I have always had such a strong admiration for nurses. My youngest sister was diagnosed with Leukemia at the age of four, and I was greatly inspired by the compassion and skill of the nurses who took care of her. I want to do the same thing one day. After High School, I plan to obtain a nursing degree. My plan after that is to work at a hospital for a few years and then save up enough money to enroll in a Graduate Nurse Anesthesia program. My dream is to go to the University of Detroit Mercy. I love this school so much because while receiving my education, I will also be encouraged to grow in my faith. The only downfall is the cost. Even though I have been accepted into their direct-admit nursing program, I need to make sure that I can find other ways to pay for my tuition before I can accept their offer. Within the next few weeks, I will be applying to other colleges in Michigan with nursing programs just in case I find that I won’t be able to afford the high price point.

Whenever I can relate to the heroes and antagonists of the stories I read, I file their strengths and shortcomings alike into a mental cabinet in my brain. These "mental notes" guide my thought processes towards life. I have read a story so inspiring that I can clearly see its effect on my attitude during challenging times. This book is called "Book of a Thousand Days" by Shannon Hale. The book starts out with the main protagonist, Dashti. She serves as a maid to Lady Saren, a girl raised into nobility and a life of ease. Both are locked in a tower against their will because of Saren’s refusal to marry her betrothed. This is where Dashti’s bravery and resourcefulness begin to shine through. While Lady Saren slowly loses herself into a state of idleness and emotional detachment, Dashti works hard to keep spirits up. She is determined to keep a level head though faced with unforgiving living conditions. Dashti’s ingenuity eventually leads to an escape from the confines of their prison and a successful journey to a new land. After completing this amazing story, I was inspired to become more self-aware of the ways I can react to hardship. This mindset primarily came in handy when it came to the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown that ensued. I had two decisions I could make in response. The first was to give into mental seclusion and depressive behaviors, something I call the "Lady Saren" approach. The second was to use my time away from society to make myself a better person, both physically and mentally. Because of a character named Dashti, I was inspired to make the second decision. A single fictional book was all it took for me to change my attitude towards the real-life challenges I faced.

Whenever I can relate to the heroes and antagonists of the stories I read, I file their strengths and shortcomings alike into a mental cabinet in my brain. These "mental notes" guide my thought processes towards life. I have read a story so inspiring that I can clearly see its effect on my attitude during challenging times. This book is called "Book of a Thousand Days" by Shannon Hale. The book starts out with the main protagonist, Dashti. She serves as a maid to Lady Saren, a girl raised into nobility and a life of ease. Both are locked in a tower against their will because of Saren’s refusal to marry her betrothed. This is where Dashti’s bravery and resourcefulness begin to shine through. While Lady Saren slowly loses herself into a state of idleness and emotional detachment, Dashti works hard to keep spirits up. She is determined to keep a level head though faced with unforgiving living conditions. Dashti’s ingenuity eventually leads to an escape from the confines of their prison and a successful journey to a new land. After completing this amazing story, I was inspired to become more self-aware of the ways I can react to hardship. This mindset primarily came in handy when it came to the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown that ensued. I had two decisions I could make in response. The first was to give into mental seclusion and depressive behaviors, something I call the "Lady Saren" approach. The second was to use my time away from society to make myself a better person, both physically and mentally. Because of a character named Dashti, I was inspired to make the second decision. A single fictional book was all it took for me to change my attitude towards the real-life challenges I faced.