Dalia Ezzeddine

Med I
201500629

During our daily lives, conflicts can occur with any person in any place. Although many people
try to avoid conflicts, they will find their way into our life. Accommodation, competition, and
avoidance are different approaches that people use to handle conflicts. In dealing with conflicts,
there is no absolute way inherently correct. Each person has a unique way to deal with conflicts
that came up in their life. Personally, the most appropriate approach to deal with conflicts that
work with my personality is avoidance until something happened to me during my master’s
studies, where the avoidance approach did not work.
Sitting in the research lab, performing Liesegang experiments, repeating experiments, reading
research papers, and helping my colleagues in the lab was my usual day during my masters. This
is the usual snapshot of a master’s student working on themselves to be better and to excel. My
extensive experience in research and laboratory work gives me the opportunity to grow as a
scientist. Due to financial issues, I asked the chairman to receive a GA ship to finish my thesis
otherwise I was not able to finish it. GA ship is normally granted for a good academic standard
student and he has at least one paper published, but the chairman completely rejected it. I asked
him if I am not qualified and his reply was yes!!! you are qualified to be granted a GA ship but
the situation in Lebanon was bad and it is not me who chooses students, but the Dean of Student
Affairs who normally do this. I left his office, I saw my friend Marwa. She advised me to go and
see the Dean of Students Affairs. I went to the office of the Dean of Students Affairs, and he
explained to me the process of granting a student a GA. In addition to that, he told me that the
chairman chooses the names of students we only confirm and we don’t negotiate in the name of
students. The dean of Student Affairs told me that this is not true and he granted GA for two
LAU students whose averages are even below mine and still did not publish any work. He told
me to go back to the chairman of the department and ask him why. I was completely nervous and
sad when I knew that. I returned back to his office and told him that I knew that you give two
GA this semester. Is that true? his answer was yes, but …. But what? Why you are lying to me?
Why there is this discrimination between students? He started shouting at me and saying that I
have the complete freedom to choose students and grant her a GA ship. Based on which criterion
you select students? Ente ma da5alek this was his reply. I left his office and slammed the office’s
door hard. I talked to my mentor and he was like I cannot do anything Sorry!! I left AUB for one
semester because I don’t have any other options. The following semester he sent my name to the
list of GA on his own even without a kind reminder!!!
To pause a little bit and reflect on what happened I think my decision to leave AUB for one
semester was a good decision to what happened. I wish I did not return to his office when I knew
he is lying. I wish I did not slam his office door. But at the same time, I was not happy about
leaving my studies which creates a delay in my educational career. Additionally, the financial
situation my family was passing through due to the deterioration of the Lebanese currency as
well as the hyperinflation does not allow them to cover my tuition. On the other hand, I think that
I should have not gone back to his office since I was too nervous about this situation.
Furthermore, the other 2 students were recommended by LAU professors to my professor at
AUB. This took away from me the opportunity of working on my thesis. In other words, the
other students’ connections, not their strong academic background or their publications, resulted
in them being granted a graduate assistantship in an unfair way.

Looking back, I realize that what I had done was not the best choice and that it was largely due
to my emotions taking over me. That choice did not benefit me either as it only led to a fight that
made me feel worse. I should have taken at least a few hours to consider what to do next, and I
am sure that I would have decided to not visit the chairman of the department. I also realize that I
should not have doubted my academic abilities and competency because as it turns out, there are
always unforeseen factors playing a role. If I had to take one thing from this incident, it is how
powerful emotions can be, and how giving them more power than what they deserve can hinder
and prevent us from taking the action that is most appropriate in a certain situation.