From a dream of studying abroad to a semester inside a collapsed university in Gaza

This piece is a first-person narrative by Hassan Abo Qamar that documents the experience of a Palestinian student from Gaza navigating higher education amid the collapse of the local education system following the war. It begins with the disruption of secondary education, particularly the Tawjihi stage, which determines students’ academic futures, and explains how two generations of students were left in prolonged uncertainty due to delayed and altered examination systems. The narrative then follows Hassan’s personal journey into university life under extremely constrained conditions, where limited in-person learning is held in improvised spaces such as rented wedding halls, overcrowded lecture settings, and partially destroyed campuses.The piece highlights the severe deterioration of the learning environment, including the lack of infrastructure, inadequate teaching conditions, and the shift towards unreliable online education due to ongoing instability. It also explores the financial and social pressures on students, many of whom are forced to reconsider their academic paths because of rising tuition costs and limited scholarship opportunities. Throughout, Hassan reflects on his aspiration to study abroad and the growing impossibility of achieving a meaningful educational experience within Gaza.