the rocky journey with my lymphatic cancer finally came to an end and remission became more and more of a viable possibility, my mind slowly became less cloudy and more focused on the distant yet hazy brightness of the future that lay before me. 3 years ago, in the midst of the coldest winter of my life, a sudden looming threat of a cancer diagnosis had suddenly hung over my head. The pulsating, gushing and growing, tumor that sprung from an innocuous nick to my breasts had truly destabilized the very center of my being, no matter how hard I tried to laser focus on my academics. Constantly, my body was in excruciating pain, my head was relentlessly pounding, the mental fogginess and emotional exhaustion and the loneliness and hopelessness I felt from being suddenly ripped away from the world, was damning. Aside from very close family and friends, the one thing that kept my soul tethered to the body that I felt was betraying me, were the spiritually uplifting bonds that I made with the nurses who cared for me on my journey. To be able to deliver the same compassionate and meticulous care to other people battling cancer at any stage of their life, is an honorable calling that I am willing to pursue. I knew then that I would want the final step on my career path to be becoming a Registered Nurse with a specialty in Oncology, Immunology or Public Health and carry the same torch of the RNs who held my hand from the beginning to the end of my journey. I chose to become a Home Health Aide as my segue into healthcare because I wanted to begin my nursing career on the foundation of viewing each patient as more than just their diagnosis and strengthening my ability to deliver a human touch. The road to becoming a truly dedicated professional Registered Nurse goes beyond just getting perfect grades in nursing school, as it is also tacitly understood that memorable nursing knowledge is gained through experience, a willingness to learn from both professionals and patients. As a Home Health Aide, I not only work in order to support myself through college, but also to be able to make a positive impact on other people’s lives and to deliver rehabilitating direct patient care in order to help them navigate their way through debilitating chronic and acute illness. Patients will always be multitudes more than their diagnoses, deserving holistic, empathetic treatment. Being a Home Health Aide allows me to see the whole person before seeing "the patient" and further enables me to deliver specialized and humanized care to suit their needs and allow more of their personhood to shine through as their condition improves. This opportunity to further my academics without financial setback would allow me to have more ease in comprehending the art and science of nursing on a deeper level and be able to administer the best of patient-centered care that I can, to those that I take care of. I plan to remain steadfast in my studies, strengthen my empathy, push forward into the world of healthcare and nursing, and evolve into the critically-thinking, actively listening and proactive future nurse that I plan to become.

As the rocky journey with my lymphatic cancer finally came to an end and remission became more and more of a viable possibility, my mind slowly became less cloudy and more focused on the distant yet hazy brightness of the future that lay before me. 3 years ago, in the midst of the coldest winter of my life, a sudden looming threat of a cancer diagnosis had suddenly hung over my head. The pulsating, gushing and growing, tumor that sprung from an innocuous nick to my breasts had truly destabilized the very center of my being, no matter how hard I tried to laser focus on my academics. Constantly, my body was in excruciating pain, my head was relentlessly pounding, the mental fogginess and emotional exhaustion and the loneliness and hopelessness I felt from being suddenly ripped away from the world, was damning. Aside from very close family and friends, the one thing that kept my soul tethered to the body that I felt was betraying me, were the spiritually uplifting bonds that I made with the nurses who cared for me on my journey. To be able to deliver the same compassionate and meticulous care to other people battling cancer at any stage of their life, is an honorable calling that I am willing to pursue. I knew then that I would want the final step on my career path to be becoming a Registered Nurse with a specialty in Oncology, Immunology or Public Health and carry the same torch of the RNs who held my hand from the beginning to the end of my journey. I chose to become a Home Health Aide as my segue into healthcare because I wanted to begin my nursing career on the foundation of viewing each patient as more than just their diagnosis and strengthening my ability to deliver a human touch. The road to becoming a truly dedicated professional Registered Nurse goes beyond just getting perfect grades in nursing school, as it is also tacitly understood that memorable nursing knowledge is gained through experience, a willingness to learn from both professionals and patients. As a Home Health Aide, I not only work in order to support myself through college, but also to be able to make a positive impact on other people’s lives and to deliver rehabilitating direct patient care in order to help them navigate their way through debilitating chronic and acute illness. Patients will always be multitudes more than their diagnoses, deserving holistic, empathetic treatment. Being a Home Health Aise allows me to see the whole person before seeing "the patient" and further enables me to deliver specialized and humanized care to suit their needs and allow more of their personhood to shine through as their condition improves. This opportunity to further my academics without financial setback would allow me to have more ease in comprehending the art and science of nursing on a deeper level and be able to administer the best of patient-centered care that I can, to those that I take care of. I plan to remain steadfast in my studies, strengthen my empathy, push forward into the world of healthcare and nursing, and evolve into the critically-thinking, actively listening and proactive future nurse that I plan to become. Collapse

