My life has been a journey. From living in a motel every other week, to using a gifted Dora the Explorer projector as a source of light throughout my house, in my 19 years of life, I have experienced instances that some will never go through for a day in their lifetime. Looking back at the times that my family house hopped from one to another, I remember optimistically thinking those moments to be a mini-vacation or a field trip. I never questioned or wondered why but rather tried to make the best out of every situation. Oftentimes while living in a materialistic and social media-driven world, individuals get easily defeated when thinking of what is not present. In return, recognition of the simple beauties that lie in front tend to be forgotten and disregarded. This is an internal war I have faced and overcome. For me, the simple gifts and pleasures in my life have formed as a result of persistent adversity. Through every struggle I have encountered, came lessons learned and opportunities to strengthen my passions -- my escapes. From a young age, I have used Art as a form of expression and gateway to a superficial world. When I am in the element of creating art, the world goes blank, my heart rate settles, and I am at complete and utter ease. To freely create means to express the feelings and envisions residing deep in my heart. Worry fades and I feel as some may when being on a vacation on an island. Art is my pleasure and my happiness. To me, a world without art is a life not worth living.

My life has been a journey. From living in a motel every other week, to using a gifted Dora the Explorer projector as a source of light throughout my house, in my 19 years of life, I have experienced instances that some will never go through for a day in their lifetime. Through every struggle and adversity came lessons learned and opportunities to grow, and for that, I am grateful, as all that I have been taught has formed me into the individual I am today. Looking back at the times that my family house hopped from one to another, I remember optimistically thinking those moments to be a mini-vacation or a field trip. I never questioned or wondered why. I began to compare myself to others financially well off, belittle myself, and every aspiration I had hoped for in life. Often questioning if I would ever amount to anything surpass what was deemed as average. Oftentimes while living in a materialistic and social media-driven world, individuals get easily defeated when thinking of what is not present. In return, recognition of the simple beauties that lie in front tend to be forgotten and disregarded. This is an internal war I have faced and overcome. For me, the simple gifts in life have constructed the foundation of my character: compassion, optimism, and appreciation. Amidst the prolonging of a struggling journey came complete alterations in the way that I view the world and individuals that I encounter on an everyday basis. I have gained a strong sense of instinct in observation and appreciation for every walk of life, including my own. I embrace my background as a good for all positive that has resulted while using my strength as an inspiration for others, and a pivotal drive to succeed.

My life has been a journey. From living in a motel every other week, to using a gifted Dora the Explorer projector as a source of light throughout my house, in my 19 years of life, specifically the past 4, I have experienced instances that some will never go through for a day in their lifetime. Through every struggle and adversity came lessons learned and opportunities to grow, and for that I am grateful, as all that I have been taught has formed me into the individual I am today. Looking back at the time that my family house hopped from one to another, I remember first thinking of those moments to be a mini-vacation or a field trip. I never questioned, or wondered why, but after a while, depending on a new family for a roof over our heads became extremely difficult. So, motels were the next best option. In the beginning, I tried to make the best out of my reality, but only sufficed for so long. I began to compare myself to others who were financially well off, and in turn belittle myself, my existence, and every aspiration I had hoped for in life. I often questioned if I would ever amount to anything surpassing what was deemed as average. For many years, I dreaded the idea of waking up and living. As a result of my family circumstances denying financial opportunity, I became self-isolated at an early age and through my teenage years, I battled with the feeling of never being good enough. Oftentimes while living in a materialistic and social media-driven world, individuals get easily defeated when thinking of what is not present. In return, recognition of the simple beauties that lie in front tend to be forgotten and disregarded. This is an internal war I have faced and overcome. For me, the simple gifts in life have constructed the foundation of my character: compassion, optimism, and appreciation. From having a new home every week, attending thirteen schools across four states to having lightly bruised palms from carrying groceries for miles on end. From being the only athlete unable to afford game day lunches, gear, or even water at concession, to being unable to afford fibroid surgery for my mother, or medication for my grandmother following open-heart surgery— financial instability has been a consistent factor in my everyday life. Amidst the prolonging of a struggling journey, however, came complete alterations in the way that I view the world and individuals that I encounter on an everyday basis. I have gained a strong sense of instinct in observation and appreciation for every walk of life, including my own. I embrace my background as a good for all positive that has resulted while using my strength as an inspiration for others, and a pivotal drive to succeed. Through every struggle I have endured, my passion for bettering the lives of individuals in need have only heightened. Being a nurse is more than an aspired job, but it is a compilation of the endless feelings of commitment and passion for aiding others, that reside within me. Every time that I step foot in the hospital, I am instantly overwhelmed with butterflies at being in such close vicinity of the heroes that I one day strive to one day be. It is so easy to believe that my hardest moments have been downfalls, but they are not anything of the sort. My experiences have made me the strong, driven, young woman I am today, and for that, I am grateful.

