I was ten years old when my little sister first broke her arm. The day started like most of my summer days: I was on the couch reading a book, my mom was cooking in the kitchen, my brother was in the driveway playing soccer, and my sister was at our neighbor’s house jumping on the trampoline. I read to the rhythm of my brother kicking a soccer ball against the garage door and my mom chopping vegetables—until I jumped up at the most gut-wrenching scream I’ve ever heard. It’s a sound I’ll never forget. I remember throwing my book across the room and racing outside, my mom right behind me. It didn’t take long to see my sister lying beside the trampoline, clutching her arm, her face beet red, tears streaming down her cheeks. I had never seen a broken bone before, and I had never seen my sister in that much pain. I didn't know what to do. I wanted to help, but when I saw her arm hanging limply by her side, I froze. That’s when our neighbor came running toward us. I didn’t know it then, but she was a nurse. She took my hands and calmly told me to grab one of my long-sleeve shirts and a cutting board. I ran as fast as I could, grateful someone was there to help. She comforted my sister and my mom, and I watched in awe as she stabilized my sister’s arm with a makeshift splint. She then helped us all into her car and drove us to the nearest hospital. In the waiting room, she explained that my sister had broken a bone, but that she would be okay. Later that night, my sister went into surgery. Even now, I replay that day in my mind. I am grateful my neighbor was there, not only to take charge and help my sister, but to offer comfort and reassurance to our entire family. When I envision my future, I see more than a job. Being a nurse, especially a pediatric nurse, is a calling I feel deeply connected to. Caring for children will bring challenges, but it will also bring moments of joy, growth, and connection. Pediatric nursing is a lifelong journey of learning and service and I am excited for the opportunity to be the kind of nurse my neighbor was to us— someone who brings comfort and care for patients and families in their most difficult moments.

My grandparents were my biggest inspiration to go into the medical field. They immigrated from Italy with nothing and worked hard to build a beautiful life here in America. Culture is something that is very important to me and is a large portion of my identity. For as long as I can remember I have been going to doctor appointments with my grandparents to translate and explain everything from their vitals to how to take and use their medications. I decided to pursue a career in nursing not only because I enjoy subjects like anatomy and science, but I realized while helping my grandparents that I enjoy patient care and service. My grandparents also helped me see the importance of language and cultural awareness in the medical field. Medicine can be a scary and complicated thing to understand, it becomes even scarier when you don't understand what's wrong or what you can do to better your health because of a language or cultural barrier. A personal future goal of mine has always been to be inclusive as a nurse and to help other healthcare providers also be more inclusive. I want every one of my patients to feel confident and at ease knowing that they are being taken care of and understood. Nurses are on the front lines, we get to spend time with patients and walk in their shoes. We see firsthand what works for patients and what doesn’t. We see when they are comfortable and when they are not, when they are in pain and when they are not. The connection that nurses have with patients is like no other connection and it's something I can't wait to experience. Something that I didn't realize was possible until one of my nursing classes at college was that nurses are also innovators. This means we can use patient connections paired with medical knowledge and critical thinking skills to not only improve the quality of life for one patient but also to improve the quality of life for all patients. Amazingly, many nurses have created new products or improved existing ones to better care for patients and make them more comfortable. A long-term goal of mine is to innovate something in the medical field to improve patient care. My nursing career will forever be impacted by my family. It's always scary when you see a family member not doing well, and not being able to do much to help them. It's something I wouldn't wish on anyone, but unfortunately, it's a part of life, and it doesn't hurt any less whether it's expected or not. For that reason, patient connection is incredibly important to me. Because while I may have one patient in the hospital bed, I must remember I have another five patients sitting anxiously in the waiting room. They all need care, compassion, and to be communicated with. There will be hard moments and many challenges along the way, but this career is a lifetime learning experience with limitless opportunities to learn, grow, and connect with many different people, and I am so excited to continue my journey and make a positive impact.