As the rocky journey with my lymphatic cancer finally came to an end and remission became more and more of a viable possibility, my mind slowly became less cloudy and more focused on the distant yet hazy brightness of the future that lay before me. 3 years ago, in the midst of the coldest winter of my life, a sudden looming threat of a cancer diagnosis had suddenly hung over my head. The pulsating, gushing and growing, tumor that sprung from an innocuous nick to my breasts had truly destabilized the very center of my being, no matter how hard I tried to laser focus on my academics. Constantly, my body was in excruciating pain, my head was relentlessly pounding, the mental fogginess and emotional exhaustion and the loneliness and hopelessness I felt from being suddenly ripped away from the world, was damning. Aside from very close family and friends, the one thing that kept my soul tethered to the body that I felt was betraying me, were the spiritually uplifting bonds that I made with the nurses who cared for me on my journey. To be able to deliver the same compassionate and meticulous care to other people battling cancer at any stage of their life, is an honorable calling that I am willing to pursue. I knew then that I would want the final step on my career path to be becoming a Registered Nurse with a specialty in Oncology, Immunology or Public Health and carry the same torch of the RNs who held my hand from the beginning to the end of my journey. I chose to become a Home Health Aide as my segue into healthcare because I wanted to begin my nursing career on the foundation of viewing each patient as more than just their diagnosis and strengthening my ability to deliver a human touch. The road to becoming a truly dedicated professional Registered Nurse goes beyond just getting perfect grades in nursing school, as it is also tacitly understood that memorable nursing knowledge is gained through experience, a willingness to learn from both professionals and patients. As a Home Health Aide, I not only work in order to support myself through college, but also to be able to make a positive impact on other people’s lives and to deliver rehabilitating direct patient care in order to help them navigate their way through debilitating chronic and acute illness. Patients will always be multitudes more than their diagnoses, deserving holistic, empathetic treatment. Being a Home Health Aise allows me to see the whole person before seeing "the patient" and further enables me to deliver specialized and humanized care to suit their needs and allow more of their personhood to shine through as their condition improves. This opportunity to further my academics without financial setback would allow me to have more ease in comprehending the art and science of nursing on a deeper level and be able to administer the best of patient-centered care that I can, to those that I take care of. I plan to remain steadfast in my studies, strengthen my empathy, push forward into the world of healthcare and nursing, and evolve into the critically-thinking, actively listening and proactive future nurse that I plan to become.

As the rocky journey with my lymphatic cancer finally came to an end and remission became more and more of a viable possibility, my mind slowly became less cloudy and more focused on the distant yet hazy brightness of the future that lay before me. Suddenly, the rollercoaster ride of sudden chronic illness came to a screeching halt. The vision of my future, which used to be so dimly lit in my mind, became as crystal clear and fluorescent as a lightbulb over my head. I knew then that I would want the final step on my career path to be becoming a Registered Nurse with a specialty in Oncology, Immunology or Public Health and carry the same torch of the RNs who held my hand from the beginning to the end of my journey. I am especially interested in public health and oncology nursing because of my awareness of the unfavorable correlation between the difficult and polluted living conditions and carcinogenic outcomes that people in underserved communities experience. I would really love to be a recipient of this scholarship so that I can continue my studies and push forward into the brand new learning environment of healthcare and nursing, and have the chance to evolve into and embody the type of nursing student and the critically-thinking, actively listening and proactive future nurse that I plan to become. After or during my academic path, I hope to become a future fellow of nursing program and either join said program from either a research based or direct patient care based perspective, so that I may one day be a part of a cause focused on oncological public health issues in marginalized communities, working alongside fellow students and professionals, and developing ways to implement research into evidence based practice. I know the road to becoming a truly dedicated professional Registered Nurse goes beyond just getting perfect grades in nursing school, as it is also tacitly understood that memorable nursing knowledge is gained through experience, dedication, trials and errors and a willingness to learn. I want the opportunity for mentorship, skill development, hands-on learning, participation in research and active learning. If I was ever given such an opportunity to further my academics without financial setback, I can have more ease in comprehending the art and science of nursing on a deeper level and be able to administer the best of patient-centered care that I can, to those that I take care of on my career path. To be able to deliver the same compassionate and meticulous care to other people battling cancer, especially to the economically disadvantaged, immunocompromised, and all of those who are cared for by underfunded inner city hospitals, is an honorable calling that I am willing to pursue.

