Ahsan Minhas, U.S History, Constitutional Law, Government and Economics Teacher:

What is your goal in life?

“My goal in life is to leave as big of an impact as possible, and live an honest life.”

What has been the happiest phase of your life?

“The happiest phase of my life would be when I was in England. I lived there for a few years and I was in a really interesting environment where I was learning new things everyday inside and outside of class. I was playing sports all the time, I was playing soccer from September to March and then I was playing cricket from March to June. I was intellectually stimulated and I was also getting my sports and everything that goes with it.”

What has been the saddest moment of your life?

“My friend passed away when I was 16, he was at this house party. There was an accident, he fell and then he died in the hospital. I wasn’t there but my sister was. Because in the Islamic tradition you bury someone within 24 hours of the death just like in Judaism, school got cancelled at around 12 and whoever could attend went to his funeral. The saddest moment was watching his dad bury him because that’s just really unnatural. You shouldn’t see a father burying his own child. That sticks with me unfortunately.”

What is your philosophy in life?

“My philosophy in life is to always try to be a good person, seek knowledge, have an open mind and not waste water.”

What is your favorite part of the day?

“Late at night, especially after midnight because I’m pretty introverted and I like being by myself. I actually enjoy it. Late at night everyone is asleep so I can read fiction, I can read about the world, I can listen to music, I can just be by myself in my thoughts and I feel like at that time of the night I’m at my most creative and I think creativity is essential to the human experience.”

What would people be surprised to know about you ?

“One thing that’s surprising is that although I teach the American subjects like Government, U.S. History and Constitutional Law I am culturally not very american at all. I never felt like America to be the place where I fit in. I still enjoy what I teach but culturally I have a lot more in common with other parts of the world that I do here. I grew up in Pakistan, in Karachi for 18 years, I’ve also lived in England. Pakistan is a British Heritage which is also influenced by rich cultures. I am not very Pakistani per se, I am not the best ambassador for Pakistani culture so I’m kind of determined as a third culture kid in that sense. I think many people would be surprised to know that I’m not fully Pakistani and I am not exactly American so what am I? I think that is a very good question.”

What advice would you give to students?

“My biggest advice would be to really value education and intellectual stimulation. Instagram is very overrated. It’s right to find a balance between social media and learning. I also believe the most beautiful word in the english language is solidarity. Try to look it up and figure out why I would say that and also remember that asking the right questions is often more important than knowing the right answers.”