I was around nursing long before I ever considered it as a career. Growing up, my mom was dealing with addiction, mental health struggles, and cancer at the same time. That was my first real exposure to what it looks like when someone needs care from multiple directions at once. It wasn’t simple, and it wasn’t consistent. Some people showed up and made things easier. Others didn’t, and you could feel the difference immediately. Being around that shaped how I look at this field. I pay attention to how people are treated, how much time is given, and whether someone actually feels supported. Those things matter more than people think, especially when someone is already dealing with more than they can handle on their own. I spent a lot of my twenties living out what I'd consider my childhood. I traveled, focused on making money, and gathered experiences. After moving back to Chicago, I ended up in the hospital for an emergency appendectomy, which really lead to me realizing what respect I had for the healthcare profession. Everything moved quickly, and I had to trust the people around me without having much control over the situation. The nurses in that environment stood out to me. They were steady, clear in how they communicated, and present the entire time. That experience stayed with me and added a different level of respect for the role. Being in school now has confirmed that this is something I want to continue pursuing. I enjoy learning the material and understanding how care is actually delivered. I’ve also spent time around people who are already working as nurses, including close friends of mine, and that’s reinforced it even more. I’ve seen the way they carry themselves, how much they care about their patients, and how seriously they take their responsibility. That level of consistency and effort is something I respect and want to match. I’m especially drawn to the patient side of the work. I care about how people feel in those situations and how they’re treated when they’re at their most vulnerable. I want to be someone who brings a sense of calm and support into those environments and handles those moments the right way. At the same time, I’m not looking at nursing as a stopping point. I plan to continue building on it and move into a provider role so I can take on more responsibility in patient care and decision-making. I want to be in a position where I can think through complex situations, guide treatment, and still stay connected to the patient experience. That combination is important to me. There was a long period of time where I didn’t think I would go to college at all. I had people tell me early on that it wasn’t the right path for me, and for a while I believed that. Being here now, working toward this degree, means a lot. I’ve maintained a 4.0 GPA and made the Dean’s List, and I approach this with a strong sense of responsibility. I take this seriously, and I plan to keep moving forward with it and growing into someone who can make a real impact over time.

Before I ever thought about becoming a nurse, I saw what nursing looks like up close. It was at home, watching someone manage addiction, mental health, and cancer all at once, and realizing how much it matters when someone actually shows up for you. My mom went through a lot while I was growing up. She was dealing with addiction, mental health struggles, and cancer, often all at the same time. That was my first real exposure to nursing. I saw how complicated it can get when someone needs different kinds of care all at once. There were times where things were handled well and times where they weren’t, and it was obvious how much that affected her. When someone took the time to pay attention and stay consistent, things felt more manageable. When that didn’t happen, everything felt harder than it needed to be. When I moved back to Chicago, I ended up going through my own health scare and needed an emergency appendectomy. That was the first time I experienced it from the patient side. I remember how fast everything moved and how much I relied on the people around me to stay calm and explain what was happening. I didn’t know what was going on, and I had to trust that the people around me did. The way the nurses handled that situation stuck with me. They were steady, they communicated clearly, and they made a stressful situation feel more controlled. Being back in school now has changed things for me in a different way. I actually enjoy learning this. I like understanding how the body works and how different conditions are treated. I’ve also been around people who are already in this field, and that’s made a big difference. I have friends who are nurses, and seeing how much they care about their patients and how seriously they take their role has made me respect this profession even more. It’s not just a job to them. It’s something they take pride in, and that’s something I want to carry into my own work. I’ve realized I genuinely enjoy interacting with patients and being present with people. I want every person I come across to feel some level of support, even if it’s a small moment in a difficult situation. There was a long period of time where I didn’t think I’d go to college at all. I had people tell me early on that school wasn’t really the path for me, and for a while I believed that. Being here now and working toward this degree means a lot. I’ve been able to maintain a 4.0 GPA and make the Dean’s List, and I take that seriously. Nursing connects directly to my life and what I’ve seen growing up, and I want to do it well. I want to show up as my best self with each patient and be someone people can rely on when things aren’t clear, when things feel overwhelming, and when it actually matters.

I honestly didn’t grow up thinking I’d go to college, let alone become a nurse. For a long time, that just didn’t feel like something that was meant for me. The irony was just how imbedded healthcare has been throughout my life, and that I only made the realization in my thirties. Growing up, I was raised by a single mother in the Chicago suburbs who worked in Housekeeping at Northwestern (the first influence of healthcare in my life). My mom, an amazing woman who has overcome a lot, struggled throughout my teens with addiction and mental health, all while dealing with cancer. There were a lot of moments that felt unstable and overwhelming and I saw exactly what it looks like when someone needs help in multiple ways at once, physically, mentally, and emotionally, and how hard it can be to actually get that help. Because of that, I stepped into a caregiver role pretty early on. Helping where I could, being there when things weren’t okay, trying to make sense of situations that didn’t always make sense. That experience is what got me interested in healthcare in the first place. I wanted to understand what was going on and learn how to actually help people in situations like that. I spent most of my twenties living out the childhood I felt like I missed, traveling and focusing on making money. I moved back to Chicago at 29 after my mom had a relapse, and that’s what led me to nursing, specifically psychiatric care. I’ve seen how closely mental and physical health are connected, and how often one gets overlooked. I also got to see how impactful the nurses were in making my mom feel seen, understood, and comforted. Being a part of that experience with maturity and patience I have now was the most enlightening part of what I found to truly be a calling. Being back in school now has been a surreal experience. There was a long period of time where I had given up on the idea of getting a degree. I had school counselors as a teenager tell me I’d be fine not continuing with school. So being here as an adult and working toward this goal means a lot to me. I’ve also been able to show that shift in a real way by maintaining a 4.0 GPA and making the Dean’s List. When I read about Cindy J. Visser, what stuck with me was the way she spent her career showing up for people over time. She worked in a lot of different settings, hospital, urgent care, hospice, and home health, and stayed in it for years. That kind of consistency matters a lot and really shows dedication and desire to help. I’ve seen what it looks like when people don’t have that kind of support, especially when things get complicated with both physical and mental health. Having someone who pays attention, takes their time, and actually cares about what’s going on can change everything for a patient. That’s the direction I’m working toward. I want to be reliable in that way and be someone people can trust when things aren’t going well. I’m focused on building the skills for it now, both clinically and in how I work with people. Nursing, for me, comes directly from my life and the experiences I’ve had growing up. Being in a position to pursue it now is something I take seriously, and I want to do it well.