One of my most cherished gaming experiences took place with the game, New Super Mario Bros. Wii. The various levels that could keep children occupied for hours and the co-op mode that minimized fighting made it a staple at family get-togethers. One level, in particular, that stands out in my memory is “World 2-Tower”. The level was filled with moving metallic fences, skeletal monsters called Dry Bones, spikes, and purple fireballs. As much as we loved to play, no one in my family was particularly good at video games. As we climbed the tower there were many falls, lost power-ups, and deaths. The level seemed to go on for ages, but we finally managed to reach the boss area. “Oh No!” Mario exclaims as his shrunken figure falls from the screen. The life counter dropped to zero and the Mario icon turned gray. My older sister dropped her Wii remote in frustration. There were only two players left on screen. Luigi, played by my older cousin, was facing off against the boss, Roy Koopa, and Yellow Toad, played by my 7-year-old self, was floating in a bubble. My cousin was jumping and dodging as best as she could. She managed to land two hits to the boss and only one more was needed to beat the level. Just as she went for the final hit, she mistimed the jump and landed on a purple fireball. Luigi’s life counter turned gray as he lost his final life, but not all hope was lost. In the chaos of my cousin’s fight against the Roy Koopa, she popped the bubble of my Yellow Toad. In the shock of being the last one standing Yellow Toad was hit by a fireball and powered down to their small form. The screams and exclamations from my family knocked me into action, and I began mashing buttons in a desperate attempt to dodge the attacks. In my mad scramble, I managed to jump forward and land the final hit, and the Koopa boss was finally defeated. The room exploded into a cacophony of noise as my siblings and cousins congratulated me on landing the final hit. Everyone then picked up their discarded controllers and the game continued with renewed excitement. The feelings of triumph and excitement at that moment enhanced my experience and solidified New Super Mario Bros. Wii in my memory as one of my favorite Nintendo co-op games. Regardless of the gameplay or skill level of the players, everyone was able to contribute, and we even managed to eke out a victory. The teamwork, heightened emotions, and shared victories turned an ordinary game into a fond memory that I look back on whenever I play a Nintendo Super Mario game.

What could go wrong? Well, I am so glad you asked because so much could go wrong in a world so vast. I could slip on some ice and land on my head, with a headache so bad, I spend all day in bed. As I toss and turn, my homework grows dusty. Until the window flies open with a gale so gusty. Unfinished work flies through the air, and I give chase without a moment to spare. Papers fly and dance so merry. Meanwhile, I chase with legs grown wary. My exhaustion grows and I start to stumble. Soon I trip, landing on bees of bumble. Their rest is disturbed, and their home is threatened. They buzz with fury as the realization sets in. The once-thriving hive was damaged in the crash Before bees can give chase, I’m gone in a flash A beautiful lake soon spans my vision As buzzing grows louder, I make a hasty decision. I throw myself into the water and begin to dive I was safe for the moment, but my brain was still in overdrive. If I surfaced now, I would surely be done for, so, it would be safe if I swam to the other shore. As I began to swim with all my might something does not feel quite right I aim for the shore, but it seems I’ve gone astray. In the blink of an eye, a current soon sweeps me away. The strong current pushes and pulls and I struggle to surface. As I moved from lake to river, I began to grow nervous. Soon fresh water turns salty and I begin to think my luck is faulty. I bump into a piece of driftwood and cling to it with all my might, drifting aimlessly at sea is sure to give anyone a fright. The days are long and the nights are cold. I fear I can no longer keep my hold. I come to laying onshore unsure how, but I count my blessings and rest for now When I awake I examine the scene, It is a very sandy island with very little green. I build a small camp away from the water, with plenty of shade as days grow hotter. There is little food, so staying would be daft. As such, I decided to build a raft. I work hard with blood sweat and tears. And when it is done, I alone hear my cheers. With a great shove, I soon cast off, turning away from the island with a scoff. I row for days, and soon I tire, but when I see land I swear I hear a choir I pitch myself onto the sand, and I rejoice in finding land. The trees are tall and foliage dense. It’s time for exploration to commence. The jungle is lush and full of life, but a growl cuts through my thoughts like a knife. I try to stay calm, but fear has clearly won, as I pick up speed and break into a run. With my nerves growing frayed my sight becomes blurry, and I failed to notice the cliff during my scurry As I stare at the ground so flat, I close my eyes and wait for the splat With a thump and a groan, I startle awake. My vision is blurry, and my body starts to ache. A glint to the side catches my eye, and I stumble to my feet with a startled cry. I rush from the room with no break in my gait. My class has started and I’m going to be late.

