For me personally, the most disheartening aspect of our society regarding women is women hating on other women. Empowerment comes from within, but that doesn't mean anyone has the right to break another person down. As women, we need to stand by each other and support each other to the best of our abilities, but instead, our society is experiencing the opposite. It is sad to see women share degrading posts on social media that are about other women. It has become a huge focus of our society and has shifted focus away from other important news. Why do people care so much about what Lizzo and Adel look like? We should focus on their music and how they contribute to our society in a positive way. We don’t all have to look like Twiggy, but we all deserve to have the confidence of a runway model. Social media is a large contributor to the degradation of women, but it doesn't have to be. Instead, we should make social media the largest platform for the empowerment of women. We can do that by starting with the basics. Sometimes, the simplest way to make someone smile and feel better about themselves is a compliment. Next time a girl makes a post on social media, instead of commenting about how she looks in a negative way, people should reply with a compliment, whether it is big or small. We can use social media to our advantage. It can be a podium for the empowerment of women, but as a society, we must make it happen. Empowerment is not just about body image but refers to strengthening the social, economic, political, and educational powers of women. Encourage women to get an education and to apply for jobs that are dominated by men. Encourage women to be the best version of themselves, and not the version society tells them to be. Encourage women to fight for gender equality. Gender equality is, first and foremost, a human right. We should not still be fighting against gender discrimination well into the 21st century, but we are. Gender discrimination includes gender-based violence, economic discrimination, and reproductive rights. All of these are rights that women are still fighting for. Social media can be used to encourage women in all aspects of life, including fighting for those basic rights of women. When we work together as a society, we become better.

I gave this question a lot of deliberation. I went back and forth between multiple books, and I have concluded that I have three favorite books: The Book Thief, All the Light We Cannot See, and Between Shades of Gray. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: I love The Book Thief because it is written from a different point of view than any other book I have ever read. I love that it is written from the eyes of death. I also find this book special because Liesel steals books. That is not an object I think most little kids would steal and cherish. However, for Liesel, it is something that connected her to Hans, Papa. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr: This is one of my favorite books because I enjoyed reading two different sides of the war. Two completely different perspectives of the war, two different countries, but they were connected at the end. Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys: Again, a different perspective. I learned a lot about WWII from this book, that I had not learned from school. I found myself in awe of what those people went through, and while I know it is not based on one person, it is based on real events. For me, reading this book was not only enjoyable but also a history lesson. I had a hard time putting it down.

The day I knew I wanted to become a nurse was the day my mom almost died in the ER a few years ago; we were told that she was not expected to survive through the night. She spent two weeks on a ventilator in the ICU and 45 days on the hospital's cardiac floor. She needed multiple surgeries and procedures, and lots of hands-on care from her nurses. It was then that I learned how proactive a nurse’s job truly is. I’ve always wanted to work in healthcare and take care of people, but it was the experience with my mom that really solidified it for me. The main nurse who took care of my mom will always be someone I look up to; she has been a major influence on me in pursuing nursing. One day, I want to be the difference between life and death for someone, as that nurse was for my mom. I have a passion for medicine and taking care of people, and I want to be there for patients during the best and worst times in their lives. However, I need help getting there. I need this scholarship to help pay for nursing school so that one day I can become a nurse that makes a difference in patient's lives. I work full-time as a phlebotomist to support myself and save for nursing school. I do plan to work while attending nursing school, but I will not be able to work full-time. In between all of my monthly bills and paying off debt, it is hard to save for school so I need all of the help I can get.