Social media has become one of the most powerful tools of our generation. It connects people across the world, provides a platform for self-expression, and gives access to information instantly. However, while social media has many benefits, its impact on mental health and self-esteem cannot be ignored. For many people, especially young adults, the constant comparison, unrealistic standards, and pressure to maintain a “perfect” image online can lead to feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, and depression. The highlight reels that people post on social media often create the illusion that everyone else’s life is happier, more successful, or more beautiful. This constant exposure can make individuals feel like they are not enough, even when what they are comparing themselves to is heavily filtered or exaggerated. For teenagers and young adults in particular, this has a powerful effect on self-esteem, shaping how they see themselves and how they measure their worth. In more serious cases, the negative impact of social media has been linked to increased rates of depression, body image issues, cyberbullying, and even suicidal thoughts. I have personally felt the impact of social media on my own mental health. As a young mother and a student, there are times when scrolling through social media made me feel like I was falling behind. Seeing people my age traveling, living seemingly carefree lives, or appearing further along in their careers made me question myself. I often compared my journey to theirs, forgetting that what I saw online was only part of the picture. I had to remind myself that my life looks different because my path is different, and that does not make me less successful or less worthy. Over time, I realized that instead of tearing myself down, I could use my own story to inspire others, showing that motherhood, education, and resilience are just as powerful as any picture-perfect post. While these challenges are real, there are ways to address the negative impact of social media. Education is one of the most important steps. Teaching young people the difference between reality and online content can help them approach social media with a healthier mindset. Encouraging open conversations about mental health also reduces the stigma and allows people to seek help when they are struggling. Personally, I began setting boundaries for myself by limiting screen time and focusing more on being present with my daughter. Those changes helped me protect my peace and reminded me of the importance of real-life moments over digital validation. Technology itself can also be part of the solution. Many platforms now include tools like screen time reminders and options to hide like counts. These features can reduce the pressure of constant comparison and allow users to engage in healthier ways. By combining these tools with personal accountability and education, we can create a balance that allows people to benefit from social media without sacrificing their mental health. Ultimately, social media is not going away, so the focus must be on using it in healthier ways. By raising awareness, promoting digital boundaries, and encouraging balance, we can reduce its negative effects. My own journey has taught me that life is not about comparison but about growth, and if used carefully, social media can be a place to uplift and inspire rather than tear down.

My story begins with both struggle and strength. Growing up, I experienced the painful realities of domestic violence in my home. My mother endured abuse from my father and turned to alcohol as a way to cope with the trauma she carried. Over time, her addiction distanced her from me and my siblings, and we were left feeling abandoned. That pain forced me to grow up faster than I should have, but it also gave me resilience and determination to create a different life for myself and my child. In the middle of that hardship, my grandmother stepped in and raised me. She was my safe place and the person who gave me stability when everything else felt uncertain. But even as she cared for me, I saw her battle serious health issues, including chronic arthritis, cancer, and numerous surgeries. Watching her endure so much taught me what real strength looks like, but it also showed me the power of compassionate healthcare. The nurses who cared for her made her feel valued and respected, even in her most vulnerable moments. That left a lasting impression on me and planted the seed for my desire to become a nurse. Motherhood has been the greatest turning point in my life. Becoming a mom gave me purpose and the motivation to push forward no matter how difficult things became. My daughter is the reason I get up every day and work toward building a better future. I want to be the example for her that I did not always have. I want her to see that no matter what hardships life throws your way, you can rise above them with hard work, perseverance, and faith in yourself. My passion is helping people, and nursing gives me the opportunity to turn that passion into purpose. My aspiration is to become a nurse who not only cares for patients physically but also supports them emotionally and advocates for them when they cannot advocate for themselves. I especially want to serve African American women, who too often face barriers and disparities in healthcare. My goal is to give them the kind of compassionate, equitable, and empowering care that my grandmother received and that my mother never had. My story has been shaped by pain, but it has also been shaped by love, resilience, and hope. Those experiences made me who I am today: a young mother, a first-generation college student, and a future nurse determined to break cycles and make a difference in my family and community.