“I TRAVERSE fields untraversed by the Muse ! Through untrod paths I tread ! Oh, dear delight, To dip in virgin founts, large draughts to take ! Oh, joy to pluck new flowers and weave from them A garland for my head that never yet Hath decked a poet's brow—a garland earned — In that I treat a lofty theme, devote From Superstition's chains the soul to free ; O'er things obscure to pour the lucid song, And deck them with the charms of poesy — Thus wisely doing as the nurse adroit, Or skilled physician, when they seek to give To children sick the bitter absinth's draught, Touch at the edge the circle of the cup With honeyed sweets, that flattering the lips, The thoughtless age may drink the bitter draught, And caught deceived uncaptured be by death. Thus I, since now my theme to many seems Who know it not ungracious and severe, Well seek, lest they my proffered guidance shun, With studious zeal my reasoning to enfold In the sweet accents of the Muse's voice ; And clothing things obscure in garb of song, With pleasing art to win attentive ears To mark my words, till, learned in Nature's ways, Their worth and import they may truly know.” - Lucretius, On the Nature of Things, Book 4 Lucretius, an ancient Roman philosopher and poet, crafted the philosophical epic, On the Nature of Things to explore the natural laws of the world from an Epicurean viewpoint. This scholarly poem is separated into six books and each book is introduced with a proem. The proem acts as a preface that sets the stage and foreshadows the teachings within the work. It is within the proem of the fourth book that we obtain a glimpse into the mind of Lucretius. With his lyrical verses, Lucretius seems to convey his feelings regarding the assimilation of new information and his deliberate use of poetry to share his teachings of the world. In this essay, I will analyze the verses, language, and imagery of Lucretius’ work. The proem begins with Lucretius expressing his excitement towards the discovery of new ideas that have yet to be explored by previous philosophers. His use of metaphors throughout the proem helps in the understanding of the depth of his pleasure at using imagery and figures that are commonly known by the reader. The uncharted territory he is so happy to wander refers to concepts that only the Muses, godly sources of information, have traversed. The thirst he seeks to quench is that of knowledge, more specifically knowledge unobtained by any philosopher that came before him. Lucretius seeks to ordain himself with a wreath, one of the symbols of the Muses as if to declare that he too is a source of knowledge. The strangeness of the flowers acts as another way to separate his new teachings from those taught previously. In addition to his love for new teachings, Lucretius also sought to use his knowledge to explain the happenings of the world without the excuse of godly whims. Although the proem and other parts of the book make mention of various godly figures, Lucretius sought the freedom of the truths of the world and the minds of men from the chains of religion. The whims and moods of the Roman gods were often used to explain to mysterious workings of the natural world. Lucretius wanted to shift this pious way of thinking into one that was more scientific and capable of understanding through mortal means. However, his shift away from godly explanations does not stop him from paying homage to gods within his teachings. One example of this is his constant reference to the Muses, goddesses that represent literature, science, and art. All of which are disciplines used in the creation of his philosophical poetry about the workings of the world. By paying homage to the Muses, Lucretius expresses a sense of lingering piety and means of explaining the fluency with which he conveys his teachings. In the latter half of the proem Lucretius likens himself to a doctor administering medicine. It is through this metaphor that the poetic nature of his teachings becomes apparent. The Doctor covers the goblet of medicine in honey to make it seem more palatable to the child. Although the doctor got the child to consume the medicine through trickery, the child is not cheated because the medicine is still beneficial to his health. This method of honeyed deception is what Lucretius claims to achieve with his poetry. During his life, many poems and various heroic tales such as epics, were used to entertain and were beloved by many Romans. However, philosophy, especially philosophy that pulls away from the common beliefs of the gods had a limited audience and was often regarded with skepticism. By writing his teachings in such a poetic style, Lucretius makes his words seem more alluring to the common people. The familiar cadence of dactylic hexameter, taken from epic poems, acted as the honey that lured people in. All so that they may partake in the bitter teachings of the world that depart from the ideals they were accustomed to. Overall, Lucretius is hoping that the poetic nature and flowery words of his writings will distract the reader long enough for them to learn about the nature of the world and the various mechanisms around it. Through the exploration of book four’s proem, Lucretius’ enthusiasm for uncharted knowledge and the rationale lyrical nature of his writings becomes evident. Within this proem the feeling of eager excitement is palpable as he writes about learning things unknown to his predecessors and walking paths never before seen. His invocation of the Muses further links the idea of himself as a new source of knowledge that departs from the conventional teachings of the time. The epic nature of his work is due to the divergence of prevalent beliefs, as he seeks to frame his ideas in a more palatable packaging, enticing people to interact and learn from them.

It was in high school that I learned what true horror stories were. The sheer number of articles about Black women crying out in pain and begging health professionals for help, only to be turned away and thought of as dramatic shocked me. The number of women with serious concerns that are dismissed as overly emotional was appalling. The idea that my pain could be written off just because I was thought to be hormonal, and attention-seeking terrifies me. Those articles sparked my interest in joining the healthcare field and providing a safe environment for people to receive the judgment-free healthcare they deserve. As a healthcare professional, it would be my priority to ensure my patients feel cared for and supported. I want patients to feel safe sharing any problem and for them to know that all expressed problems will be investigated and taken seriously. I originally wanted to achieve this by becoming a doctor. However, after a discussion with a classmate, who was also looking into the healthcare field, I gained an interest in nursing. I was amazed at just how many paths and opportunities were present in the nursing field. My interests were more inclined towards pursuing a career as a pediatrician, as such, my research predominately focused on pediatric nursing. However, something became abundantly clear about the nursing field as I continued my research. Doctors were significant, but nurses were important in ways that I never really thought of previously. Before, I thought that nurses just assisted the doctor and didn’t do much else, but patients spent the most time with nurses. The doctor may diagnose the patient and prescribe medications to help treat an issue, but most of the patient care falls into the hands of the nurses, and I found that fact fascinating. A nurse is a health care professional who handles most of the patient care and is supposed to be an open ear and advocate for the patient. This is why it is my dream to join the nursing field. I want to join the momentum and be part of the change and advancement in patient care through the elimination of discrimination in the healthcare field. As a non-straight, black woman, I understand that the world is not equal. Whether it is due to age, gender, skin color, sexuality, or a mixture of various biases within health care. This must be ended to ensure proper health equity and patient safety, as well as moving forward as a community in healthcare.