Against the Current is a global space by IBSAUD for learning and sharing stories shaped by resistance. The resistance of a learner—the kind where resources were limited, guidance was missing, the system wasn’t built for you, progress felt slow and invisible—but you kept trying, kept learning, and still did it (or are still going).

Everyone has one or more learning points that change the course of their whole life or leave a lifelong impact. It could be positive or negative, but most of all, it is valuable.

Maybe you believe your story does not look good enough to be presented to everyone. At IBSAUD, we disagree. Your story matters—today more than ever. WRITE. INSPIRE. BE INSPIRED.

Not everyone can relate to those inspiring stories of kids making millions in a year or winning “innovation of the year.” The context is not the same. The life was never the same. And that is why the warriors who keep grinding against the current deserve the spotlight. They deserve to be heard. and that warrior? is YOU!!

Against the Current is an initiative by IBSAUD. It exists to collect those wonderful moments from around the world—the phases where you were learning while doubting yourself, learning without reassurance, learning against expectations, learning against the current. And to show the world: YOU are doing it.

We’re looking for specific phases, not entire biographies.

• a semester, a year, or even a few weeks
• a concept that finally made sense after long confusion
• failing, restarting, or switching paths
• learning in isolation or without support
• studying STEM while working against systems, expectations, or circumstances

If there was a moment where you thought “this changed how I see learning”, it belongs here.

Right now, somewhere, someone thinks they’re too slow. Someone feels behind everyone else. Someone believes they don’t belong in STEM, or in the path they’ve chosen. Reading one honest story can break that illusion. Your story reminds others that they are not alone—if somebody out there could keep going, so can they.

Sharing your journey matters because it shows the world that learning is not always glamorous or celebrated. It is often messy, uncertain, and full of doubt. You didn’t just learn; you worked against the system, against the current of the river, often in the middle of a storm. You kept trying when progress felt invisible, when reassurance was missing, when expectations weighed heavy. That resistance, that persistence, is what makes your story powerful.

Your story might not feel extraordinary to you, but to someone else, it could be the proof they need to keep moving forward. It could be the reminder that success is not only about winning awards or making millions—it is about continuing despite the odds. That is why your story deserves to be heard, noticed, and applauded.

Once your story is published, we strongly encourage you to share it across your networks:

• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Facebook
• WhatsApp

Not for self-promotion — but because your network likely includes someone silently struggling.

Your story might be the reason someone tries again tomorrow.

Your story will be reviewed and lightly edited only for clarity (never meaning). You can choose to:

• publish with your name
• publish anonymously

👉 Submit your story using the form below

Please share:

• the phase of life you’re writing about
• what you were trying to learn
• what made it difficult
• the moment something changed
• what you understand now that you didn’t before

There’s no word limit — write what feels complete.