My life has been a journey. From living in a motel every other week, to using a gifted Dora the Explorer projector as a source of light throughout my house, in my 19 years of life, I have experienced instances that some will never go through for a day in their lifetime. Through every struggle and adversity came lessons learned and opportunities to grow, and for that, I am grateful, as all that I have been taught has formed me into the individual I am today. Looking back at the times that my family house hopped from one to another, I remember optimistically thinking those moments to be a mini-vacation or a field trip. I never questioned or wondered why. I began to compare myself to others who were financially well off, belittle myself, and every aspiration I had hoped for in life. Often questioning if I would ever amount to anything surpass what was deemed as average. Oftentimes while living in a materialistic and social media-driven world, individuals get easily defeated when thinking of what is not present. In return, recognition of the simple beauties that lie in front tend to be forgotten and disregarded. This is an internal war I have faced and overcome. For me, the simple gifts in life have constructed the foundation of my character: compassion, optimism, and appreciation. Amidst the prolonging of a struggling journey came complete alterations in the way that I view the world and individuals that I encounter on an everyday basis. I have gained a strong sense of instinct in observation and appreciation for every walk of life, including my own. I embrace my background as a good for all positive that has resulted while using my strength as an inspiration for others, and a pivotal drive to succeed.

Since the mere age of 4 years old, I remember acting as if my dolls were real life patients and my room was a hospital. My childhood was filled with a fascination of emergency rooms, medical procedures, protocols, and consistently asking my mother to take me to surrounding hospitals so that I could help the medical professionals 'make patients happy,' as 5-year-old me would say. Throughout my preteen years I was obsessed with watching surgical documentaries, births, in-depth videos explaining the different elements within the body, and anything I could get my hands on to dive into understanding the human body. The multitude of elements that contribute to every function and creation within the body continue to intrigue me and fuels my desire to learn more. Besides genuine curiosity and fascination, my grandmother's battle with diabetes also has had a significant contribution to my choice of major. I remember feeling helpless as her health steadily declined. When she had open heart surgery, we could only afford medication for so long until her supply was gone, and her heart gave out. I became filled with sadness and anger that I could not help her the way that her nurses could. This feeling of helplessness added fuel to my burning desire to one day help save lives My youngest brother’s long-term battle with asthma is another instance of critical care that truly tugs at my heart with every thought, and further motivates my decision in becoming pediatric nurse. I remember getting a call from my parents and being told my brother was in the hospital. He had an asthma flare up, his oxygen levels were severely low, and he was rushed to critical care. As I saw my brother attached to so many machines, I felt a sense of duty to help and be emotionally strong for him and my family. As he laid in the hospital bed, I wanted to physically help him, yet I couldn’t. When various nurses and doctors came in, I asked for questions and explanations so that I could better understand the next course of action and simplify explanations for my brother. Amidst the oncoming discharge of my sibling, it was vital to pay close attention to detail and to always be prepared to act if issues arose. I had to listen for my brothers breathing and assess if he had shortness of breath, wheezing, or tightness in his chest. Often, I had to remind him how a tight chest felt, so I would simplify it on a scale from one to ten. One meaning he felt so good he could jump on the bed and ten meant it hurt so bad it felt similar to a heavy toy truck was on top of him. Depending on the severity, I would set up his nebulizer with one to two albuterol treatments. Though I slept alongside him for the first few months, I would set alarms for every few hours to assess his breathing stability and proceed in action if necessary. To this day, I am always reminding my brother of the importance of using his inhaler as both a preventative measure and tool for health maintenance. Being a nurse is more than an aspired job, but it is compilation of the endless feelings of commitment and passion that I have for bettering the lives of others. Improved health may not always be guaranteed for patients, but one thing for certain is that I want to do everything I possibly can to aid in the betterment of a patient’s physicality, mentality, and emotional state while be cared for.