I was 10 years old when my little sister first broke her arm. It had been a normal summer day, until it wasn’t. I remember hearing a gut-wrenching scream and racing outside, my mom right behind me. My sister was lying beside the trampoline clutching her arm, her face beet red, and tears streaming down her face. I had never seen a broken bone before, never seen my little sister in so much pain. I wanted to help take my sister’s pain away, but as I looked at her arm dangling by her side, all I could do was freeze. I felt movement behind me; it was my neighbor running towards us. I didn’t know it then, but she was a nurse. She took my hands and told me to go grab one of my long-sleeve shirts and a cutting board. I ran as fast as I could, grateful someone knew what to do, and grabbed exactly what she told me to. She whispered something to my sister, and while I could tell she was still in pain, I could also feel that she relaxed. My neighbor comforted my sister while also comforting my mom who was crying beside her, and I watched in awe as my neighbor used a cutting board and a shirt to stabilize my sister’s arm. She helped my sister up and guided us to her car where she drove us to the nearest hospital. In the waiting room, my neighbor explained that my sister had broken a bone, but that she would be okay. When I was younger, and even now, I replay this day in my head and am grateful my neighbor was there to take charge and help my sister when no one else could, when I couldn’t. Not only did she comfort my sister, but I was grateful for the reassurance she gave my mom, my brother, and me that my sister would heal just fine. Nurses are on the front lines; they get to spend time with patients and walk in their shoes. They see firsthand what works for patients and what doesn’t. They see when patients are comfortable and when they are not, when they are in pain and when they are not. The connection that nurses have with patients is like no other, and it's something I can't wait to experience. I realized I wanted to work with kids very early on in my life. As the oldest daughter in my family, I spent a lot of time looking after and helping take care of my younger siblings and cousins. Every day was an adventure with them, and I loved it. As a senior in high school, I worked as a math tutor, which gave me the amazing opportunity to work with kids from preschool to college. I found my job incredibly rewarding. The kids were there to learn from me, but I think, really, I was the one learning from them. Taking care of pediatric patients isn't just a job for me; it's something I feel personally connected to. It’s caring for my sister, my cousins, and the kids I've tutored. It allows me to combine my passion for healthcare with my love for working with children. Caring for kids won’t be easy. There will be hard moments and many challenges along the way, but pediatric nursing is a lifetime learning experience with limitless opportunities to learn, grow, and connect with many different people, and I am so excited to continue my journey and make a positive impact.

My grandparents were my biggest inspiration to pursue a career in the medical field. They immigrated from Italy with little to nothing and worked hard to build a beautiful life in America. Culture is something that is very important to me and is a large portion of my identity. For as long as I can remember, I have been accompanying my grandparents to doctor appointments to translate and explain everything from their vitals to how to take and use their medications. They helped me realize the importance of inclusive communication not just in healthcare, but in life. My mission as I progress towards a career in healthcare is to be a leader in my field by prioritizing effective patient interactions. I hope to accomplish this by improving my communication skills, learning more languages, and understanding different cultures and religions so that my patients feel heard, safe, and comfortable in my care. This semester I am continuing my education abroad in Cyprus, and working towards making my goals my reality through traveling. In Cyprus, I am getting the opportunity to immerse myself in a whole new culture. I have visited surrounding towns, met locals, learned more about the history of this beautiful country, and even learned some Greek! I have had the opportunity to not only learn about but participate in Greek traditions including Tsiknopempti, a Greek Orthodox celebration, and the exchanging of Martaki bracelets which the locals described to me as a symbol of good luck that marks the beginning of spring. Being in Cyprus and experiencing simple cultural differences, such as eating out at a restaurant, has shifted my outlook on life. I have learned an important part of European culture to enjoy time out at a restaurant. People will stay at a restaurant for hours enjoying the company of others while enjoying great food with no rush or pressure to leave. The waiter also won’t bring you the bill unless asked. It feels like something so small, but this European custom feels like it slows down time. It’s opened my eyes to living life in the moment and enjoying the little things. One custom that has taken me a little bit to get used to is accepting food from strangers. When walking on the street nearby shops people will offer food and it is considered rude to turn away or ignore them. While this took me a while to get used to, since I was taught not to accept anything from strangers, this custom has led to conversations with locals and trying new things! While in Cyprus I also took the opportunity to travel to surrounding countries such as Hungary and the Netherlands and am planning more trips in the future. Traveling has helped me feel closer to my grandparents as I remember with each new country I go to that they had to build a life in a country where they didn’t know the language, the culture, or the customs. Similar to them I have had to develop my skills of adaptability, problem-solving, self and cultural awareness. The things that I learn while traveling and the skills that I develop are something I plan to implement not only in my future career as a nurse, but in my daily life. Traveling has taken me out of my comfort-zone, enhanced my curiosity, allowed me to develop meaningful connections, and has been a continuous learning experience that I am so grateful to participate in.