To keep one's head above troubled waters, one must focus on maintaining a stable, upright position, using their limbs to propel their body upwards and forwards , and making sure to keep their chin slightly elevated. In other words, in order to not succumb to the darkness surrounding you, focus on maintaining a sense of inner stability and upwards, forward movement with a chin held up high and eyes focused on the sky. In January of 2023, during the darkest and bleakest winter I had ever endured, I was forced to put my dreams on hold due to a matter of life or death. Spring semester was just about to begin, yet my mind was still frozen in time due to chilling circumstances that would haunt me for the following years. Towards the beginning of my winter break, I absentmindedly had caused a minor lesion with derma-blade razor to my left breast leading to uncontrollable bleeding and a constant sharp pain, serving as a signal to get help immediately. In hindsight, keeping the wound hidden was futile, but I was so accustomed to the notion that it's better to suffer one on one's own and to not add to the ever-present cloud of stress that pervaded my home and mind. I had already been going through debilitating migraines that dampened the mood around me since I couldn’t keep my pain hidden for long; I feared being vulnerable about my suffering and foolishly believed that stoicism was true strength. Yet as the days went on by, my wound never healed. It pulsated, stretched, grew and glistened with blood through bandages like a flashing red alarm on an ambulance. My biggest fear came true, I made a mistake, I needed help and I needed to let others know. After a heartbreaking confession with my mother and an even more gut-wrenching examination by many doctors, the process of my inescapable cancer diagnosis had begun. And at so at the age of 19, I was diagnosed with ALK(-) anaplastic lymphoma, an autoimmune disease that affected my skin's healing process and was facing a year plus of intensive chemotherapy, surgeries, ovarian retrieval and seemingly never-ending cycle of pain with no overt lesson to be learned. I entered my sophomore spring semester visibly weathered by the previous season. It took more than internal strength to give me the courage to stay in school and pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing. Little by little, the weight on my shoulders became unbearable and I fell into a deep and isolating depression, pushing myself away from all that was in my present and future. My grades began to plummet and repressing psychological pain only worsened my physical aching. I had no other choice but to throw away my mask for good and reveal to my professors my need for their wholehearted support. Unsparingly and understandingly, they offered extra credit, personal tutoring, due-date extensions and all they could to keep my grades up. Their compassionate benevolence had given me the strength to push forward for my academic future, which had contributed to my later acceptance into Lienhard School of Nursing. With all the lessons that life has taught me, I plan to become an oncologist nurse and to use my firsthand experience and formal education in providing empathetic and accommodating spaces for those who are in vulnerable situations but are hesitant to reach out for help. By caring for others as a cancer survivor, I hope to not only remind them of the power of optimism but also of the strength of vulnerability, just as my professors did for me.

