Sometimes the best victories are the ones you don't see coming. Today, I had a spontaneous moment of competitive spirit at the Faculty of Pharmacy. I happened to come across a chess tournament already in progress and decided, on a whim, to jump in and take a shot at it!
The Thrill of the Spontaneous Game
While I have participated in many official, planned championships—from the Mansoura University Cup to our team's Silver Medal at the student activities festival—there is a unique pressure to entering a game with no prior mental preparation.
The Tactical Duel: Sitting across from a skilled opponent, the focus remains entirely on the 64 squares. Even in a casual setting, the strategic depth of the game requires full concentration to calculate the best possible moves.
A Community of Players: Seeing these tournaments pop up around the faculty is a "treasure". It shows how much the chess community at Mansoura University has grown since those early days when we were just happy to have a large turnout of 77 players.
Beyond the Board
This spontaneous participation reflects my broader philosophy: always be ready for a challenge. Whether it’s presenting award-winning research on Canagliflozin for CKD or mastering the precision of oncology preparation in the practice department, the ability to focus under pressure is a skill that translates into every part of clinical pharmacy.
It’s these moments of unexpected competition that keep us sharp and remind us why we love the "Step on the Way" toward excellence.
"I found a tournament like this in Pharmacy, so I said I'd go ahead and take it! 😂" — May 11, 2024