Being a single mom and a nursing student is something that I thought to be impossible. Ever since I was a little girl I knew I wanted a career in medicine. At first I wanted to become a doctor but then I found out how little patient interaction they had and switched my focus to becoming a nurse. Then I had my daughter, Julie, and what I wanted was to be a good mom. I set aside my dreams and aspirations because I thought there was no way to achieve both. I thought I had to choose, and I chose my daughter. I became a stay at home mom. I lived with my parents and took care of my daughter and ailing grandmother. I taught my daughter to read, write, draw, and sing. I was happy. I felt like I was accomplishing what I desired, to be a good mom. Then one day I visit my daughter’s school for back to school night and I see a poster my daughter drew. It was about her goals and dreams for the future. One question broke me, “What do you want to do when you grow up?. My daughter replied, “To clean a house.” Now my daughter meant no harm in writing this. Essentially she was saying she wanted to be me and I was showing her how to be a good caretaker. It woke me up. I am my daughter’s biggest role model. I need to show her that you can have a family and follow your dream. This life is big enough for both. The first two years getting my associates was a juggle. I managed to go to school full time by utilizing both online and in class sessions. I also had a part time job. All the while I did not stop being a mom to my daughter. I never missed a recital. I was there for her games. I helped her with her homework. Granted, I probably did not sleep very well but I did my best to keep up with this schedule. I wanted to get into the nursing program and I knew I needed a 4.0 for that. The nursing program is an incredibly competitive field. While I was taking my prerequisites there was no sense of camaraderie within the students in my classes. You boasted if you got an A and put down people that got lower scores for you. It was not something I participated in because I would be very disappointed if my daughter acted that way. We should all pick each other up. There are enough things in life that can bring you down. I survived the competitive atmosphere for 2 years and graduated with a 3.9 GPA. I mention this because after every milestone I saw a change in me and how my daughter reacted to me. It was a very proud moment watching my daughter cry during my graduation. She was really proud. I became more confident and my daughter became more independent. She started telling me she wants to go to USC, which made me tear up. My fear that kept me from going to school was that it was going to diminish our relationship. However my work ethic influenced my daughter to expand her worldview. Now I am in nursing school, in the midst of a pandemic. Things are challenging to put it mildly. I am currently unemployed. My daughter and I share a bedroom, which I rent for $550 a month. I currently travel with public transportation because I cannot afford to have a car. We live off of the food stamps that I get monthly. In addition, I donate plasma to earn a little extra money. It’s hard. I know that this struggle is temporary but it's definitely a hardship to take on while I continue my studies. Any extra money is appreciated and will be put to good use, such as food and clothing. I managed to get my daughter a free winter coat thanks to a generous program at a nearby church. All the while I have become a full time teacher for my daughter while we do online learning. While it is nice to always be together, I do feel for her not having any social interactions with her friends. I will remain humble and work hard. There’s been plenty of times I thought about quitting, but I strive to see how much my daughter and I grow from this experience. I want to make her proud.