“Those who are gracious to the poor lend to the Lord, and the Lord will fully repay them.” Proverbs 19:17 Oftentimes, society withdraws from those deemed as burdened with too much and treats the sick as lepers with decreased value. At most, the common man offers sympathy but rarely sacrifices the amount of time, strenuous labor and care given by the nurses they encounter. Those who turn their ears towards the call of nursing in particular take it upon themselves to bandage the wounds of everyone before their own, including those who society has deemed disposable. Despite societal apathy for the sick, a common saint-like quality in nursing, is fighting tooth and nail for the lasting positive impact on others through not only healing certain maladies in the health of patients, but incessantly offering them the respect, time and nurturing society tends to withhold. To my admiration, the tenet of the importance of goodwill is upheld in the healthcare field where I have had my fair share of selfless people to follow in the footsteps of. To me, the healthcare system is abundant with commendable nurses who use their education to take care of those whom society deems impotent and helpless. This is done simply out of their own admirable strength, understanding, commitment, and care for humanity that God bestowed upon the earth. To dig deep into academia and apply newfound knowledge into helping others even if they aren’t in the position to carry your burden in return, is to truly be the salt of the earth. However, I know that it's going to be a long and careful process to truly dedicate oneself to being the salt of the earth; one can face many problems not only in the hospital but on the path of their education as well. My experience with education in general has taught me that the pursuit of knowledge in the face of adversity can be noble. Throughout high school, I had fallen into a major depression and only saw fogginess clouding over my future. My grades slipped tremendously, and I saw no way out of the darkness to even pursue college. I remember praying to God in silent tears that all I needed was somebody to help me. If it weren't for the helping hands of my teachers intimately assisting me to strengthen my academic capabilities and confidence, and the concerned prayers of my pastor, I couldn’t have been able to even graduate. And so now I'm inspired to sow seeds of helping hands in my own community, the same way. Despite past dilemmas, in my mind’s eye, I see the strenuous pursuit of a career in nursing as a long voyage of the Good Samaritan. On said journey, the Samaritan doesn’t know how long his journey will take, if he is mentally equipped enough with the right tools to help him face every trial on his path. He doesn’t know many afflicted people will cross their path nor if the needy will be able to alleviate the troubles of the Samaritan in return as he goes through his daunting expedition into the unknown. One thing that I, the Samaritan, and all nurses know is that what you genuinely put into the world out of the goodness of your heart will surely come back to you. Humanity’s greatest feats are often formed on the foundation of goodwill. With that being said, my faith in God giving humanity the role to help others and my belief that my education can provide me the groundwork of doing so, greatly influences my decision to be a nurse.

“The desire to reach for the stars is ambitious. The desire to reach hearts is wise"- Maya Angelou. Maya Angelou's quote effectively convey the mindset that I have now taken to heart to embark on my pre-med journey at Pace University. From my own perspective, I believe that Angelou remarks that although the ambition for the the pinnacle of success world is noble, the ambition to heal and inspire kindness in others is far nobler. As an undergraduate on the path to becoming a nurse, this has been one on my main goals in life; to pursue enough higher education that enables me to spread knowledge and professional medically assisted care to my own community as a black nurse. I believe that there is a strong need for healthcare workers in the black community who are able to bridge the gap between our community and sufficient health care. What excites me is the opportunity of gaining knowledge about the vast world of health-science, enabling connection with other minds and hearts. In my family, close and extended, diseases like high blood pressure, cancer and diabetes are far too common and have unquestionably affected the vitality of many of my loved ones. Introducing me personally to the medical world, were the conditions that my younger sisters suffered from, prematurity and asthma, then cleft lip and palate. On a broader note, as a black girl, I’m also aware of the fact that health issues like these are also very prevalent in my community and this is significantly due to socioeconomic factors that prevent many in the black community from having better financial access to healthcare and healthier lifestyles that can prevent these conditions. As an aspiring black travel nurse going off to start her pre-med journey in college, one of my personal goals that I plan to reach is that my education will aid me in helping disadvantaged black people, especially black women, around the world be able to have access to the proper, empathetic healthcare that we deserve. In order to achieve this, I plan on combating the formidable opponent of medical racism by using my education to gain access to more anti-racist knowledge of the medical sciences pertaining to black people, how our bodies affected by certain conditions as a result of history and our environments. I also plan to make sure to not be afraid of applying for positions in the medical field where black women fail to be represented because I am aware of the positive impact of diversity in healthcare, which can allow more patients to feel acknowledged and cared for by someone who understands them. One issue that is in need of mending is the relationship between older black people and workers in the medical field, due to the mistrust that many have for the field which has been created due to the history of medical science being antagonistic towards black people. I plan to work and help out for at least 5-6 years in the Bronx or neighborhoods similar to mine, where people are in need of not only medical assistance, but proper knowledge of and better access to more effective healthcare. By using the opportunities my education grants me, I could be a tool for the benefit of my community and join the force of many black nurses who are combatting medical racism and the lack of medical diversity, while making sure that all of black community gets the proper medical attention that we deserve. My main career plan for the future is to use my education and the location of my college, Pace University, to my advantage to gain more experience in the health science field by volunteering at hospitals near my school and trying to build a close rapport between my Pre-Nursing teachers and classmates to absorb knowledge to my best ability. To conclude, becoming a nurse who primarily aids under-resourced communities of color is a significant journey in my life that requires me to use the most of my available resources, like time, dedication, education, an open mind and money. Seeing the world around me today with my personal insight of my siblings' conditions and how my community’s battle with fending off Covid-19 along with disadvantaged people around the world, also had a major impact on my career choice. With all untapped wells of knowledge of health sciences that could be of service to my community and granted opportunities for higher education, I can be a nurse and offer connection and knowledge.