Full from a plate of spaghetti alle vongole and panettone, I sit at my kitchen table on Christmas Eve, concentrating on what’s in front of me: a board of numbers half-covered by tiny orange peel pieces. I place the orange peels on my board as my sister calls out numbers. Forever goes by before she calls out the final number I need. “TOMBOLA!” I reach over the table and grab a stack of quarters, smiling big as the rest of my family clears their boards. Ever since I was little, playing Tombola with my family during the holidays has always been my favorite memory, especially since my grandparents used to sneak me all their winnings after the game was over. My grandparents immigrated from Italy, leaving everything behind in hopes of building a better life in America. I have grown up hearing stories of their hard work, struggle, and triumph. I was raised with Italian traditions, music, games, and food. My first language is Italian. My culture is very important to me and is a large portion of my identity. It’s what inspired me to go to nursing school and study abroad in Cyprus this year. My upbringing has nurtured my love for other languages and cultures. Being able to connect with my grandparents has taught me the importance of language and cultural awareness, something I will prioritize as I continue my journey to becoming a nurse. As I have gotten older I have accompanied my grandparents to their doctors’ appointments more and more, translating and explaining everything from their vitals to how to take and use their medications. Medicine can be a scary and complicated thing to understand, and I have witnessed the increased confusion and anxiety that builds when you don't understand what's wrong or how to get better because of a language or cultural barrier. As a future nurse, I aspire to be a leader in my field by prioritizing effective patient interactions. I hope to accomplish this by improving my communication skills. I hope to learn more languages and understand different cultures and religions so that my patients feel heard, safe, and comfortable in my care. This semester I am continuing my education abroad in Nicosia, Cyprus. Studying abroad has always been a dream of mine as it is the perfect opportunity for me to accomplish my goals. In Cyprus, I am getting the opportunity to immerse myself in a whole new culture. I have visited surrounding towns, met locals, learned more about this beautiful country, and even learned some Greek! While in Cyprus I am also taking the opportunity to visit surrounding countries. Next week I will be visiting Budapest and I can’t wait to learn more about Hungary. This study abroad experience will help me improve my communication and awareness of culture, language, and religion. These are skills that I consider to be invaluable in the medical field, especially as a nurse. My goals as a future nurse are very clear and I have my grandparents to thank for that. They are my role models. I think of their hard work in Italy and America, their failures, and their successes, and I know that I can make my dreams a reality. I am determined to prioritize patient-centered care through effective communication and to inspire others to do the same, just as my grandparents inspire me.

