When a journalist asked Thomas Addison regarding his thoughts on the 25 thousand failed attempts before succeeding in the invention of basic battery storage, Addison replied, "I don't understand why you would call them unsuccessful attempts. I now know 25 thousand ways a person will fail to assemble a battery." For me, success is about navigating a road filled with setbacks and disappointments to ultimately arrive at the path of triumph. The most successful people also fail the most, but they never give up and never give in.

Raneem Tariq Mamdouh Halabouni, I'm 21 years old, and I graduated with honors, for I was the top of my class in the major of business administration from Hisham Hajawi College of Technology, affiliated with An-Najah National University, in 2014. Then, I began a new chapter in my life—the chapter of work life. Currently, I work as a secretary in the public relations department at An-Najah National University, and here we go...

During my last semester of college, the home telephone rang while I was preoccupied with exams. The call was meant for me; it was from one of the faculty members of An-Najah University, who suggested that I work as a secretary in the public relations department there. The unpredictable thing is that I have not even finished my finals, nor have I gotten my BA degree yet. I know I would get a job after graduating, but before it? I wasn't expecting that.

  The following day, I went to do a job interview. They were already aware that I was still a student. It was a simple interview; they explained the nature of the work. The uncomplicated interview extinguished my stress after the mentioned phone call. They told me they would conduct another interview, which I assumed would be more complicated and intricate. But when I went to the interview, I was surprised to learn that this was my first day at work. I wasn't ready at all; I truly wasn't prepared. Nonetheless, allow me to reiterate my perspective on success: it doesn't start without challenges or perhaps even with failure.

In my childhood and throughout elementary school, I wasn't a remarkable student; as a matter of fact, I was shy in a manner that annoyed my teachers. I was an average student when it came to my grades until I reached high school, when my life took a new turn. I decided to work on my own development. This decision has changed my whole life, not just my educational status;  I changed and reaped the seeds of this transformation. I passed the exams with high grades and got 91.6 in the literary stream. But something was lacking; I didn't have a direction to head for.

Not having an end goal perplexed me about which major I wanted to specialize in. I originally intended to major in English at the Faculty of Arts, but after consulting family and friends, I decided to study business administration at Hisham Hajawi College. I had no prior knowledge of the major at all. I was unaware, though, that it held the secret to my success.

College life was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, a turly unique adventure. My priority back then was my education, yet that didn't stop me from diving into college life and making friends. I like to believe that the main thing that drove me to succeed and shape my current personality was the positive relationships I had with my doctors and friends, as well as the unwavering support they provided me with. Some parts of me still miss those days, even still live it. Even now, I still get along well with the professors and coworkers I met at work.

When I started my first day at work, I was still preparing for the finals, but what made the difference was my manager's understanding of the situation and providing facilities to help me balance my new job and the remaining period of exams. I will never forget something one of my teachers said: "One day, you will be one of our colleagues." Now that this day has arrived, I need to prove myself worthy. All of this was sufficient to help me overcome any barriers or difficulties on a new employee's first day of work. My manager and coworkers' early support may have been crucial in helping me adjust and get along at work, which is probably why I now love and excel at what I do.

Earning excellent grades in high school and college and working in the public relations department are proud achievements; my aspirations don't end here. I plan to pursue my education further and ensure that I succeed in all facets of my life. As a result, I've decided to call my story "The Beginning of My Successes."