One situation that has stayed with me was when I went to the hospital with my mother after she went into atrial fibrillation and had to be taken by ambulance. Everything happened very quickly, and I remember how scared and overwhelmed I felt in the moment. She was in pain, I did not fully understand what was going on, and the entire situation felt out of control. What stood out to me most during that experience was how the nurses treated both my mother and me. Even though the situation was serious and fast paced, they never made us feel like we were just another case. They explained what was happening in a way that we could understand, and they stayed calm in a way that helped calm us down too. When my mother had to be shocked, they were not only focused on the medical side of it, but also on reassuring her and making sure she felt safe before and after the procedure. They explained each step right before it happened, and even the smallest details helped reduce some of the fear in the room. I also remember how they checked in on me, which I did not expect. I was not the patient, but they still made time to make sure I understood what was happening and that I was okay. One nurse even took a moment to step aside and explain what atrial fibrillation meant in simple terms so I would not feel completely lost. That small amount of compassion made a big difference in how I experienced the situation. It helped ease the fear and confusion I was feeling, and it made the environment feel less chaotic and more controlled. There were moments where I could tell how busy they were, but they never rushed through interactions with us. Even when things were moving quickly, they still spoke with patience and kindness. That balance of urgency and compassion stood out to me because it showed me that caring for patients is not just about speed or accuracy, but also about how you make people feel in the middle of something scary. That experience affected me in a way that I still think about. It showed me that nursing is not just about treating a condition, but about supporting people through moments that can feel terrifying. The medical care was important, but the compassion and communication were what made the biggest difference in how both my mother and I got through it. It changed how I view hospitals and made me realize how much nurses shape a patient’s entire experience, not just their physical outcome. Since then, I have thought a lot about the kind of nurse I would want to be in a situation like that. I want to be someone who can stay calm under pressure, communicate clearly, and still show empathy even when things are moving quickly. That experience made the idea of nursing feel very real to me, not just as a career, but as a responsibility to care for people in moments where they need it most, especially when they are scared and do not fully understand what is happening.

One of the biggest challenges I have faced in my life is growing up with parents who struggle with addiction. It is not something that affected just one part of my life, but something that has been present for as long as I can remember. It created a lot of instability at home, and at a young age I started to realize that things were not always going to be predictable or consistent. Over time, I had to learn how to adapt, stay aware of what was going on around me, and take on more responsibility than most people my age. During COVID, that challenge became even more real. I found myself stepping into more of a role at home, helping manage daily responsibilities and keeping things going when things felt overwhelming. As I got older and started working, I also began helping financially where I could. None of that was easy, but it shaped me in a way that I do not think I fully understood at the time. I learned how to be responsible, how to keep going even when things were stressful, and how to not fall apart when life does not go the way it should. It also changed the way I see people. Growing up around addiction made me realize that most people are dealing with more than what you can see on the surface. It is easy to make assumptions, but I learned quickly that you never really know what someone is carrying. Because of that, I became more patient, more understanding, and more aware of how important it is to treat people with respect no matter their situation. Even though this has been a difficult part of my life, it has also pushed me toward wanting something different for my future. It made me realize that I want stability, purpose, and a career where I can actually help people in a real way. That is a big reason I am pursuing nursing. I want to be in a field where I can show up for people during hard moments and be someone who brings calm instead of more stress. Pursuing higher education at Olympic College is important to me because it is how I am building that future. It is not just about getting a degree, it is about creating stability for myself and breaking a cycle that has been part of my life for a long time. I want to keep growing into someone who is independent, focused, and capable of building a life that looks different from the one I grew up around. Looking back, this challenge has shaped me into someone who is more resilient, more grounded, and more aware of others. Moving forward, I want to use those experiences in a career where I can make a real difference for people who are going through their own struggles, just like I have.

I want to pursue a degree in nursing because it feels like one of the few careers where what you do actually matters in a real, immediate way. I’m not just interested in healthcare for the science side of it, but for the fact that nurses are the ones who are there when people are at their lowest. They’re the ones who explain things when everything feels confusing, who stay calm when patients aren’t, and who treat people like human beings first instead of just a diagnosis. That’s what draws me in most. A lot of this comes from my own life. Growing up around health struggles and instability in my family made me see how much of a difference care and support actually make. I’ve seen what it looks like when people don’t have the right help, and I’ve also seen how much it matters when someone does. It’s not always the big medical moments that stick with people the most. It’s how they were treated, whether they felt heard, and whether someone actually took the time to care. That’s the kind of impact I want to have on others. What interests me about nursing is that it’s not just about “fixing” people. It’s about being present, paying attention, and making sure someone doesn’t feel alone in what they’re going through. I want to be the kind of nurse who notices the small things, who patients feel comfortable with, and who can stay steady in situations that are stressful for everyone involved. As I work toward my nursing degree at Olympic College, my goal is to eventually work in direct patient care and be in a setting where I can actually build relationships with patients over time. But more than anything, I want to contribute to my community in a real way. A lot of people don’t get easy access to care, or they delay getting help because of stress, money, or just feeling overwhelmed. I want to be part of changing that experience: making healthcare feel more approachable and less intimidating. I also want to give back in a way that feels personal. I know what it’s like to come from a background where things aren’t always stable or straightforward, and that’s part of why I take this path seriously. I don’t see nursing as just a job, but as something I can use to actually show up for people in moments where it matters. If I can make even one person feel safer, more understood, or less alone, then that’s the kind of contribution I want to be making every day.