Khadyja’s story is one defined by persistence and an unwavering belief in herself. The path to studying at a Cambridge summer school was anything but straightforward. “I applied first when I was turning 13, and then various things happened, so I couldn’t really apply again.” Last year saw another application. And this year, finally, after applying to the bursary scheme and entering the essay competition, Khadyja secured her place. This journey – a long wait, repeated attempts, and ultimate win – frames her experience as one of resilience above all else.

Refusing to Let Go of Creativity

Khadyja’s perseverance extended well beyond the application process. In an educational landscape that increasingly sidelines creative writing, she made an intentional choice to pursue it. “Creative writing is something that schools don’t really put importance on anymore, so it’s not something that you learn about after GCSE. But I really like writing, and I figured that if I want to get my writing skills better outside of academic writing. It would be nice to go surrounded with people who also value creative writing as much as I do and see what it’s like for people who do decide to pursue it through graduate courses as well.” Even her personal ambitions – to work in the non-profit sector – are rooted in this commitment.

Building Skills for a Human Future

For Khadyja, creative writing isn’t just about artistic expression; it’s a critical skill for navigating a world shaped by AI. She observed, “I find myself in my English class and a lot of my peers just don’t really know how to write. It’s not an intuitive thing for them. And I think it’s a useful skill because it makes all kinds of writing just easier because then you unconsciously know what tone you should be using, what word fits here. You know, like, am I overusing this? Is the sentence structure weird? It’s just useful in general.” Developing her own creative voice, in contrast to relying solely on AI, is a form of resilience – a way to hold onto something uniquely human.

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Valuing Connection and Experience

But Khadyja’s Cambridge experience wasn’t just about academics. Her fondest memories are built on social and emotional connections. “The excursions were great… I think that the simpler excursions were sometimes the best ones because then you were just really enjoying time with the new friends you made. Some of my favorites were Cake ‘n’ Canvas and the black tie night. I think those were great because it’s just an evening spent with your friends. I think that was really fun.” Even their ground-floor classroom became a source of humour and bonding, as she and her peers joked about “writing horror stories because they’re in a basement.”

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Resilience for the Future

Looking ahead, Khadyja plans to apply this resilience – and her creative skill – not only in her studies but in her career as well. “I mainly want to go into non-profits. So creative writing isn’t really at the forefront of that. Maybe in the future I’d want to write a book because I do like literature a lot. It’s not really something I see myself doing as a career plan. I think it was just like a nice way to explore one of my interests in a unique setting.” The skills and connections she forged are inseparable from her ambitions for human-centered work.

Closing Reflection

Khadyja’s journey is proof that resilience applies not only in overcoming practical barriers but also in standing up for creativity in an increasingly technological world. Just as she wouldn’t let circumstance stop her from reaching Cambridge, she refuses to let technology overshadow the importance of human expression. Her story is not just about getting to Cambridge – it’s about defending what matters, in education and in the evolving future of work.