Redefining Strength: A Mother’s Journey in Academia

On March 29, 2022, my life took a dramatic turn. In the early hours of the previous day, my waters broke, heralding a grueling 32-hour labor. It was an ordeal filled with pain, anxiety, and a life-threatening complication with the placenta. But from this harrowing experience, I emerged as a mother to Alya, the most beautiful and unique person I’ve ever seen. She became my world, and I became her everything—her food source, her security blanket, her shelter, and much more.