I want to pursue a degree in nursing because I believe it is not only a career but a calling. Growing up, I faced many hardships including domestic violence in my family, my mother’s struggles with alcohol, and watching my grandmother battle chronic arthritis, cancer, and numerous surgeries. Those experiences showed me both the pain of illness and trauma, as well as the incredible difference compassionate nurses can make in the lives of patients and families. I saw firsthand how a nurse’s presence could turn fear into comfort, confusion into clarity, and despair into hope. Seeing the way nurses cared for my grandmother planted a seed in me, and I knew that one day I wanted to dedicate my life to caring for others in the same way. Becoming a mother has given me an even deeper reason to pursue nursing. My daughter is my greatest motivation. She gave me strength in moments when I could have given up, and she constantly reminds me why I must keep moving forward. I want her to see through me that no matter your past, your setbacks, or your circumstances, you can rise above and create a better future. I want to be the example that shows her she is capable of anything she sets her mind to. Nursing is my way of turning my pain into purpose, and it is a profession where I can use my compassion, resilience, and determination to serve others who are at their most vulnerable. As a nurse, I hope to contribute to my community in ways that extend far beyond medical treatment. I want to provide care that listens, advocates, and uplifts. I want my patients to feel truly seen and valued, not just as cases but as human beings with unique stories. For African American women especially, I hope to help close the gaps in healthcare disparities by ensuring that they receive equitable, respectful, and culturally competent care. My goal is to create safe spaces in healthcare where women feel empowered to seek help and confident that their voices will be heard. In addition to bedside care, I also hope to contribute through education and advocacy. I want to teach families how to care for themselves and prevent illness, and I want to advocate for better systems that prioritize compassion, communication, and equity. By doing so, I will not only be serving individuals but uplifting my community as a whole. My goal is to dedicate my career to serving with integrity and heart. Nursing will allow me to transform the obstacles I faced into strength for others. By becoming a nurse, I will be able to make a lasting impact on my family, my patients, and my community, proving that resilience and compassion can change lives.

My story has been shaped by both hardship and determination. Growing up, I faced the pain of domestic violence and the struggles that came with substance abuse in my family. My mother turned to alcohol to cope with the abuse she endured, and that choice created distance between us. It left me and my siblings without the stability and protection we needed. During those years, my grandmother stepped in and became my foundation. She raised me with love, but I also witnessed her struggles with serious health issues, including chronic arthritis, cancer, and multiple surgeries. Watching her battle through pain while still being the strength of our family showed me what resilience truly looks like. It also opened my eyes to the importance of compassionate, dedicated healthcare. Those experiences could have broken me, but instead they shaped me into someone who is determined to build a different future. They gave me strength, perseverance, and a passion for helping others. Becoming a mother myself has been the greatest turning point of all. My daughter gave me a reason to keep pushing forward, even when life felt heavy. She has taught me patience, unconditional love, and the importance of breaking cycles. I want her to grow up seeing that no matter the setbacks or struggles, you can rise above and create something better. My role as a mother has directly influenced my educational aspirations. I want to be an example for my child, showing her that with hard work, dedication, and resilience, anything is possible. Education is not only the pathway to my career in nursing but also the foundation for breaking generational patterns of hardship. Becoming a first-generation college graduate will not only change my life, but it will change hers as well. This scholarship would give me the support I need to focus on my studies and complete my certification. It would allow me to continue building toward my dream of becoming a nurse who advocates for patients, especially African American women, who too often face disparities in care. It would help me provide stability for my family, create opportunities for my daughter, and give back to my community by dedicating my career to healing and serving others. I am working toward a future where my story is not defined by struggle but by resilience, strength, and the impact I make on others. With this scholarship, I will be one step closer to fulfilling that dream and creating a better life for my family and for the patients I will one day serve.

My name is Jasmine and my story has been shaped by both pain and resilience. Growing up, I watched my mother suffer abuse at the hands of my father. That abuse broke her in ways I could not fully understand as a child. To numb the pain she turned to alcohol, but over time it took more from her than it ever gave back. It surrounded her with people who did not care about her, people who hurt her all over again, and eventually she chose alcohol over me and my siblings. As a little girl that kind of loss was confusing and devastating. I often wondered why love was not enough for her to choose us, and that pain forced me to grow up too quickly. In the middle of that chaos my grandmother stepped in and became my anchor. She raised me, protected me, and loved me when I needed it most. But with her I also saw the other side of life, the constant battles with health problems. She lived with chronic arthritis, went through multiple surgeries, and even fought cancer. There were days when I saw her in pain that I could not fix, and it broke my heart. But it also opened my eyes to the power of healthcare. The way nurses cared for her made a lasting impression on me. They did not just manage her pain, they brought her comfort, dignity, and reassurance in the moments she needed it most. Seeing their compassion planted a seed in me that I carry to this day. Becoming a mother myself gave me even more strength and clarity. My daughter became my reason to push forward even when life felt heavy. She taught me patience, unconditional love, and resilience. I promised myself that I would break the cycles I grew up in and show her what it looks like to turn pain into purpose. That purpose is nursing. I want to be the nurse who listens when no one else will, who sees the whole person and not just the diagnosis, and who gives patients the care my grandmother received and the support my mother never had. For African American women especially, I want to be a voice in healthcare that advocates for them, fights for equity, and reminds them that their lives and their stories matter. My past is not easy to carry, but it has shaped me into someone who is determined to make a difference. I plan to take every hardship, every lesson, and every ounce of strength I have gained and pour it into my career as a nurse. My dream is to bring healing where there is pain, hope where there is despair, and to use my life to change outcomes for others who feel like they are forgotten.