According to Albert Camus, the author of The Myth of Sisyphus, “ There is scarcely any passion without struggle.” Similar to the plight of Sisyphus, I have my own burden of pushing a certain boulder uphill only to repeat this task time after time, as the boulder for me is my intense social anxiety. Being aware of socialization being a crucial theme of teenage-hood while feeling inexplicably detached from the lives of my agemates was such a crushing feeling that led to the decline of my grades and mental health. During the primary years of my high school experience, I experienced constant failures with gaining long lasting relationships that were deeper than quick “Hi/Bye!” interactions. Consequently, the tension of this boulder became too much for me to bear. There was a constant haze of anxiety and hopelessness over my eye which contributed to my plummeting grades, lack of participation in anything, eating lunch alone in the library, dissociation periods and persistent memories of weeping alone on the subway ride going home. Every time I went to school, there was a glass barrier separating me from the outside world I longed to be a part of. Since the boulder was only my load to carry, it was my sole responsibility to overcome this Herculean task before I plunged into a deep depression for my later high school year. I knew what I had to do. Ignoring the churning of my guts, I ventured to my guidance counselor, Mr. Middleton, for assistance building connections with my peers. Apprehensively, during my lunch period, I had mustered up the courage to step into the guidance counselor’s office to ask for a shoulder to cry on. With a tense stance and exhausted demeanor, I was in my guidance counselor’s office for around an hour, prying myself open to reveal the harm of carrying the boulder on my mental health. This would be my first major step in bridling the boulder; asking other people around me for help despite the gripping embarrassment from my dilemma. Fears of rejection became null and void; Mr. Middleton was determined to help. After a couple more cathartic releases of tears, we had set up a meeting afterschool to devise ways to build a bridge between myself and the rich inner world offered by high-school. Suddenly, the school’s announcer blared the following announcement, “J.V GIRLS SOCCER TRYOUTS, MR. OYEDELE IN ROOM 325”. A lightbulb appeared over Middleton’s head while a look of hesitation was all over my face, group sports would be a surefire way to be connected with all the experiences my school has to offer. Opportunity had struck and my counselor seized it by going to Room 325 with me, recommending me to Mr. Oyedele, the Girls Soccer Coach. As time progressed, signing up for soccer proved to be the catalyst for enabling me to form strong friendships between my teammates , academic reputation and self esteem. I learned that despite the perceived isolation of social anxiety, there will always be available connections to make with others, if you reach out. During my higher education, I plan to utilize this lesson of the importance of networking and bonding with my community in aiding me with higher education on the Pre-Nursing Track. My primary academic goal is learning from meaningful connections with colleges rather than solely digesting textbooks so I can use these skills to aid with my nursing career and build strong bonds with my future worker, to better my servitude to my community and others in need. Through cultivating intrapersonal skills, this seemingly Sisyphean goal, can be achieved.

