Three years ago, I packed my bags in Pakistan and flew to Sweden with one goal.
Get the degree. Build the career. Prove it was worth it.
Last week, I walked across the stage at Dalarna University and received my Master’s in Business Intelligence.
I stood there thinking about every person who made that moment possible.
Mansoor Ahmed, who guided me through the entire admission process without asking for anything in return. A consultant, a mentor, and a genuinely good human being.
Mehrose Tanveer, my classmate and big brother figure, was there academically and emotionally through every hard stretch of that journey.
Asmat ullah, fellow traveller, business mind, and the person whose energy matched mine when it came to ambition, growth, and figuring out what we are really capable of.
Raja Omman Zafar and Yves Rybarczyk, my thesis supervisors, who gave me the opportunity to work on real synthetic data generation pipelines using Generative AI models. That thesis shaped how I think about AI and data to this day.
Ilias Thomas, Programme Director, whose teaching and structure made Dalarna feel like a place built for people like me.
And Dalarna University itself. If you are a foreigner looking to study in Sweden, there is no better place. They do not just admit you. They actually invest in you.
To my parents, family, and everyone who sent prayers from home. You were in that hall with me.
The degree is real. The journey continues.
Follow along for what comes next.
Day 3 of my 100-day journey continues tomorrow.