The Journey of my Lifetime My life has been a journey. From living in a motel every other week to using a gifted Dora the Explorer projector as a source of light throughout my house, in my 19 years of life, specifically the past 4, I have experienced instances that some will never go through for a day in their lifetime. Through every struggle and adversity came lessons learned and opportunities to grow, and for that, I am grateful, as all that I have been taught has formed me into the individual I am today. Looking back at the time that my family house hopped from one to another, I remember first thinking of those moments to be a mini-vacation or a field trip. I never questioned, or wondered why, but after a while, depending on a new family for a roof over our heads became extremely difficult. So, motels were the next best option. In the beginning, I tried to make the best out of my reality, but only sufficed for so long. I began to compare myself to others who were financially well off, and in turn belittle myself, my existence, and every aspiration I had hoped for in life. I often questioned if I would ever amount to anything surpass what was deemed as average. For many years, I dreaded the idea of waking up and living. As a result of my family circumstances denying financial opportunity, I became self-isolated at an early age and through my teenage years, I battled with the feeling of never being good enough. Oftentimes while living in a materialistic and social media-driven world, individuals get easily defeated when thinking of what is not present. In return, recognition of the simple beauties that lie in front tend to be forgotten and disregarded. This is an internal war I have faced and overcome. For me, the simple gifts in life have constructed the foundation of my character: compassion, optimism, and appreciation. From having a new home every week, attending thirteen schools across four states to having lightly bruised palms from carrying groceries for miles on end. From being the only athlete unable to afford game day lunches, gear, or even a water at concession, to being unable to afford fibroid surgery for my mother, or medication for my grandmother following open heart surgery— financial instability has been a consistent factor in my everyday life. Amidst the prolonging of a struggling journey, however, came complete alterations in the way that I view the world and individuals that I encounter on an everyday basis. I have gained a strong sense of instinct in observation and appreciation for every walk of life, including my own. I embrace my background as a good for all positive that has resulted, while using my strength as an inspiration for others, and a pivotal drive to succeed. I take immense passion and pride in being a first-generation college student and attending nursing school. Being a nurse is more than an aspired job, it is a compilation of the endless feelings of commitment and passion for bettering the lives of individuals in need, that reside within me. Every time that I step foot in the hospital, I am instantly overwhelmed with butterflies at being in such close vicinity of the heroes that I one day strive to one day be. It is so easy to believe that my hardest moments have been downfalls, but they are not anything of the sort. My experiences have made me the strong young woman I am today, and for that, I am grateful.

The journey of my lifetime My life has been a journey. From living in a motel every other week, to using a gifted Dora the Explorer projector as a source of light throughout my house, in my 19 years of life, specifically the past 4, I have experienced instances that some will never go through for a day in their lifetime. Through every struggle and adversity came lessons learned and opportunities to grow, and for that I am grateful, as all that I have been taught has formed me into the individual I am today. Looking back at the time that my family house hopped from one to another, I remember first thinking of those moments to be a mini-vacation or a field trip. I never questioned, or wondered why, but after a while, depending on a new family for a roof over our heads became extremely difficult. So, motels were the next best option. In the beginning, I tried to make the best out of my reality, but only sufficed for so long. I began to compare myself to others who were financially well off, and in turn belittle myself, my existence, and every aspiration I had hoped for in life. I often questioned if I would ever amount to anything surpass what was deemed as average. For many years, I dreaded the idea of waking up and living. As a result of my family circumstances denying financial opportunity, I became self-isolated at an early age and through my teenage years, I battled with the feeling of never being good enough. Oftentimes while living in a materialistic and social media-driven world, individuals get easily defeated when thinking of what is not present. In return, recognition of the simple beauties that lie in front tend to be forgotten and disregarded. This is an internal war I have faced and overcome. For me, the simple gifts in life have constructed the foundation of my character: compassion, optimism, and appreciation. From having a new home every week, attending thirteen schools across four states to having lightly bruised palms from carrying groceries miles on end. From being the only athlete unable to afford game day lunches, gear, or even a water at concession, to being unable to afford fibroid surgery for my mother, or medication for my grandmother following open-heart surgery— financial instability has been a consistent factor in my everyday life. Amidst the prolonging of a struggling journey, however, came complete alterations in the way that I view the world and individuals that I encounter on an everyday basis. I have gained a strong sense of instinct in observation and appreciation for every walk of life, including my own. I embrace my background as a good for all positive that has resulted, while using my strength as an inspiration for others, and a pivotal drive to succeed. I take immense passion and pride in being a first-generation college student and attending nursing school. Being a nurse is more than an aspired job, it is a compilation of the endless feelings of commitment and passion for bettering the lives of individuals in need, that reside within me. Every time that I step foot in the hospital, I am instantly overwhelmed with butterflies at being in such close vicinity of the heroes that I one day strive to one day be. It is so easy to believe that my hardest moments have been downfalls, but they are not anything of the sort. My experiences have made me the strong young woman I am today, and for that, I am grateful.