"What angels are to the sad, nurses are to the sick."- Amit Kalantri, This sagacious quote reflects the profession effectively, as many of the job requirements and behaviors of nurses around their vulnerable patients, label them as earthly angels. Oftentimes, society juxtaposes the healthcare field, withdrawing from those deemed as burdened with too much, or treating the sick as lepers with decreased value. At most, the common man offers sympathy but rarely sacrifices the amount of time, strenuous labor and care given by the nurses they encounter. Despite societal apathy for the sick , a common saint-like quality in the healthcare field, specifically nursing, is fighting tooth and nail for the lasting positive impact on others; not only healing certain maladies in the health of patients, but incessantly offering them the respect, time and nurturing society tends to withhold. Those with debilitating conditions deserve a better quality of life regardless of critical conditions and those who care for them while connecting them with the outside are nothing short of heroes. To my admiration, this tenet is upheld in the healthcare field where I have had my fair share of selfless nurses to follow in the footsteps of. To me, the healthcare system is abundant with commendable nurses who spend most of their time taking care of those whom society deems impotent and helpless, while skillfully connecting patients to their doctors and reconnecting them with life outside of the hospital. This is done simply out of their own admirable strength, understanding, commitment, and care. Throughout my life, past and present, there has been a variety of health care professionals that have inspired me to take the same path. However the most impactful profession to me is nursing because of personal experiences with my sister Precious born prematurely, sister Miracle born with cleft lip and palate and my own mother, who is a nurse. From a tender age, I noticed how the nurses were notably attentive and solicitous with my sisters and my mother as she went through such a vulnerable experience. As my mother recalls, the nurses were advocating for the life of my sister and communicating with her supportive and alleviating "patient teaching". I was distraught with Miracle's condition and began to cry but my parents consoled me. Finally the medical team gained admission to us and confidently reassured us her promising health. Remarkably, the nurses empathetically extended themselves with my mother, which reassured me in return. Within a span of 1 year, my sister had successful surgeries for her lips and palate with a promising future. Every visit to the hospital, there was a dependable nurse, advocating and communicating with my family in times of need. During the pandemic, I am aware of the importance of nurses due to my mother being a registered nurse. My mother is on the frontlines, sacrificing and working relentlessly to take care of the patients in her care. Her dedication and commitment to caring and advocating to her patients is a quality of admiration. I'd love to be a travelling professional nurse, due to the sense of duty I’ve always felt when seeing how the people in non-Western countries battle the pandemic and other worldly terrors. I see the world around me today; the way the people of India agonize, and the way that family back home struggle to fend off Covid-19 and keep themselves in this world. With all the unrelenting and unwavering pains of sickness in other people's lives, my dream to be a nurse and offer human connection and care, blazes itself in my mind like an ebullient forest fire.

"What angels are "What angels are to the sad, nurses are to the sick."- Amit Kalantri, This sagacious quote reflects the profession effectively, as many of the job requirements and behaviors of nurses around their vulnerable patients, label them as earthly angels. Oftentimes, society juxtaposes the healthcare field, withdrawing from those deemed as burdened with too much, or treating the sick as lepers with decreased value. At most, the common man offers sympathy but rarely sacrifices the amount of time, strenuous labor and care given by the nurses they encounter. Despite societal apathy for the sick , a common saint-like quality in the healthcare field, specifically nursing, is fighting tooth and nail for the lasting positive impact on others; not only healing certain maladies in the health of patients, but incessantly offering them the respect, time and nurturing society tends to withhold. Those with debilitating conditions deserve a better quality of life regardless of critical conditions and those who care for them while connecting them with the outside are nothing short of heroes. To my admiration, this tenet is upheld in the healthcare field where I have had my fair share of selfless nurses to follow in the footsteps of. To me, the healthcare system is abundant with commendable nurses who spend most of their time taking care of those whom society deems impotent and helpless, while skillfully connecting patients to their doctors and reconnecting them with life outside of the hospital. This is done simply out of their own admirable strength, understanding, commitment, and care. Throughout my life, past and present, there has been a variety of health care professionals that have inspired me to take the same path. However the most impactful profession to me is nursing because of personal experiences with my sister Precious born prematurely, sister Miracle born with cleft lip and palate and my own mother, who is a nurse. From a tender age, I noticed how the nurses were notably attentive and solicitous with my sisters and my mother as she went through such a vulnerable experience. Every visit to the hospital, dependable nurses, advocate and communicate with me in times of need. During the pandemic, I am aware of the importance of nurses, as my mother is a registered nurse. She's on the frontlines, sacrificing and working relentlessly to take care of the patients in her care. Her dedication and commitment to caring and advocating to her patients is a quality of admiration. I'd love to be a travelling professional nurse, since I’ve always felt innate duty when seeing how people in non-Western countries suffer medically. I see the world around me today; the way the people of India agonize, and the way that family back home struggle to fend off Covid-19 and keep themselves in this world. With all the unrelenting and unwavering pains of sickness in other people's lives, my dream to be a nurse and offer human connection and care, blazes itself in my mind like an ebullient forest fire.

