Hi everyone! My name is Aneeza Asif and I am a junior studying Cell and Molecular Biology at Barnard College of Columbia University in New York City. I am a native New Yorker and have been living in Brooklyn, NY since my family and I first immigrated to the United States when I was five years old.

I love to represent my city, meet new people, and try new things. The city never gets old because there is always something new happening. Most recently, the Hudson Yards was created which included a boutique mall, restaurants, and a building called ‘The Vessel’. The Vessel is described as, depending on who you ask, a honeycomb or big shawarma. It is an Insta-worthy place to capture pictures as my friends have described, (but I have yet to go). The one thing that I love about NYC is the hustle and grind of my fellow New Yorkers. Regardless of what time it is, the trains will still be congested, and the city will still be filled with people even at 3am whether people are going to work or exploring the city’s nightlife.

When I am not raving about NYC, I am usually on campus spending time with my friends doing homework or studying for exams. I love to spend time with my friends (outside of coursework) but that rarely occurs since we are all busy managing our own workloads. On-campus I am involved in mentorship activities, the Muslim Student Association (MSA), and the Network of Pre-Med Students (NPMS). Also, just this semester I launched a mentorship initiative called ‘We Mentor’ where college students mentor high school juniors and seniors applying for college which I hope to expand for the future.

I look forward to studying at Queen Mary, exploring London, and meeting all of you!