“Desert Hoya” Posts

Showing 68 “Desert Hoya” posts

  • Desert Hoya

    I Got Rejected 68 Times in One Semester: Why Showing Up Changed Everything

    February 24, 2026 · By Hassan Amin (GU-Q'27)

    I got rejected 68 times in one semester. Sixty-eight. I kept applying to on-campus jobs at our main campus in DC during my study abroad, and the responses were always the same: silence, or a polite "thank you for your interest." Then there were the big ones—PwC, Bain, BCG—all rejections in my first year when I applied for internships. I remember sitting there thinking, "Maybe I should do something else. Maybe consulting isn't for me."

    A man in a dark suit and striped tie stands outdoors on a sunny day, with trees and a pathway in the background. He is looking at the camera and smiling slightly.
  • Desert Hoya

    An Introvert’s Survival Guide to Thriving at Georgetown University Qatar

    February 19, 2026 · By Anna Lemma (GU-Q'29)

    Freshman year can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re navigating a new country, a new education system, and a new sense of independence all at once. Now add being an introvert to the mix. What a nightmare. Though I am very much in the process of figuring things out myself, I have learnt a few survival skills along the way. Here are the skills I needed to survive my first year on campus:

    Two women sit across from each other in conversation; one wears a blue Georgetown University Qatar hoodie, and the other wears a pink shirt. They are in a bright indoor setting with other people in the background.
  • Desert Hoya

    Belonging in More Than One City as a GU-Q Student

    February 12, 2026 · By Aras Karlidag (GU-Q’26)

    When I first applied to university, I didn’t imagine myself ending up on a Middle East campus. Like many students my age, graduating from an American school in Turkey, my idea of “college life” was shaped by American cities, American campuses, and the kind of cultural familiarity that comes from growing up under the influence of U.S. soft power. In my final year of high school, I didn’t even know international branch campuses were really a thing, even for the most impressive schools in the U.S. that my friends and I dreamed about.

    A man wearing glasses, a suit, and a tie stands in front of a black metal fence with the White House visible in the background on a cloudy day.
  • Desert Hoya

    I’m Learning About the World by Meeting the People Who Shape It

    February 10, 2026 · By Radiyah Ahmed (GU-Q'28)

    At Georgetown Qatar, you never really know who you’re going to run into on campus. One week you’re stressing about deadlines, and the next you’re walking past the Prime Minister of Albania on his way to give a talk. And yes, that is a real example. Things like that somehow feel normal here, which is wild when you think about it. It’s literally the School of Foreign Service, and it shows.

    Two people sit and talk on a stage with gold backdrop and official seal, surrounded by flags. Audience members watch from theater-style seats in a formal, wood-paneled auditorium.
  • Desert Hoya

    Why Writing at Georgetown Is About Growth

    February 9, 2026 · By Tahaniah Mohammed (GU-Q'28)

    On the first day of WRIT 1165: Writing the Human Experience, Professor Rudd walked into our classroom and said something I never expected to hear at Georgetown: “Everyone in this room starts with an A!”.

    A woman in a hijab writes in a notebook at a desk. Behind her, a wall reads: Writing is Thinking. To write well is to think clearly. Thats why its so hard..
  • Desert Hoya

    Philosophy Isn’t (Necessarily) Intimidating. That’s Why I Minored In It (Maybe You Should Too)

    February 5, 2026 · By Alex Bonjoc (GU-Q'27)

    Whenever I tell someone that I chose Philosophy as my minor, the reaction is almost always the same. They pause, sometimes grimace, then come the question: “Why would you do that to yourself?”

    A young woman in a cap and an older man with a lanyard look at an open book together in an office with framed art on the walls.
  • Desert Hoya

    The Middle East: “Middle of What? East of What?” What One History Course Taught Me About How We See the World

    February 5, 2026 · By Aisha Al-Emadi (GU-Q'28)

    During my second semester of university, I was faced with the very important decision of picking which first history class I would take. Reading that sentence probably makes it sound like I’m being dramatic, but let me explain. 

    A woman in a black hijab looks at maps on a table. Behind her is a blue wall with a world map made of colorful flowers.
  • Desert Hoya

    How Running with the Track and Field Club Helped Me Slow Down

    February 2, 2026 · By Daphne Soriano (GU-Q'28)

    Deadlines, exams, and papers. Rushing to uni in the morning, speed walking in the hallways to get to back-to-back meetings, all-nighters during finals week, and balancing work with readings. These are the adrenaline rushes I've grown accustomed to when it comes to academics at Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q). But with the Track and Field club, there’s a different kind of rush I get: runner’s high.

    Nine people stand together on a racetrack at night, wearing running attire and race bibs. Some hold medals and smile for the camera, with a lit grandstand and pit lane visible in the background.
  • Desert Hoya

    Meet Our Desert Hoya Storytellers and What are They Looking Forward to This Year?

    January 22, 2026 · By Office of Admissions

    Spring 2026 brings a new cohort of Desert Hoya Storytellers as the semester goes into full swing. This semester, this spectacular group of 15 students from 11 countries will write, document and share what makes being a Georgetown student in Qatar special. Through their stories, they’ll offer an honest look into life at GU-Q, shaped by curiosity, community, and global perspectives.

    A diverse group of students poses on stairs with a person in a bulldog mascot costume. Most wear Georgetown shirts and smile at the camera, celebrating together indoors.
  • Desert Hoya

    From Rwanda to Qatar: The Room That Made Me Feel at Home in GU-Q

    January 19, 2026 · By Tony Cirhulwire (GU-Q'29)

    When I left Rwanda for Qatar, I recall it with so much excitement, but also a kind of fear I didn’t want to acknowledge. How will I do for the first time away from my family? A new place, new people, new life, leaving everything behind. I kept wondering, How will I make friends? Will I just blend into the background?

    Two people play foosball in an office space with a colorful, cartoon-style mural in the background featuring hashtags, doodles, and bright graphics.