"It hurts, like my chest physically hurts to not be able to tell her that I'm in love with her." - Conrad Fisher While it is undeniable that both boys love Belly and have loved Belly since she started coming to Cousins with Steven, it is obvious that Conrad's love for Belly has blossomed into something pure, passionate, and all-consuming. From the first interaction Belly has with Conrad, the audience knows he is the one. When they talk it feels like they are the only two people in the room. The initial assumption of the series is that the brothers' feelings for Belly began to change "the summer she turns pretty". However, that assumption is debunked when the first thing Conrad says when he sees the "pretty" Belly is, "I liked you better with glasses." This suggests that Conrad's connection to Belly goes deeper than the surface and his feelings for her have been developing far before this summer. This is different from Jeremiah who notices the changes in Belly's appearance saying, "Look who came back all growed up." Jeremiah and Belly are great friends, but it appears that what sparked their romantic relationship is physical appearance while an emotional connection is what sparked and kindled Conrad and Belly's romantic relationship. Something that must be addressed in the series is the importance of the soundtrack. The music that plays during certain scenes of the show is no coincidence. The songs played during Jeremiah and Belly's interactions vs Conrad and Belly's interactions provide insight into character feelings and when you compare the song choices it's easy to see that Conrad and Belly's relationship is deeper than Belly and Jeremiah's. The song that most people use to defend Team Jeremiah is Delicate by Taylor Swift and the song that most people use, and that I will be using, to defend Team Conrad is Invisible String by Taylor Swift. Jenny Han has said that Delicate is her favorite Taylor Swift song. The song Delicate is peppy and hopeful explaining a relationship that's just beginning. However, the word "delicate" also means fragile and unstable emphasizing that what Jeremiah and Belly have is all surface. On the other hand, Invisible String depicts Conrad and Belly's relationship as stable and emphasizes their deep emotional connection. It also implies that no matter what happens between them, even if they are not together, they will always be connected because that's how strong their love for one another is. Finally, the scene/concept that confirms Team Conrad is endgame, is the infinity necklace. Infinity perfectly describes Conrad and Belly's relationship. Similar to the invisible string, no matter what happens between them they have an unbreakable bond that's forever.

I have taken the official sorting hat quiz more times than I can count. I take it almost every year to see if my house has changed as I grow and get older. Surprisingly, or not so surprisingly, I have remained a Ravenclaw from the time I was 13 to now as a college sophomore. I think the main reason I am the perfect fit for Ravenclaw is my love for learning. This might be a crazy thing to say, but I love school. I love being able to sit in class and walk out being able to say that I learned something I didn't know before. Like today in anatomy, I learned all about different skin diseases and the bacteria that cause them! Did you know acne is considered a staph infection? Anatomy is quickly becoming one of my favorite classes. But it's not just school, I love learning from other people. Both my roommates are pre-vet majors and it has been such an amazing experience living with them. They love to tell me all about the animals they see in class. A fun fact I learned from my roommates is that you can give chickens oyster shells to help them increase their calcium intake and lay better eggs! I don't know when I will need to know that information in my life, as I plan to pursue a career as a nurse, but it's cool that I know it! There is a misconception about people in the Ravenclaw house being intelligent. While there are intelligent people in Ravenclaw that is not something that defines us. It also doesn't mean that if you are intelligent you are a Ravenclaw. For example, Hermione Granger was the best witch in her class, but she was a Gryffindor. I think that instead of intelligence being a distinguishing characteristic of Ravenclaws it should be our love of learning. Ravenclaws aren't defined by our book smarts, but rather by our desire to expand our knowledge by observing the world and people around us. Ravenclaw would be the absolute best house to not only learn from other people but also find others who share my passion for learning. I would love to meet someone like Luna Lovegood and talk with her about all her thoughts. I admire the way she thinks of things differently and uniquely approaches situations. I feel like I would have some amazing conversations with her. All in all, the characteristic that I have valued ever since I was younger is the same value that makes Ravenclaw the perfect house for me, my love of learning.

My grandparents were my biggest inspiration to go into the medical field. They immigrated from Italy with nothing and worked hard to build a beautiful life here in America. Culture is something that is very important to me and is a large portion of my identity. For as long as I can remember I have been going to doctor appointments with my grandparents to translate and explain everything from their vitals to how to take and use their medications. I decided to pursue a career in nursing not only because I enjoy subjects like anatomy and science, but I realized while helping my grandparents that I enjoy patient care and service. Nurses are on the front lines, we get to spend time with patients and walk in their shoes. We see firsthand what works for patients and what doesn’t. We see when they are comfortable and when they are not, when they are in pain and when they are not. The connection that nurses have with patients is like no other connection and it's something I can't wait to experience. Something that I didn't realize was possible until one of my nursing classes at college was that nurses are also innovators. This means we can use patient connections paired with medical knowledge and critical thinking skills to not only improve the quality of life for one patient but also to improve the quality of life for all patients. Amazingly, many nurses have created new products or improved existing ones to better care for patients and make them more comfortable. A long-term goal of mine is to innovate something in the medical field to improve patient care. As a full-time student, I currently work 2 jobs for a total of about 30 hours a week. This year am I also on the club tennis team and try to spend as much time on the courts as I can. I work hard at my studies and am passionate about the nursing classes I am taking such as anatomy and nutrition. This scholarship would be incredibly helpful in relieving some of the financial burden of my school's out-of-state tuition. It would also allow me to possibly take a break from my jobs and have the opportunity to do more things I enjoy and am passionate about, such as having more time to volunteer in my community. My education will help me develop important skills and allow me to be exposed to many different simulations, helping me to accomplish my goal of helping patients by being an innovator in the medical field.

