It is not impossible, but it is awe-inspiring! A 21-year old woman from Florida, USA, named Pakeezah Zubairi, now owns a house, finished her MBA degree, and now takes her Ph. D. studies at age 21.
At a very young age, she reached her dreams, but she admitted that it was not an easy journey for her. She was deprived of sleep and proper nutrition because while studying, she was also working fulltime.
“I feel like all I did from high school until I got my house was work and study – during my master’s, I worked full time while my course was full time. I would write papers until five o’clock in the morning and then sleep two hours and get up for work,” said Pakeezah.
Despite her achievements and endeavors, her family did not approve of her moving out from them and living with her boyfriend Steven.
“It was tough moving out, I come from a very religious background, and they stopped talking to me when I left because they wanted me to be this good little Muslim girl, and that just wasn’t for me,” she explained.
Unlike young people her age, it was a luxury to buy designer clothes, gadgets, and even go out drinking and spending holidays. She maintained a very frugal lifestyle.
“My boyfriend Steven was a massive help, he stayed up with me to study, and we bought the cheapest food we could which was all pretty awful for our bodies, ready meals, and super noodles. My friend would drive me from work to school every day”, she said.
Pakkezah’s family refused to talk to her and in their absence, Steven’s family became her second family that have supported her in her dreams.
According to Pakeezah, while in high school, she was also earning part of her university credits as she enrolled in BS Psychology at Lynn University, Florida. She finished her Master of Business Administration at age 20, and now studying for her Ph.D. and lives in her a house that she bought with her own money from her work. Finally, she has more time to enjoy her life.
“When I look back to work, we put in, and I’m just so happy with what I have achieved and what we have achieved as a couple. I’m the youngest student to ever graduate from an MBA business course at my university, and that feels amazing,” she explained.
“It was all worth it, I’m independent, working and studying in subjects I love, and it’s all thanks to the hard work of my younger years and the support of my amazing boyfriend. We’re just over the moon”, said Pakeezah acknowledging her boyfriend’s major role in her success.