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Lamya Butt reflects on her journey from Dubai to Stanford, exploring themes of homesickness, independence, and the crucial role of community and friendship in overcoming fears.
Past continuous (was + -ing) for interrupted or ongoing actions — Lamya uses this to show what was happening when something else occurred. Example: "So as I try to fall asleep with the light switched on and my amazing father on FaceTime, 'cause I was too afraid to fall asleep in the dark, I couldn't help but think about what the next four years meant." This creates vivid scene-setting.
Conditional with "would" to express habits or repeated actions — She describes recurring patterns: "my roommate and I see my sister, Ella, who would get ready for class in the dark while I slept till 1:00 PM after pulling an all-nighter." This shows what regularly happened.
Rhetorical questions for emphasis and engagement — "But when the worries feel too heavy, we know that there's something we can always turn to: the people around us. So I urge you to look around, seriously, look around. When you look around this room, you see..." Repeating "look around" and shifting to "you see" makes the audience visualize the advice.
Present tense in narrative for immediacy — "And as I try to fall asleep...I couldn't help but think about what the next four years meant." The mix of present and past tense draws listeners into the moment even when describing something from 2022.
This is a baccalaureate address by Lamya Butt, an international student from Dubai who describes her first night in America on September 17, 2022. The speech opens with her reassuring her anxious mother ("Don't worry, Amma, I will be okay"), then reveals the vulnerability beneath those reassurances—she was terrified, alone in an unfamiliar hotel after booking the wrong room, and had never slept without her large family nearby. Throughout her four years at Stanford, that same refrain echoes as a coping mechanism while she internally questioned everything. The speech crescendos with a powerful message: students survive not because they are individually brilliant, but because of the people around them—the roommates, friends, RAs, and mentors who showed up during panic attacks, all-nighters, and moments of doubt.
This is excellent shadowing material because Lamya speaks clearly and at a natural pace with minimal jargon, alternating between personal anecdotes, direct addresses to the audience, and broader reflections. Her tone shifts from vulnerable and honest to celebratory and inspiring, giving learners variety in intonation and emotional expression to imitate. The language is accessible (B1 level) with no heavy academic jargon, though it includes natural phrases like "when the weight of those questions felt too heavy" and "I couldn't help but think."
This suits B1 learners aiming to improve conversational fluency and emotional expression. You'll hear authentic North American English in a formal but heartfelt register, learn how to tell a personal story with impact, and pick up useful phrases for talking about feelings, family, and friendship—all common conversation topics.
don't worry, I will be okay — a reassurance offered to calm someone's anxieties, especially family, even when you yourself are uncertain; used repeatedly in the speech as a refrain masking deeper fear.
look around — to observe and take note of the people and environment near you; here used literally (look at the graduates sitting near you) and metaphorically (recognize the relationships you've built).
the weight of those questions felt too heavy — the emotional burden of big existential concerns (like overcoming family circumstance) became overwhelming or hard to bear.
when it got too tough — when circumstances or challenges became very difficult; used to describe when an RA offered guidance during hard times.
turned to — sought comfort, support, or distraction from something; "When the worries feel too heavy, we know that there's something we can always turn to: the people around us."
did not let them face it alone — stayed present and provided support so someone did not have to struggle by themselves without help.
In sha Allah — an Arabic phrase meaning "God willing" or "if God wills it"; reflects Lamya's faith and cultural background in the closing promise to her mother.
the group chat that never goes quiet — a ongoing conversation between close friends, typically on messaging apps, that shows continuous connection and mutual engagement.