"What angels are "What angels are to the sad, nurses are to the sick."- Amit Kalantri, This sagacious quote reflects the profession effectively, as many of the job requirements and behaviors of nurses around their vulnerable patients, label them as earthly angels. Oftentimes, society juxtaposes the healthcare field, withdrawing from those deemed as burdened with too much, or treating the sick as lepers with decreased value. At most, the common man offers sympathy but rarely sacrifices the amount of time, strenuous labor and care given by the nurses they encounter. Despite societal apathy for the sick , a common saint-like quality in the healthcare field, specifically nursing, is fighting tooth and nail for the lasting positive impact on others; not only healing certain maladies in the health of patients, but incessantly offering them the respect, time and nurturing society tends to withhold. Those with debilitating conditions deserve a better quality of life regardless of critical conditions and those who care for them while connecting them with the outside are nothing short of heroes. To my admiration, this tenet is upheld in the healthcare field where I have had my fair share of selfless nurses to follow in the footsteps of. To me, the healthcare system is abundant with commendable nurses who spend most of their time taking care of those whom society deems impotent and helpless, while skillfully connecting patients to their doctors and reconnecting them with life outside of the hospital. This is done simply out of their own admirable strength, understanding, commitment, and care. Throughout my life, past and present, there has been a variety of health care professionals that have inspired me to take the same path. However the most impactful profession to me is nursing because of personal experiences with my sister Precious born prematurely, sister Miracle born with cleft lip and palate and my own mother, who is a nurse. From a tender age, I noticed how the nurses were notably attentive and solicitous with my sisters and my mother as she went through such a vulnerable experience. As my mother recalls, the nurses were advocating for the life of my sister and communicating with her supportive and alleviating "patient teaching". I was distraught with Miracle's condition and began to cry but my parents consoled me. Finally the medical team gained admission to us and confidently reassured us her promising health. Remarkably, the nurses empathetically extended themselves with my mother, which reassured me in return. Within a span of 1 year, my sister had successful surgeries for her lips and palate with a promising future. Every visit to the hospital, there was a dependable nurse, advocating and communicating with my family in times of need. During the pandemic, I am aware of the importance of nurses due to my mother being a registered nurse. My mother is on the frontlines, sacrificing and working relentlessly to take care of the patients in her care. Her dedication and commitment to caring and advocating to her patients is a quality of admiration. I'd love to be a travelling professional nurse, due to the sense of duty I’ve always felt when seeing how the people in non-Western countries battle the pandemic. I see the world around me today; the way the people of India agonize, and the way that family back home struggle to fend off Covid-19 and keep themselves in this world. With all the unrelenting and unwavering pains of sickness in other people's lives, my dream to be a nurse and offer human connection and care, blazes itself in my mind like an ebullient forest fire.

The train packed with disgruntled passengers was no exception for teaching. “Okay ladies, give yourselves a pat on the back!” Mr.Oyedele gestured to the depleted soccer team, “We’ll get them next time, but let this be a lesson to learn for all of you! Say it with me now...", his eyes then knowingly met mine, "..communication!” At the farthest end of the subway seat, I recoiled. Struggling with communication was the world on my shoulders and my life orbited it, and now it's bringing me even further, even in the safe haven of the soccer field. The train surged to its final destination, leaving only 2 passengers, Oyedele and I. He found it opportune to expose hard truths, "Destiny, you need to start communicating with the team, I know it's difficult to, but on the field, it's the only way to get the ball efficiently from defense to offense, you're a good player too but we need you to connect more with your teammates." Nothing could prepare me for that. "Remember ", he parted with this special note, “You miss the goals not shot. If you spoke up a bit more, it could help". The train pulled up to his destination and with a wave and pat on the back, but Oyedele's words were engraved in my mind. Failure with communication was an incessant theme of my high school experiences, stealing golden opportunities of soccer sisterhood leaving me with my head in the dust. He was right, communicating with your teammates was the #1 step towards success on the field so couldn't I make that crucial step? "Mr. Oyedele...", I declared the next day, "I don't think soccer's for me anymore." Mr. O understandingly inquired how to situate me more into the team on his behalf, but deep down I knew that my solution wasn't coming from anyone else but me. The shackles of social anxiety chained me to the bench of life and I was wasting my high school experience watching the world play on without me by leaving the team. I mentally withdrew myself, consequentially never immersing myself in the intimate jargon, inside jokes, nicknames, and parties that my teammates had to offer me. I was less of