I remember the first time I saw Zuhair at school. He was by far the tallest student around; his head towering a foot above others. As though trying to hide his height he, would walk a little crouched. Passersby would often ask him what his height is. With a straight face, he would reply five feet, seventeen inches. He would often be seen wearing a light gray shirt with faded blue jeans, his face hiding behind a pair of square glasses.

He was two years my senior at school and although I knew who he was by face, we had never spoken to each other. The first time I met him was at the basketball tryout where he was helping the coach select new players for the team. Even though I already knew I wasn’t good enough for the team I was still very disheartened when I got rejected. The next day I ran into Zuhair at the school library. Casually he asked if I would like to play basketball with him sometime. Over the next year he helped me build my game so that I eventually managed to make it to the school team. It was only later that I realized how much time and energy he had invested in me; that could’ve been spent elsewhere. For that I was very grateful to him. Being able to play for the school team meant a lot to me.

Our twice-weekly basketball sessions helped me get to know more about Zuhair. He was more than a big friendly giant on campus. He was a dedicated student who wanted to study physics in college. I realized that it wasn’t only me who he had been helping out. I occasionally saw him tutor other students in the library. He was like an elder brother on campus always helping his younger siblings. Zuhair seemed to revel in being able to make a difference in others’ lives. He used to say that such opportunities are gifts. Not everyone gets them.

Essay on Our College Library (500 Words)

When it was time for Zuhair’s graduation, I was very proud of him for becoming the class valedictorian. He had received a full scholarship to study physics abroad at a very renowned university. I felt slightly guilty for feeling abandoned. I had grown used to turning to him for advice and help. As though reading my mind, he hugged me and assured me that he would only be a telephone call away. As I watched him smiling, posing for photographs with his parents I felt reassured that my brother’ would still be there for me.

[PDF Download]