By Shauna Mazenes
With a millionaire dollar smile and sparkles in her eyes, you probably think this article is about the untold secrets to unlocking optimal happiness and beauty, right? No, Zeinab is not the next poster girl for Healthy Living Magazine, but below her glowing surface lies a selfless, sarcastic and relatable writer whose true passions lie within the realms of story-telling, invention and creation.
As someone who dislikes self-recognition and expressing personal feelings, 18-year-old Ryerson English student Zeinab Fakih expels her emotions through the fantasy world she creates in her writing. She implements pieces of herself and her life into her fictional characters as she creates them, molding her stories around her own personal experiences.
After waking up one day and deciding that life was too short to not be writing a book, Zeinab started composing her very first novel, Street Rats.
“I just got bored,” says Zeinab. “I’m like, ‘why not?’.”
The tale is about a young homeless girl in Los Angeles that meets a cute British boy who—by the laws of classism and social acceptance—should have never fallen for her. The title, Street Rats, has metaphorical significance, as rats symbolize both homeless neglects in the street, as well as agile, intelligent and resilient creatures that take what is thrown at them.
Zeinab is majoring in English and plans on minoring in criminology and child and youth services. However, she recognizes that the future for writers is rather cut-throat and slightly unsustainable, taking an interest in law as well.
As she says, “It would be cool to live out my Legally Blonde life.”
Legally Blonde is just one of the many corky productions Zeinab enjoys, such as the new 2017 TV show, Superior Donuts. As someone who loves to immerse herself into the world books, Zeinab knows how to appreciate a good movie that actually mirrors its novel counterpart, like Girl Interrupted and The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Although sentiment and compassion is a big factor in her fictional diet, Zeinab’s taste also ventures off to the dimensions of horror and psychological thrillers.
What is truly inspiring about Zeinab, despite her raw effortless talent and honourable humbleness as a creative writer, is her ability to radiate positivity without even being in the immediate vicinity. Zeinab demonstrates core morals and fundamental values without revealing her emotions. There is undeniable beauty in strength and simplicity, as is the case with Zeinab. She has taught me that being an extrovert does not mean that you must give yourself to other people or lose sight of who you are.
Her biggest accomplishment to date has been learning to do what is best for herself and letting go of a toxic past.
“I cut off people that I felt were toxic in my life and grew more independent by going to a school and program where I didn’t really know anyone,” she explains. “I became more comfortable with myself and realized who my real friends were.”
Zeinab is also emotionally mature.
“I have zero attachment to people. It really doesn’t affect me if people are in my life or not. It’s very easy for me to cut people off.”
Besides being sarcastic, relatable, funny, selfless, talented and inspirational… Zeinab is a human, like you and me.
In other words, you should get to know Zeinab.
You won’t regret it.