a teammate and more of a shadow in uniform, alienated to the point of having one too many moments sulking on the subway rides to the soccer field. I took a seat in his office and listened to the senior girls soccer team chattering happily together outside, my heart yearned for that closeness, but whose fault was that? With an eye opening epiphany and a deep sigh, to his delight, I waveringly trashed my resignation papers for continuation ones. That school night I knew my very own Herculean labor would be slaying the monster of social anxiety or staying left mentally imprisoned. During my next fateful game, with sweaty palms, I internally promised my team I'd always yank my brain from bench warming and set it in the game, no matter how much socialization. The scoreboard shone 2:2; it was our final victorious chance. My team huddled together with determined faces for the intricate game plan. Aminata, head offense, donned me the main defender against our opponent, the dexterous #2. This was my big break moment. I wrestled my fears that week and befriended her, learning how to dominate soccer in sync. Aminata believed in me enough to communicate, especially on the field. "You got me, right Destiny?", she implored. "Yeah!", I smiled reassuring her, "I got you Ami! My heart quivered with past fears, but Aminata depended on me, it was time to show her she could do it again. This was a long time ago, around 2 years back, yet I’ve had many experiences similar to it but I’ve never forgotten how to overcome those dreadful feelings that I’m so reminiscent of. These new skills, which have slowly grown within me like some radioactive serum transforming an everyday man into the next superhero, have shown me the importance of overcoming one's fears of the world around them. Today, I take steps forward into college, finally wearing the cape of confidence, never to behind the shawl of social anxiety.

"What angels are to the sad, nurses are to the sick."- Amit Kalantri, This sagacious quote reflects the profession effectively, as many of the job requirements and behaviors of nurses around their vulnerable patients, label them as earthly angels. Oftentimes, society juxtaposes the healthcare field, withdrawing from those deemed as burdened with too much, or treating the sick as lepers with decreased value. At most, the common man offers sympathy but rarely sacrifices the amount of time, strenuous labor and care given by the nurses they encounter. Despite societal apathy for the sick , a common saint-like quality in the healthcare field, specifically nursing, is fighting tooth and nail for the lasting positive impact on others; not only healing certain maladies in the health of patients, but incessantly offering them the respect, time and nurturing society tends to withhold. Given the financial resources that my parents can not give me, I could add myself to the growing percentage of Samaritans on Earth who see it fit to help those who suffer. Those with debilitating conditions deserve a better quality of life regardless of critical conditions and those who care for them while connecting them with the outside are nothing short of heroes. To my admiration, this tenet is upheld in the healthcare field where I have had my fair share of selfless nurses to follow in the footsteps of. To me, the healthcare system is abundant with commendable nurses who spend most of their time taking care of those whom society deems impotent and helpless, while skillfully connecting patients to their doctors and reconnecting them with life outside of the hospital. This is done simply out of their own admirable strength, understanding, commitment, and care. Throughout my life, past and present, there has been a variety of health care professionals that have inspired me to take the same path. However the most impactful profession to me is nursing because of personal experiences with my sister Precious born prematurely, sister Miracle born with cleft lip and palate and my own mother, who is a nurse. From a tender age, I noticed how the nurses were notably attentive and solicitous with my sisters and my mother as she went through such a vulnerable experience. As my mother recalls, the nurses were advocating for the life of my sister and communicating with her supportive and alleviating "patient teaching". I was distraught with Miracle's condition and began to cry but my parents consoled me. Finally the medical team gained admission to us and confidently reassured us her promising health. Remarkably, the nurses empathetically extended themselves with my mother, which reassured me in return. Within a span of 1 year, my sister had successful surgeries for her lips and palate with a promising future. Every visit to the hospital, there was a dependable nurse, advocating and communicating with my family in times of need. During the pandemic, I am aware of the importance of nurses due to my mother being a registered nurse. My mother is on the frontlines, sacrificing and working relentlessly to take care of the patients in her care. Her dedication and commitment to caring and advocating to her patients is a quality of admiration. With all these experiences I have witnessed, I've been more than convinced to become a professional nurse. I see the world around me today; I see the way the people of India agonize, the way my siblings were born in pain and constant turmoil, and the way that family back home struggle to fend off Covid-19 and keep themselves in this world. With all the unrelenting and unwavering pains that life makes me behold in other people's lives, my dream to be a nurse and offer human connection and care, blazes itself in my mind like an ebullient forest fire.