His job put him in danger, but he enjoyed his job. When the Taliban took over Mazar, my father received a warning call from a friend that his life was in danger and so he fled from the Taliban to the capital, Kabul.

A few days later, the rest of our family joined him in Kabul. However, the same day we arrived in Kabul, the Taliban took over this city, too. We were very afraid during this time, and my hope was that we would receive permission to emigrate to the United States.

We first received asylum status from the country of Germany and my family lived there without my father for two years. My father didn’t want to put us in danger, so he hid in Afghanistan for two months until it was safer to travel and then he received asylum in Pakistan for two years. Eventually, in 2023, my family was united in America. We lived in New Jersey for a year and now are settled in Columbus, Ohio.

During this time, I kept a positive attitude and did my best to keep up my mother’s faith that things would be okay. In Germany, I helped my family by learning some German and going out to speak with people when we went shopping. The German people were very friendly and helpful. I also told my mom that everything was going to work out okay, and one day we would join my dad in America. I gave her hope, and this helped her through this time.

Now, we have a very good life in America, and I am very happy and grateful to be here.

Another hardship that isn’t spoken about very much is that under the Taliban in Afghanistan, girls have no rights, and they can neither go to school, work, nor out shopping. The only thing they can do is to get married.

When the Taliban took over my country, I worried that this would be my fate, too.

However, now that I am out of that place, I am grateful for the American education I am receiving. A single student, even one who has fled from oppression in her homeland, can make a big difference in creating a school environment that promotes positivity. I have done this by showing respect to teachers and classmates, participating actively in class and encouraging others.

When I think about the fact that girls in my country don’t have rights, I want to do something for the other girls in my country. I know I will someday help these girls, and this gives me hope and a positive attitude.

And one more thing that I learned from my life is if I face a setback, I can choose to be discouraged, or I can see it as a learning opportunity. This mindset has taught me to focus on solutions rather than dwelling on problems.

I think this story should be told because a lot of people don’t have a positive attitude. And I believe that this story shows them that when we have a positive attitude, we can accept the biggest problems and easily solve them.

It’s an untold story about how maintaining a positive attitude can help us all in many ways. Having a positive attitude has helped me and my friends. For instance, during group projects, I try to stay optimistic even when things don’t go smoothly. My encouragement often helps the group stay motivated and focused. Friends and classmates have told me that my positive outlook helps ease their stress, making challenges feel more manageable.

I believe that how we react to challenges, how we support our learning environment, and how we maintain a positive attitude all contribute to our personal growth and the well-being of those around us. My experiences have shown me that one person really can make a meaningful difference.

One thing that sets me apart is organizing community clean-up. I led volunteers to clean our park, which made our neighborhood nicer and brought people together. It taught me leadership and the power of taking action.

In short, I believe staying positive and helping others create a stronger, better community. And I’m so grateful for the chance to share my story with you.

(Awista Hamidi, 12 Grade – Focus North High School was a winner at the Essay, Short Story & Drawing competition at the New Americans Book Fair 2025.)

Support the New Americans magazine to continue to serve our community with precise news that affect the new American, immigrant and refugee community. https://paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=8LHFS78NRNJJY&source=url