A Letter to Incoming First-Year Hoyas
By Tahaniah Mohammed (GU-Q ’28), an undergraduate student at Georgetown University in Qatar.
Dear new Hoyas,
Congratulations on joining Georgetown University in Qatar! You are now part of the GU-Q community.
You are probably feeling a mix of excitement and “what am I getting into?” right now. And honestly, that is exactly how most students start.
One thing you will figure out pretty quickly is that the community here is way more approachable than you might expect at first. Professors are your educators (and they are also human). You will meet them not just in classes, but in the atrium, and in the corridors. You can go to their office hours, ask questions, and talk about things you are interested in. They are genuinely open to it, and it makes a big difference.
Across campus, staff are also really helpful. Whether it is academics, projects, or just figuring out how things work, there is always someone you can ask and talk to. You are not left to figure everything out alone.
Outside of class, there is a lot going on. There are so many student clubs and events happening, and they are honestly one of the best ways to meet people. You end up talking to students you probably would never cross paths with, and it makes it really easy to connect beyond your classes and find your own community in different spaces.
Classes might feel a bit different at the beginning. They are usually small, which means you are actually part of the conversation from day one. That can feel a bit intimidating at first (especially when you are still adjusting), but it quickly becomes normal. No one is expecting you to have perfect answers – just to try, think, and engage. Also, some classes might surprise you completely as the semester goes on, even if they do not sound interesting to you at first!
Things take time to settle. You will figure out your routine, your people, and how you like to spend your days. There is no correct way to do any of it, even if it feels like everyone else has it figured out.
Remember:
Everyone is adjusting at different speeds.
So do not feel like you need to show up already fully prepared on day one. You will grow, and you will continue to grow. That is the whole point of your first semester (and tbh, your whole time here) – growth.
And one day, without really noticing when it happened, things start to feel familiar. The campus, the rhythm, the people, all of it.
And then it starts to feel like home.
Yours,
A fellow Hoya
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