I’ve known for many years that nursing was my path and have worked diligently to build the pathway there. My great aunt Lola has inspired me for as long as I can remember. Lola was raised in a low-income home in Belgrade, Serbia. She took a risk and moved across the world to study nursing in Indiana. Once she settled in her career, she was able to sponsor my mom and her family to move to America, the land of promise. She is the reason I am here today, wanting to pursue my career in nursing. Growing up, Lola would always tell me stories about her experiences of being a labor and delivery nurse. One story that I vividly remember her sharing was one of her experiences on an airplane. She was traveling to the United States and a young girl suffered from schizophrenia and had a panic attack. Over the phone, a physician ordered a medication in the flight medical bag to be administered intramuscularly. The pilot asked if there were any medical personnel on the flight, and Lola came forward. She showed her license to prove that she was a nurse and administered the shot. After she told me that story, I knew that I wanted to be in her position. I wanted to be the one to say “I am a nurse” when someone yelled if there were any nurses aboard. One night, we went out to eat and a father came up to my mom asking if she could check on his daughter in the bathroom. He seemed extremely worried, so my mom got up and checked on her. My mom rushed back from the bathroom and went up to the father saying, “My aunt is a nurse and your daughter needs medical help.” She pointed to Lola and explained what she saw and they rushed to the bathroom. Because of Lola, that child was triaged and an ambulance was called. I felt the adrenaline rush but knew I couldn’t do anything to help. I felt so inspired watching Lola rush to help her. That was the day I knew for sure that I wanted to be a nurse. Nursing requires a considerable deal of skill and responsibility. Leadership, critical thinking, communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and time management are just a few examples of skills. I have been working my whole life to develop these. I had a demanding schedule throughout high school. I drove to McHenry County College each morning to take rigorous courses to attain an associate's degree, while still attending high school and all the extracurriculars involved with that. In addition to sports and having two jobs, I work tirelessly to maintain a high GPA. Time management skills are crucial to my success. I have discovered what works for me and what doesn’t. Juggling all of this calls for perseverance, grit, and tenacity. I have grown my leadership skills by serving as the volleyball and track teams' captains. I've planned team dinners as captain and encouraged my teammates to give their all on and off the track and court, respectively. I serve as my high school FFA's secretary. As secretary, I plan events and record attendance. My familiarity with each of these abilities gives me a significant advantage that will assist me in advancing my future profession. I am an aggressive learner and when it comes to school I focus on the task at hand and give it my full attention. I strive for excellence in every aspect as a student. I would be honored to make you proud by investing in my future.