My Work is Not on Instagram, but it’s Important

Here’s a bit of material for the girl in her mid-late twenties who’s beginning to feel like an outcast in Egypt today. I’m not a fashionista nor am I a trend-setter. No, I do not post pictures of myself on Instagram, eerily gaping into the distance and adding #LatestLook #WinterOOTD #ImSoPretty hashtags. No, I do not frequently get dolled up by random clothes stores and makeup artists. I do go to the same restaurants these individuals eat at though, but I usually pay for my own food because no top-notch advertising agency decided to #TreatMe to a day at said restaurant.

 

“No, I do not frequently get dolled up by random clothes stores and makeup artists”

 

Here’s to the girls who set 18 alarms only to wake up 15 minutes before it’s time to leave the house. Cheers to us girls who manage to wake up, dress up, and be on our way to our jobs in those miserly 15 minutes! We may not always have time to iron out those tiny wrinkles (that we firmly believe will even out once the fabric touches our skin), wear shoes in a shade that complements our selected outfit,  or even fix that bit of hair that just always manages to go astray, but we sure can keep up a stellar career!

 

“Here’s to the girls who set 18 alarms only to wake up 15 minutes before it’s time to leave the house”

 

While these girls’ careers might require diligence, hard-work, and dedication, us girls seem to think these ladies got a teensy bit lucky, didn’t they? I mean, dressing up and eating out for a living must be a tad less stressful than building financial models, working on the latest programming code, working in R&D to create the next new cure for diseases, or perhaps leading a team of engineers in the installation of new equipment! Notice that I didn’t say more interesting, I said less stressful, because to us mid-twenty #SheWolves, these careers we have are much more fulfilling and – oddly enough – doable than dolling up!

Personally, I find it rather unfortunate that at a day and age when we should be shining the light on scientists, mathematicians, economists, and other professions that could, on the long run, be of constructive value to our country, we as a nation have become more inclined to revere photographers and trend-setters. Among the Top 40 Countries in the field of Science, we find that Turkey, Iran, and Saudi Arabia manage to score rank among USA , Europe, and Asia while Egypt and the entire African continent are absent.

 

“Let us create a generation of women who will be pioneers in all fields be it art or science, but let us encourage wit and intelligence the same way and even more than how we endorse beauty”

 

I believe the time has come for us to start instilling different values in young women today ; to teach them that while looks may be a source of self-fulfillment, we must focus on feeding our brains with value-added knowledge that can create sustainable difference in the world. Let us create a generation of women who will be pioneers in all fields be it art or science, but let us encourage wit and intelligence the same way and even more than how we endorse beauty. It is time the view of the strong, independent female shines brighter than the fragile, more docile female. A #SheWolf is a strong, independent, intelligent, and feminine young lady with unparalleled ambition. This is to you young mid-twenties #SheWolves : stand tall and continue to make a difference in today’s world. Be proud of your differences and embrace them. I know it may seem as though you are standing alone, but if you have some faith, you will see that other #SheWolves are just around the corner.

 

Written by Randa Al-Kaddah; A Passionate thrill-seeker with a love for community service. Free spirit buckled down in corporate land still waiting for my ticket to NeverLand 🙂