I aspire to be the best nurse I can be and to always show compassion and understanding even when things get hard.

Booktok is awesome! It provides a platform for readers to get together and talk all things books. Discussions about things people loved, and maybe didn't love about their favorite books always have me hooked! From what I've seen it's been a great gateway for people who haven't read many books to fall in love with reading and find what they like. I have been an avid reader even before BookTok, but it's still opened a whole new world to me full of different genres, characters, and authors! If I were to build an ideal bookshelf it would be filled with books of adventure, romance, and fantasy! Some must-have titles would be: To Kill a Kingdom, Fourth Wing, Daisy Jones and the Six, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, Six of Crows, and The Inheritance Games. A lot of the trends that inspired me to read these books included tiktoks that gave a feel for the aesthetic of the book. Fan art of characters, fan casts, and playlists that represent the book vibes are my favorite ways to get a summary of the book without getting any spoilers by reading summaries! Before BookTok I had never really dived into the mystery book genre. Then I was introduced to The Inheritance Games a book full of mystery, puzzles, and riddles. I wasn't sure how I would feel about it, but BookTok said it was a good book and I decided to put my trust in other readers and give it a shot. I ended up absolutely loving it! The riddles were so fun I tried to solve them before the characters did, but failed miserably. This BookTok recommendation not only introduced me to similar mystery books like Truly Devious (which I also really love) but also similar movies and TV shows like Knives Out! If it weren't for BookTok I would be severely missing out on a great genre of media. Another one of my favorite Booktok trends is your favorite and least favorite tropes! I love seeing people rank their tropes it has to be the most fun trend on all of TikTok. Personally, I really love enemies to lovers, but I hate miscommunication. It would be fun to talk to someone who thought the complete opposite and compare what books we read which is exactly what BookTok is used for. Overall, BookTok has been so beneficial both fro new and experienced readers. It's the perfect place to have great discussions, get some good book recomendations, and try something new!

I would recommend everyone in the world to read Renegades by Marissa Meyer. Now, this young adult novel may just seem like a fun and entertaining read (which it is), but it also offers many different perspectives on power, politics, and humanity which can lead to insightful discussions about morality and that's why I'd want everyone to read this book. Renegades takes place in a futuristic setting in a world full of superheroes. There was a time when superheroes hid their powers and were oppressed and this led to an uprising of rebellion by a group who called themselves “Anarchists''. The uprising led to chaos and death and to restore peace and order, a group of superheroes banded together and called themselves “Renegades”. The Renegades defeated the Anarchists and rebuilt society based on their ideals. They became the new leaders of society, a symbol of hope, idolized by citizens who trusted them to protect their city. The book follows two main characters, one raised by Anarchists and the other raised by renegades. These two characters are on opposite sides of the moral spectrum. And as the book progresses we not only see how their beliefs differ but we also get a glimpse of how their beliefs overlap. What I love about this book is that there is no clear “hero” or “villain”. At the beginning of the story, the reader is led to believe that the Anarchists are the villains, but as we meet all the characters (both Anarchists and Renegades) and hear their unique stories and reasons for their beliefs, we learn that it may not be as “black” and “white” as we initially thought. It’s fascinating how these two groups of people can have completely different views on how society should be run and both have validity to their thoughts. And while both sides have valid points, both sides also have flaws. The Renegades are not morally superior to the Anarchists and vice versa. There are so many layers to peel back from this book, and what’s interesting is the reader can learn and discover truths about our own society along with the characters. Overall, this seemingly simple young adult book has an underlying complexity that I believe would provide for very rich conversations regarding the intricacy of morality. Plus it could also just be a fun book to read with great characters and plot!

