Feature

My first semester at BRAC University and my achievement

Fahd Bin Haider

On July 4, 2007, North South University Computer Club organized an Inter University Math Olympiad, a program part of the 5th Techno Fun Fair. It was a competition among all the top ranked Universities including BUET, DU, BRACU, NSU, AIUB, and students of different categories including freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors all participated in the competition. As a competitor, I believe only the most powerful thinkers were competing to test their talent against the best undergraduate mathematicians of Bangladesh. The competition was very keen and they were contending to bring a new pride and honour for them and for their Universities. It was a battle of minds and the only weapons we had were intellectual logic and concept of mathematics.

I should be thankful to the General Secretary of BRAC University Computer Club (BUCC), Annajiat Alim Rasel for his salient effort in inviting over two hundred students all over BRACU. I was representing BRACU in the Olympiad along with five other most talented students, including Annajiat from our CSE department. To tell the truth I never even thought of competing at such a high level of contest, but I stayed focused and did not disregard my competitiveness. I had a Midterm Examination in my University just after the Olympiad, so hastiness kept working in my mind but I conjured up all my mental stability and held my nerves cool. The questions in the quiz were more logical and less mathematical; the questions were set to test the critical reasoning of students. There was a nice examination environment; the invigilators and the instructors were supportive. Nevertheless, we also got very warm welcome from the student union of NSU Computer Club.

Later in the late noon, I got a call from Annajiat to come to NSU to attend the prize giving ceremony. However, I was not much thrilled about attending that ceremony since I was very tired and I was thinking of going straight to home after attending an English class. I called him to ask if there is any problem if I do not attend the ceremony. But, he urged me to come and take my participation certificate. When I reached NSU, I got another phone call from him and he was telling me to come to the ceremony hall as quickly as possible. Till that moment I did not have the slightest of idea what that big news was which I was about to know. Yes, that was big, at least very big for me. Nothing could be more exhilarating for me to know that I secured the 3rd prize in the competition. A BUET student won the first prize and a NSU student won the second prize. However, I was little disappointed that I could not personally take the crest with the certificate from the honorable judges, because I was late arriving at the place. Anyway, I was proud, the participants from BRACU were proud of my achievement for BRACU. They exuberantly congratulated me and the whole team of BRACU Computer Club celebrated for the achievement of BRACU. The vibe was there, I felt like a real champion.

It did not end in there. BRACU Computer Club gave me a very expensive treat in Pizza Hut that evening. Being a freshman in my first semester, I was the centre of attention of all the senior members of BRACU Computer Club and I had an exalted feeling. Next day my mates and students from other departments came to felicitate me. Moreover, I got tons of mails from many students who put forward inspiring appreciation for my big success. This kind of success of BRACU will stimulate more students to set forth and participate in this kind of program. All of these happenings around me inspired me to perform better in upcoming opportunities as well as help others in preparing for it. This time only six people from BRACU took part in the Math Olympiad and BUCC always works to make our students more active in extracurricular activities.

xeontemptation@hotmail.com
Freshman, BRAC University