Growing up, I lived through the reality of domestic violence and the pain it leaves behind. I watched my mother be abused by my father, and I saw how that trauma broke her spirit. To cope with the pain she carried, she turned to alcohol. At first it was her escape, but eventually it became the very thing that consumed her. Her drinking surrounded her with people who didn’t truly care about her, people who took advantage of her weakness and hurt her all over again. Alcohol became the choice she made over me and my siblings, and that left wounds I still carry with me today. As a child, I struggled with feeling abandoned and questioning my worth. I could not understand why my mother chose alcohol instead of us. That hurt forced me to grow up too quickly and left me feeling like I had to protect myself in a world that wasn’t always safe. Even now, the memories of those moments stay with me, but instead of letting them define me in a negative way, I have chosen to turn that pain into purpose. The heartbreak I went through is exactly what pushes me to fight for women who feel like they have no voice, no support, and no way out. For African American women especially, the struggles with domestic violence and substance abuse are compounded by systemic barriers. Too often their cries for help are ignored, their pain minimized, or their situations judged instead of understood. I know what it feels like to be silenced, overlooked, and left without the care and compassion you desperately need. That is why I feel so strongly about becoming a nurse. I want to be the kind of nurse who sees beyond the surface, who listens without judgment, and who gives women the care and support my mother never had. Through my education and nursing career, I plan to advocate for better care, stronger communication, and improved coordination for African American women who are living with the effects of domestic violence and substance abuse. I want to help break the cycle by addressing not just the physical wounds but also the emotional ones. My hope is to create safe spaces in healthcare where women feel believed, valued, and supported. My past has not been easy, but it has given me the strength and determination to help others. I carry my story with me as a reminder of why I chose this path. Every patient I care for will be a chance to bring hope where there is pain, light where there is darkness, and healing where there are deep wounds. My journey has taught me that even the most broken parts of our story can be the foundation of someone else’s survival, and I am committed to being that kind of difference for African American women facing the struggles I know all too well.

My life experiences have had a profound influence on my decision to pursue nursing as a career. Becoming a mother has been one of the most defining experiences in my life. Through motherhood I learned the value of compassion, patience, and advocacy, not only for my child but for others who depend on support during vulnerable times. Raising a child while also working toward my education has shown me the importance of resilience, responsibility, and balance. These are qualities I know will help me succeed as a nurse because the profession demands dedication, focus, and the ability to care for others even under stress. Another experience that shaped my decision was watching my grandmother battle cancer. Being by her side and witnessing her strength during treatment left a lasting impression on me. I saw the way nurses cared for her not only physically but also emotionally. They provided comfort when she was in pain, explained difficult medical information in a way our family could understand, and reminded her that she was not alone in her fight. That level of compassion and knowledge was powerful to witness. It inspired me to want to help people who are going through or will go through similar experiences. I want to be the kind of nurse who makes a difficult situation feel more manageable and who brings comfort and dignity to both patients and their families. Beyond these personal experiences, I have also observed how quality nursing care can completely transform a patient’s experience. Whether through my own healthcare encounters or through family members receiving care, I have seen how a nurse can be the difference between fear and reassurance, between confusion and understanding, and between feeling alone and feeling supported. Those experiences confirmed for me that nursing is not just a profession but a calling that requires empathy, knowledge, and advocacy. Altogether these moments in my life have shaped the type of person I am today. They have made me determined to build a career in which I can make a positive difference in people’s lives every day. Nursing is the perfect path for me because it combines my natural compassion with my determination to work hard, learn continuously, and advocate for others. My personal journey has motivated me to dedicate myself fully to this career, and I look forward to serving patients and families with the same care, respect, and compassion that once inspired me.