My grandparents were my biggest inspiration to go into the medical field. They immigrated from Italy with nothing and worked hard to build a beautiful life here in America. Culture is something that is very important to me and is a large portion of my identity. For as long as I can remember I have been going to doctor appointments with my grandparents to translate and explain everything from their vitals to how to take and use their medications. I decided to pursue a career in nursing not only because I enjoy subjects like anatomy and science, but I realized while helping my grandparents that I enjoy patient care and service. My grandparents also helped me see the importance of language and cultural awareness in the medical field. Medicine can be a scary and complicated thing to understand, it becomes even scarier when you don't understand what's wrong or what you can do to better your health because of a language or cultural barrier. A personal future goal of mine has always been to be inclusive as a nurse and to help other healthcare providers also be more inclusive. I want every one of my patients to feel confident and at ease knowing that they are being taken care of and understood. Nurses are on the front lines, we get to spend time with patients and walk in their shoes. We see firsthand what works for patients and what doesn’t. We see when they are comfortable and when they are not, when they are in pain and when they are not. The connection that nurses have with patients is like no other connection and it's something I can't wait to experience. Something that I didn't realize was possible until one of my nursing classes at college was that nurses are also innovators. This means we can use patient connections alongside medical knowledge and critical thinking skills to not only improve the quality of life for one patient but also to improve the quality of life for all patients. Amazingly, many nurses have created new products or improved existing ones to better care for patients and make them more comfortable. A long-term goal of mine is to innovate something in the medical field to improve patient care. My nursing career will forever be impacted by my family. It's always scary when you see a family member not doing well, and not being able to do much to help them. It's something I wouldn't wish on anyone, but unfortunately, it's a part of life, and it doesn't hurt any less whether it's expected or not. For that reason, patient connection is incredibly important to me. Because while I may have one patient in the hospital bed, I must remember I have another five patients sitting anxiously in the waiting room. They all need care, compassion, and to be communicated with. There will be hard moments and many challenges along the way, but this career is a lifetime learning experience with limitless opportunities to learn, grow, and connect with many different people, and I am so excited to continue my journey and make a positive impact.

To answer this question I want to begin by telling a story that another nurse told me that confirmed that nursing is what I want to do for the rest of my life. "I had a patient who was in critical care and all he wanted to do was golf, but the doctor and all other medical professionals kept telling him no. They said that in his condition it would be better if he stayed in bed. And I just remember thinking, let the man golf! I looked at his symptoms and made a plan. Okay, so he has nausea. Let's make sure we have a golf cart nearby so he can sit down. He needs to take his medication at a certain time so let's get it prepared and set timers. He got to golf and he loved it. He passed away 2 weeks later, but I still remember his family thanking me for helping him do the one thing he loved one last time." It was after hearing this story that I truly understood the impact nurses can have. This nurse understood her patient better than anyone else and was able to help her patient not only medically, but also emotionally. Medical care is incredibly important, but what gets overlooked in the nursing field is the other ways in which we care for our patients. Nurses are on the front lines, we get to spend time with patients and walk in their shoes. We see firsthand what works for patients and what doesn’t. We see when they are comfortable and when they are not, when they are in pain and when they are not. The connection that nurses have with patients is like no other connection. It's something I can't wait to experience. Another overlooked aspect of nursing is the opportunity to be an innovator. It's something that I didn't realize was possible until one of my nursing classes at college. It's the ability to use patient connection paired with medical knowledge and critical thinking skills to not only improve the quality of life for one patient but also to improve the quality of life for all patients. Amazingly, many nurses have created new products or improved existing ones to better care for patients and make them more comfortable. There will be hard moments and many challenges along the way, but this career is a lifetime learning experience with limitless opportunities to learn, grow, and connect with many different people, and I am so excited to continue my journey and make a positive impact.