“Journeys to Belonging” (2021-2022)

I took a different approach to crafting this essay than my usual routine, which involves first choosing my primary text to engage with and then working from there to develop an idea. I decided to grant myself the opportunity to fully reap the benefits of the range and creative freedom this essay allowed, and started my thinking process this time with the idea I wished to focus on. My mind immediately traveled to the idea of what exactly “home” means, and I found myself making mental connections to the Disney film Soul. When I first watched the film, I held strong opinions about it, but unlike my peers and family, they were primarily critical in nature. I told myself I was wasting my time writing about a film that I didn’t like, but my writing professor reminded me that engaging with my own discomforts, fears, and authentic emotions would yield more value in what I had to say. I abandoned any plan I had, and instead let my thoughts continuously develop. Doing so empowered me to generate new perspectives and connections I hadn’t previously considered. Thus, an essay that had been meant to concern what I believed was the meaning of “home” evolved to engage with ideas about westernization, my experience as a first-generation immigrant, poverty, coronavirus, social media, expectations, and belonging. The idea of the word “journey” itself implies that it’s not the beginning or end that necessarily has the most importance, but rather the process of development and growth. The structure of my essay pertains to this idea, as I spend the majority of my efforts crafting the ideas I designate as worthwhile, but I never quite finished the journey I discuss. And this is precisely the power that writing grants us: we never have to finish our journeys, but instead gain the chance to write about something meaningful that, from within the snapshot of our lives, brings value to our current time, regardless of what we wish to say. 

Mashrur Khan (CAS ’23) studies sociology on the pre-medical track in the College of Arts and Science. Born in Bangladesh but raised in Albany, New York from the age of five, he experienced a variety of nuanced circumstances that shaped how he understands his identity in relation to others and the world around him. His essay, “Journeys to Belonging,” explores westernization, the South Asian diaspora, and what it means to belong—all in conversation with the 2020 Disney film, Soul. He hopes that what he learned throughout this writing process will help him become a more empathetic and curious individual, paving the way for him to make valuable contributions in the field of medicine.