Alumna Profile: Qanita Dhanani

Qualifications

IBDP, Fairview International School

Bachelors Degree, Northeastern University

If you are studying at university, tell us about your course/major and why you chose it.

I am pursuing a major in Political Science with a minor in Computer Science and Law & Public Policy. I aspire to become an immigration lawyer and thus have chosen my major one minor in line with that. I chose Computer Science as a route if I were to be interested in pursuing cyber law or if I wanted to work for the government in the field of intelligence. Law has always been a passion of mine from all the issues we observe in the world that stem from noncompliance with rules and regulations. This affects humanity at large and serving as a lawyer will be my way of giving back to my community. 

What is your most memorable experience in school? 

My most memorable experience in school was probably all the events I organized for our school, alongside my classmates, for Creativity, Action, and Service. These events included Model United Nations, talent shows, marathons, visiting orphanages, biweekly Toastmasters meetings, Prom, and more. During these activities and events I spent the most time with my classmates and learned so much more than a textbook could teach me. I learned how to create budgets, write review reports, proposals, communicate with authorities, and organization.

What were your favourite and least favourite subjects in school, and why?

My favorite subjects in school were Business and English. I loved the controversial topics we discussed in English, the introduction to journalism, marketing and advertising, and studying classic literature. I enjoyed Business because of how practical it is and how I was able to apply what I learned to the events and activities we organized. My least favorite subject was probably Biology. I did learn quite a bit of information, but Sciences have never been my strong suit and are not a career path I want to choose so I had to work harder to memorize, understand, and keep up with the classwork. I still learned valuable skills such as organizing information into visuals and how to link small topics into larger pictures. 

What extracurricular activities did you do? 

As mentioned before, my favorite part of school were the activities and events we organized. The clubs I was involved with were Toastmasters Club, Literacy Club, and Student Council. I was also the Vice-President of our class for a year. I was the Deputy Secretary General of Administrations for Fairview’s Model United Nations, the Head of Finance for Fairview’s Got Talent, and budget manager for our trip to the Wat Don Orphanage in Chiang Mai, Thailand. 

What was the best thing about your school? What important lessons did you learn in your school that have helped you in your life?

I miss my high school a lot! I think every small task or assignment we were given contributed to a lot of the skills I possess today. I learned a lot from our school expeditions which were in different states or in different countries. We were at times placed in conditions we had never encountered before, such as in a bamboo house in the hills of Chiang Mai or in areas that lacked electricity and hot water in Sarawak. These trips really taught us life skills and how to cope with unfamiliar situations. Alongside this, I learned skills such as how to write a concise essay, how to conduct research, how to communicate formally, social etiquette, and more that seem to be regular skills to acquire but I started to value a lot more after I started university. 

If you could travel back in time, what is the one thing that you would change when you were a student? 

I think my time spent at Fairview was extremely productive and fruitful. I feel that I have accomplished a lot during my time and I would not change anything. Rather, I would probably add in more events and activities to do such as participating in mock trials. 

What advice would you give to current students of your alma mater?

Each and every detail you learn at school will make your journey in university easier. Because of the advanced content taught at Fairview, I was able to receive a great number of credits and do not have to take foundation classes at university for example Introduction to Writing, Introduction to Business, Microeconomics, etc. I have met students that do not know how to reference a paper or cannot write a lab report. My first year at university has flown by very quick and I am yet to face a course that I find extremely difficult.