Khulood Salam

Athlete, Engineer, Foodie, Muslim, Student, Writer/Editor

I'm an Engineering student at CCET. I'm really passionate about the Cyber Security field and hope to work in that field after graduation. I'm also an author for a children's novel named 'The Adventure of BRANKS.'

I have always been fascinated by travel. From simple night drives to family tours and school field trips, I never miss a chance to get out and explore. I wish to travel the world one day. While circumstances limit this dream I hold, it didn’t stop me from discovering a different journey, one through books. That was how my passion for reading grew, as an extension of my dream for travel. I can proudly say that I have experienced many unique worlds within my bedroom. Reading became my companion from a very young age, and my dad only fueled my love for it with all the literary works he bought me. I believe it was all the worlds that I read about that led me to create my own. My book came into life from an actual dream, lots of free time, and a pen and paper. A young 7th grader, sitting in class and scribbling away. Now those scribbles are out and about in the world, and I couldn’t be prouder of my younger self. It took years before her work saw the light, but now that it has, she has given me a new confidence that I never knew I had.

In today's world of one-upping everyone, I believe it's important to stay true to yourself. People may seem better off than we are on social media, but we must remind ourselves that social media only shows people's happiness, but rarely their grief. When people boast about their lives, it's important to remember it's only a fragment of their life, not the whole picture. Belittling our experiences based on others might leave us further behind than when we started. Following short-lived trends just to fit in when we were created to stand out only dims our own light. The sooner we realize that and shape ourselves outside the expected mould of society, only then do we fully embody our potential and reach the path that was meant to be ours and ours alone. Life is not about making it look good on social media; it's about actually living the best way possible, even outside the frames.

Anchoring, Author, C programming, MS Excel, MS Word

Volunteered at my college's first-ever TEDx event. I was one of the four anchors, and it was an incredible opportunity for me to share the same stage with some of the most influential people in my community. Now, my dream is to be a TEDx organizer. Working really hard for it. Wish me luck.

Keeping people's secrets and being a good listener. Always ready to lend a helping hand.