From not knowing what an Olympiad was to winning silver at IAAC

When I was in tenth grade, the word "Olympiad" meant nothing to me. It was not that I studied in a poor school. My institution ranked first in the board exams, yet it never spoke of extracurricular competitions or scientific olympiads. There was no community to guide us, no seniors to share experiences, and no pathway visible beyond textbooks. For students reading this now, I write these words so you understand the value of what you have. Use the internet. Find resources. Do not wait for someone to hand you a map.

After tenth grade, I moved to Dhaka and enrolled at Government Science College, securing an average of 92 percent. I remember my first day. The campus felt overwhelming. More than fifteen clubs were recruiting new members, each with multiple departments and roles I had never heard of. I felt awkward and small. Everyone seemed to know where they belonged. I did not.

Step by step, I began finding alumni and asking questions. I searched for a place where my curiosity might find direction. The Science Club caught my attention. It had many departments, one of which was the Olympiad Department. I joined, thinking I had found my path. Then I realized how far behind I was. Students around me had been preparing for Olympiads for years. They spoke a language I did not understand. They solved problems I could not approach. Meanwhile, the eleventh and twelfth grades in Bangladesh carry immense academic pressure.
Still, I kept moving forward. I learned what an Olympiad was. I studied how to prepare. I practiced problems slowly, one at a time. When the Sub Executive positions opened, I applied and got selected. I was surprised. Everyone else who was selected had already won competitions. I had not. Later, when I asked the executives why they chose me, they said they valued my management skills and my persistence. That response stayed with me. Sometimes, staying committed matters more than immediate results.

College ended. I learned that students outside Bangladesh were achieving remarkable things in Olympiads and international competitions. I had never heard of the Ivy League until then. By then, the Fall 2025 application deadlines were fast approaching. I decided to take a gap year. I wanted to explore what I had missed, to challenge myself in ways I had not before.

Through research, I discovered the International Astronomy and Astrophysics Competition. By then, most national Olympiad deadlines had passed, but I had already participated in several, reaching the national level in the Earth Olympiad and winning the Bangladesh Environment Olympiad.

The IAAC felt different. It required studying topics I had never encountered before. The competition structure consists of three rounds: Qualification, Pre-Final, and Final. The Qualification Round presents five astronomy problems covering various topics and difficulty levels. I worked through them carefully and qualified for the next stage.

The Pre-Final Round proved far more challenging. Participants receive six problems divided into basic, advanced, and research categories. The research problems particularly fascinated me. They required reading scientific papers and applying recent findings to solve complex questions. The language was dense, the concepts unfamiliar. Yet the process opened my eyes to how scientists think and communicate discoveries. The eleven-euro registration fee was required to proceed, and I worked through these problems before submitting my solutions.

When the results arrived, I had qualified for the Final. The certificate recognizing my Pre-Final achievement felt meaningful. I had moved from not knowing what an Olympiad was to competing internationally in astronomy and astrophysics.

The Final Round was a twenty-question, multiple-choice online exam covering astronomy, astrophysics, and material from previous rounds. The exam was supervised either by a teacher or through self-recording, ensuring fairness across all participants worldwide. Each question demanded quick thinking and recall.

When the results were announced, I had scored 16 points, placing me in the top 8% globally among approximately 12,300 students. I received the Silver Honour on my official IAAC 2025 certificate.

The journey taught me lessons I carry forward. Not knowing something does not mean you cannot learn it. When I joined Government Science College, I felt overwhelmed. I could have given up. Instead, I asked questions and kept learning. Persistence matters more than immediate success. I did not win every competition, but each taught me something valuable. Opportunities exist beyond your immediate environment if you search for them.

To students reading this, especially those in ninth, tenth, or eleventh grade, start exploring now. Join clubs. Participate in competitions, even if you feel unprepared. Connect with seniors who can guide you. Do not let fear stop you from trying. Everyone starts somewhere.

The IAAC experience showed me that astronomy is about curiosity, about looking at the night sky and wondering what lies beyond. Thousands of years ago, humans looked up and asked questions. Today, we have tools and knowledge our ancestors could not imagine, yet the questions remain. Competitions like IAAC allow students to engage with these questions seriously.

If you are a student in Bangladesh wondering whether international competitions are for you, they are. You do not need an elite school or years of preparation. You need curiosity, internet access, and a willingness to learn. Resources exist. Past problems can be found online. Communities help each other prepare.

Thousands of students across Bangladesh are discovering these opportunities. Some will go further than I did. Others will find different paths. What matters is that we start, ask questions, and challenge ourselves.

To those who feel behind, who wonder if it is too late to start, it is not. Begin where you are. Use what you have. Learn what you can. The universe is vast, and there is room for everyone willing to look up and wonder.