The Journey of my lifetime My life has been a journey. From living in a motel every other week to using a gifted Dora the Explorer projector as a source of light throughout my house, in my 19 years of life, specifically the past 4, I have experienced instances that some will never go through for a day in their lifetime. Through every struggle and adversity came lessons learned and opportunities to grow, and for that, I am grateful, as all that I have been taught has formed me into the individual I am today. Looking back at the time that my family house hopped from one to another, I remember first thinking of those moments to be a mini vacation or a field trip. I never questioned, or wondered why, but after a while, depending on a new family for a roof over our heads became extremely difficult. So, motels were the next best option. In the beginning, I tried to make the best out of my reality, but only sufficed for so long. I began to compare myself to others who were financially well off, and in turn belittle myself, my existence, and every aspiration I had hoped for in life. I often questioned if I would ever amount to anything surpass what was deemed as average. For many years, I dreaded the idea of waking up and living. As a result of my family circumstances denying financial opportunity, I became self-isolated at an early age and through my teenage years, I battled with the feeling of never being good enough. Oftentimes while living in a materialistic and social media-driven world, individuals get easily defeated when thinking of what is not present. In return, recognition of the simple beauties that lie in front tend to be forgotten and disregarded. This is an internal war I have faced and overcome. For me, the simple gifts in life have constructed the foundation of my character: compassion, optimism, and appreciation. From having a new home every week, attending thirteen schools across four states to having lightly bruised palms from carrying groceries miles on end. From being the only athlete unable to afford game day lunches, gear, or even a water at concession, to being unable to afford fibroid surgery for my mother, or medication for my grandmother following open-heart surgery, financial instability has been a consistent factor in my everyday life. Amidst the prolonging of a struggling journey, however, came complete alterations in the way that I view the world and individuals that I encounter on an everyday basis. I have gained a strong sense of instinct in observation and appreciation for every walk of life, including my own. I embrace my background as a good for all positive that has resulted, while using my strength as an inspiration for others, and a pivotal drive to succeed. I take immense passion and pride in being a first-generation college student and attending nursing school. Being a nurse is more than an aspired job, but it is a compilation of the endless feelings of commitment and passion for bettering the lives of individuals in need, that resides in me. Every time that I step foot in the hospital, I am instantly overwhelmed with butterflies at being in such close vicinity of the heroes that I one day strive to one day be. It is so easy to believe that my hardest moments have been downfalls, but they are not anything of the sort. My experiences have made me the strong young woman I am today, and for that, I am grateful.

