“Just choose a major”, deciding during my teenage years on what I want to do for the rest of my life can be a difficult choice. There are many fields to work in but I’ve only been interested in one, the medical field. Nursing has always been my dream career, especially becoming a travel nurse. I would love to help hospitals or clinics that are understaffed to provide additional help for patients and give them the best care. Many have tried to discourage me by saying nursing is a tough career and students decide to switch midway, but I’m determined to achieve a nursing degree. Every job and major comes with its downsides, you have to be passionate about your career and not just pick the “easiest” job. I love to make people comfortable when speaking to me especially in hospital settings because it can be a tough time for those who are anxious and scared. Before COVID, I used to volunteer at Gouverneur Hospital to complete special volunteer hours in order for my high school to find me eligible to sit for my certified medical administrative assistant (CMAA) exam, and I’ve learned so much from being placed in a hospital setting. Many patients in the nursing homes didn’t have much interaction with others and it was truly devastating to see. My duty as a volunteer in the recreation department was to entertain the residents with arts and crafts, movies, music, aromatherapy, manicures and so much more! Experiencing this has made me want to be a nurse who genuinely cares about patients’ well-being both physically and psychologically. Engaging with patients is such an important factor in health care settings so patients can build trust with the workers and assure them they are receiving the best treatment. Two of my family members tried to pursue their dream of being nurses, unfortunately, they couldn’t continue their education due to personal reasons. They’ve inspired me to continue my dream and make the best of my opportunities. I’ve been lucky enough to at least complete two years of college so far, and I will not give up until I have a bachelor's nursing degree. Being a Latina first-generation student has taught me to never let rejection stop me from pursuing my nursing career. Recently I’ve made the decision that transferring out of my current college will be the best decision for me. Long Island University (Brooklyn campus) has accepted me into their nursing program and I’m really thrilled to have that opportunity to attend the college. This scholarship will definitely help me pay part of my tuition for LIU.

Tell us about the simple pleasures in your life and how they make you happy. As the summertime approaches my family and I make an arranged plan to leave the city for a while and head towards upstate New York. Waking up at 5 in the morning to the sunrise and packing our food for our trip always excites me. My uncle and his family arrive at our home around 6 am to pick us up and we all take an hour and a half long drive to the lake for a family BBQ, or as we like to call it, a carne asada. Exiting the crammed car and breathing in the fresh smell of the morning dew always brings me inner peace. The city life can be overwhelming at times, my family and I are hardworking people who rarely rest and enjoy the simple things in life. Being in a low-income family is a stressful situation as we all want to work most of the time to better our future. Escaping the city for a few hours relaxes my mind as I sit back and enjoy nature. Laying down on the grass and feeling the warmth of the sun gives me comfort that I don’t need to be worrying about my future every day, sometimes we all need a break to sit back and enjoy the things that make us happy.

At times I tutor my friend with math problems she cannot easily grasp onto. I take my time trying to make sure she understands what I’m reviewing with her, occasionally we both get frustrated when the math problem does not make sense to her. Instead of us building tension and overfilling our minds with pessimistic thoughts, we take a break and relax. Most people build up many negative thoughts when they become frustrated with themselves or other people. I learn to put myself in her shoes so we can get through the review together. Once, both of us ease our impatience, my friend and I go back to the math problem, and I try to break down the steps as simple as possible. We easily want to give up when we become impatient with ourselves, sometimes a break is needed. Becoming easily agitated will only build up more stress for your mind and physical functions. Patience is an important skill everyone including myself should learn to practice even in the most difficult/minor situations. One thing I always tell myself is, that we cannot control others or a situation, but we can choose how we react to the situation. This reminder has kept me at peace when I encounter events that make me impatient. Raging won’t me give solutions.