Life behind the headwrap

Being a commuter and balancing class, playing lacrosse, an internship and work would be overwhelming for most students. However, senior Sabrina Enayatulla is not bothered by her busy schedule because she has her eyes in the prize-graduation.

"I'm so excited about graduation that I hardly even notice how hectic my schedule is. I'm just ready to start my life," said Enayatulla. "I'm definitely going to miss Virginia Beach because I've lived here the last four years, but I'm ready to go home and see what's next."

While Enayatulla, a devout Muslim, may not be entirely sure of what will come after graduation, she does have some definitive ideas.

"After graduation I would love to take a few months off and go somewhere to study Islam," said Enayatulla. "Whether it's here or overseas, this is really something I want to do with I'm young. After that, who knows? I'm studying journalism, so I definitely want to write. My dream job would probably be writing for National Geographic or having my own talk show like Oprah."

Enayatulla knows that before she can start making her dreams a reality, she must first get through this semester, which is a challenge within itself.

"My schedule is crazy. Monday, Wednesday, Fridays I have my internship in the morning, then two classes and [lacrosse] practice," said Enayatulla. "Tuesday, Thursdays get pretty hectic because I pretty much have three classes back-to-back, then practice."

This all sounds tiring, and it's not like she can run home to take a nap.

"I live off campus with my two roommates," said Enayatulla. "It's about a 20-minute drive from campus to our apartment."

Moving off campus this year was a step in a different direction for Enayatulla, giving her the freedom she desired, while also giving her the responsibilities she will have when she's on her own.

"It's very different from campus life, and I'm so glad I moved off," said Enayatulla. "I lived on campus for three years and I had fun, but it was time to move on."

The move off-campus made it a litter easier for the 21-year old to practice her faith, which is part of her heritage. Her father, who is from Pakistan, and her mother, who is from India, are both Muslims. Muslim women are supposed to be covered from hair to ankles without showing any skin besides their face, hands and feet. While incorporating these conventional into her life, she also has to pray.

"Muslims are required to pray five times daily at specific times," said Enayatulla. "I usually do them at home, but if I'm having a busy day and the time comes for prayer, I usually grab an empty room in the library. It's private and quiet, so it works well."

Praying five times a day sometimes cuts into work time at LensCrafters, but working with Enayatulla her boss and employees don't mind.

"They're really great," said Enayatulla. "Especially when I used to work eight-hour shifts on weekends, I needed to pray twice while I was there. They let me use the managers office in the back and they all know what I do, so it's pretty cool."

With all this time you wonder if she has time to chill and think for a second.

"I don't have as much down time as I'd like," said Enayatulla. "But I try to squeeze in some quiet time when I'm home in the evenings. But when I do, I usually hang out with my roommates or teammates. What I'd really love is to go home on the weekends and spend time with my family."

For Enayatulla having a busy schedule isn't too bad.

"I guess it's better then being bored though," said Enaytulla. "Right?"