One Loopy Roller coaster My life has been a journey. From living in a motel every other week to using a gifted Dora the Explorer projector as a source of light throughout my house, in my 19 years of life, specifically the past 4, I have experienced instances that some will never go through for a day in their lifetime. Through every struggle and adversity came lessons learned and opportunities to grow, and for that, I am grateful, as all that I have been taught has formed me into the individual I am today. Looking back at the time that my family house hopped from one to another, I remember first thinking of those moments to be a mini-vacation or a field trip. I never questioned, or wondered why, but after a while, depending on a new family for a roof over our heads became extremely difficult. So, motels were the next best option. In the beginning, I tried to make the best out of my reality, but only sufficed for so long. I began to compare myself to others who were financially well off, and in turn belittle myself, my existence, and every aspiration I had hoped for in life. I often questioned if I would ever amount to anything surpassing what was deemed as average. For many years, I dreaded the idea of waking up and living. As a result of my family circumstances denying financial opportunity, I became self-isolated at an early age and through my teenage years, I battled with the feeling of never being good enough. Oftentimes while living in a materialistic and social media-driven world, individuals get easily defeated when thinking of what is not present. In return, recognition of the simple beauties that lie in front tend to be forgotten and disregarded. This is an internal war I have faced and overcome. For me, the simple gifts in life have constructed the foundation of my character: compassion, optimism, and appreciation. From having a new home every week, attending thirteen schools across four states to having lightly bruised palms from carrying groceries miles on end. From being the only athlete unable to afford game day lunches, gear, or even a water at concession, to being unable to afford fibroid surgery for my mother, or medication for my grandmother following open-heart surgery— financial instability has been a consistent factor in my everyday life. Amidst the prolonging of a struggling journey, however, came complete alterations in the way that I view the world and individuals that I encounter on an everyday basis. I have gained a strong sense of instinct in observation and appreciation for every walk of life, including my own. I embrace my background as a good for all positive that has resulted, while using my strength as an inspiration for others, and a pivotal drive to succeed. I take immense passion and pride in being a first-generation college student and attending nursing school. Being a nurse is more than an aspired job, but it is a compilation of the endless feelings of commitment and passion for bettering the lives of individuals in need, that resides in me. Every time that I step foot in the hospital, I am instantly overwhelmed with butterflies at being in such close vicinity of the heroes that I one day strive to one day be. It is so easy to believe that my hardest moments have been downfalls, but they are not anything of the sort. My experiences have made me the strong young woman I am today, and for that, I am grateful.

Being in the medical field is more than an aspired job, but it is a compilation of the endless feelings of commitment and passion for bettering the lives of individuals in need, that reside within me. Since the mere age of 4 years old, I remember acting as if my dolls were real-life patients and my room was a hospital. My childhood was filled with a fascination of emergency rooms, medical procedures, protocols, and consistently asked my mother to take me to surrounding hospitals so that I could help the medical professionals 'make patients happy,' as 5-year-old me would say. Throughout my preteen years, I was obsessed with watching surgical documentaries, births, in-depth videos explaining the different elements within the body, and anything I could get my hands on to dive into understanding the human body. The multitude of elements that contribute to every function and creation within the body continue to intrigue me and fuels my desire to learn more. Besides genuine curiosity and fascination, my grandmother's battle with diabetes also has had a significant contribution in my decision to enter the medical field. I remember feeling helpless as her health steadily declined. When she had open-heart surgery, we could only afford medication for so long until her supply was gone, and her heart gave out. I became filled with sadness and anger that I could not help her the way that her medical team could. This feeling of helplessness added fuel to my burning desire to help save lives. In experiencing economic and societal disparities as a low-class, first-generation student, I have always found it imperative that I give back to the same underserved communities of which I come from. While being in organizations with my church, high school, and corporations like Chick-fil-a, I have worked endlessly alongside other individuals, to gain an in-depth understanding of different circumstances within surrounding environments. And to further use our knowledge to give back to underserved communities in ways that prove to be beneficial like special donations, fundraisers, and events. With my church, I have participated in annual drives that cater to those in need of food, school supplies, and necessities to get through everyday life. In being a part of chic-fila-academy, we worked on fundraisers and drives that collected items to create and donate gift baskets to African-American foster care organizations. Being in leadership positions has been much more than being a team captain or the center of attention, but rather the efforts that I have taken to further the betterment of individuals, without hesitation and with genuine intent. Given the low statistic of African Americans in the medical field, I take immense passion and determination in becoming a factor that leads the percentage to heightened measures. I know first-hand the struggle and pain that comes with lacking access to health care, let alone not being able to afford the help. I fully intend on continuing to give back, whether that be by suggesting and beginning free clinics in underserved communities or reaching out to uninsured individuals and allowing free or discounted help. In my time at school and within my actual profession it is one of my utmost desires to continue aiding in the well-being of underserved communities, especially within the African American community. Every time that I step foot in the hospital, I am instantly overwhelmed with butterflies at being in such close vicinity of heroes and inspirations that I strive to one day be.