July 23, 2025
Balancing Dreams and Duty: The Journey of Nazeeha Ahmed
By John Myers
By Alisa Uchaykina
Nazeeha Ahmed was born in Queens, New York, on February 25, 2009. She grew up in a close-knit Bangladeshi household with many pleasant memories as she was growing up—spending time with family, cousins, and friends, playing outside, and enjoying the little things. Her mother instilled in her a love for creativity, or at least helped her discover it, as she herself is a very creative person. Her mother draws beautifully, embroiders, and would occasionally share these activities with her daughter. She said, “When she was little I always liked to draw with her and cook and do something creative with her. We both enjoyed it a lot. And her love for writing now reminds me of my childhood.” It’s easy to see how much her daughter takes after her — just like an apple that hasn’t fallen far from the tree. As Nazeeha grew older, life became a bit quieter—the circle of friends grew smaller, and her parents became busier. Still, from a young age, Nazeeha has continued to develop and improve her creative skills.
In the fall of 2023, something unexpected happened to Nazeeha and her family. She fell ill with a rare disease that left her feeling weak and constantly tired. The world seemed to lose its color, and a difficult time began for the young schoolgirl. She started spending more time at home, and with that came a growing sense of heaviness—feelings of unproductiveness, laziness, and emotional pressure. Eventually, this pressure became unbearable for Nazeeha, and she decided it was time to make a change.
She began exploring new topics, with a particular interest in sociology. She visited libraries, read books, and browsed articles on social media and other platforms. Although it wasn’t part of the school curriculum, sociology was something she genuinely enjoyed. Through this exploration, her love for writing was reignited. This period of discovery lasted through the spring of 2024. That following summer, Nazeeha made a bold decision: to start writing her own book, along with many short stories. She spent hours, days, weeks, and months writing, drawing, revising drafts, and working to bring everything as close to perfection as she could. However, this passion came with consequences—her school grades began to suffer. She didn’t want to lose all the progress she had made over the years, nor the good grades she had worked so hard for. So, she made a serious decision to refocus on her studies. “I did lose points, enough for my parents to raise their eyebrows, because I was so focused on writing. It was a hard time, when I had to find that balance—but I did it,” she said. Nazeeha came to understand that while pursuing her passion was deeply important, she couldn’t forget her responsibilities. Finding a balance between what she loved and what she needed to do became a valuable life lesson.
After some time, she transferred to a new school, and her condition improved significantly. At the new school, she met new people, and despite her introverted nature, she was able to make friends. Nazeeha’s father said, “She is a very intelligent and smart woman. She takes her job seriously. The only problem she has, she is shy but she is honest. I am proud to be her father.” Despite all the challenges, her parents are deeply proud of their daughter and sincerely wish her the very best. The teachers are also supporting her in pursuing her hobbies. Recently, she was accepted into the Fellowship for the Future of Journalism—an incredible milestone in her development as a writer and journalist. However, she is passionate about becoming a software developer in the future. This path would allow her to combine the creative and the practical—blending her love for storytelling with technology.
