Nurses take care of the most vulnerable people in our societies looking after them long after the doctor has made their diagnoses. I am working towards my MSN because I want to fix the ailments of my patients through a thorough examination and dedication to doing whatever it takes to put them in the best possible spirits, especially since mood is a factor in recovery rate. My interest in psychology will help me better emphasize what my patients are experiencing as well as the best ways to help them through their own unique, personal situations. I will build personal connections with them to make them feel better knowing they can relax in an incredibly difficult, bleak environment. I will heal fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, friends, and more. Health can be extremely detrimental to families depending on who supports the household, emotions, mental strain, and anxiety. Having supportive healthcare faculty can ease worries. I will continue to study long after I get my degree to follow up with the recent discoveries in medicine because I strive to make the most accurate decisions as a nurse practitioner. Incorrect diagnoses kill 80,000 a year. I hope to prevent this from happening as much as possible as well as other preventable causes like infections from improper sanitary care. Each individual that is helped causes a ripple effect that enacts many positive changes. Nurse practitioners do not get much say in many states regarding the condition of their patients due to many states not giving them full autonomy in the scope of their qualifications. Nurse practitioner autonomy lowers healthcare costs, reduces the length of hospital stay, and reduces the healthcare shortage burden all while giving out high-quality care. I am active in politics and will help to lobby for legislation to pass for nurse practitioners to be able to do all of these things. I have always wanted to do something to help people, and ever since I experienced my medical scares and others in my family have, and witnessing the magic of healthcare throughout my life, I have always wanted to go into nursing. I have so much admiration for those in this field. I plan to specialize in psychiatry to help individuals function better in their everyday life. I have listened to many people's stories through the mental health app TalkLife giving them advice and words of comfort. Mental health affects the health of one's body and vice versa. I hope to better understand this relationship in my studies and encounters thus reducing these cycles. An unhealthy mind drastically affects happiness. A stressed patient can deter the body's ability to heal. I hope to be able to enact real change amongst those whose paths I cross. It starts with one person willing to give their all to their passions and lend their full support. I will do all of these things and more as I continue on my journey. I will learn from others and grow from their feedback and my experiences. I hope their lives are impacted in a good way by me and they can learn from me as well. Through learning from others I will be able to reflect and become better in my nursing career. It just takes one person willing to go above and beyond what is least expected of them. I have already helped many being that person.

Growing up, I knew I always wanted to help people in some way. When I took my first health class in fifth grade learning about the skeletal system, I became enthralled with medical science. When I was seven, I went to a Children's hospital because I had vesicoureteral reflux. They gave me a book about a bunny who had the same symptoms as me such as it hurting to pee. The magical train set running around the lobby, the plethora of stickers they gave me, and the country singer that came in to sing all made the experience fun. They made a scary experience heartwarming. I also was in the hospital almost every day for a month watching my grandmother get nursed back to life. The staff always took the time to explain in great detail what the procedures were and helped her in every single way she asked. They made her as comfortable as they could taking great care of her. Since I have always wanted to give back to the healthcare community. I hope to be able to continue my education far beyond college to catch symptoms early in my patients, as well as keep up with new findings about recent conditions to give them the best possible care. I also hope to care for my patients emotionally and mentally since that is a big factor in recovery rates. I will also make sure each nursing procedure I do is sanitary and done correctly to stop the spread of infection and mortality. I have an MCAT study book that I have been reading that I happened to get for free to learn about the basics of healthcare sciences. I also have an interview for a CNA program and a working opportunity lined up to start getting experience as soon as I can. I have read many medical-related articles and books. I talk to people about their struggles and issues on the mental health app Talklife which is a way I have been finding out how to gauge what people need emotionally. I have not had any hands-on medical experience, but I have researched my health complications as well as other things I am interested in such as the effects of sugar on the body. I have learned much talking to my mom who used to work in the healthcare industry, and from my grandma who has told me about the issues she faces, and what they do to her body. I still have so much to learn, and this scholarship could help me in my endeavor to gain more knowledge about medicine. Thank you!

Nurses take care of the most vulnerable people in our societies looking after them long after the doctor has made their diagnoses. I am working towards my MSN because I want to fix the ailments of my patients through a thorough examination and dedication to doing whatever it takes to put them in the best possible spirits, especially since mood is a factor in recovery rate. My interest in psychology will help me better emphasize what my patients are experiencing as well as the best ways to help them through their own unique, personal situations. I will build personal connections with them to make them feel better knowing they can relax in an incredibly difficult, bleak environment. I will heal fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, friends, and more. Health can be extremely detrimental to families depending on who supports the household, emotions, mental strain, and anxiety. Having supportive healthcare faculty can ease worries. I will continue to study long after I get my degree to follow up with the recent discoveries in medicine because I strive to make the most accurate decisions as a nurse practitioner. Incorrect diagnoses kill 80,000 a year. I hope to prevent this from happening as much as possible as well as other preventable causes like infections from improper sanitary care. Each individual that is helped causes a ripple effect that enacts many positive changes. I have had many sick family members, so I want to be able to help patients catch things early. Nurse practitioners do not get much say in many states regarding the condition of their patients due to many states not giving them full autonomy in the scope of their qualifications. Nurse practitioner autonomy lowers healthcare costs, reduces the length of hospital stay, and reduces the healthcare shortage burden all while giving out high-quality care. I am active in politics and will help to lobby for legislation to pass for nurse practitioners to be able to do all of these things. I have always loved politics. This career would allow me a vessel to continue to pursue this interest. I plan to specialize in psychiatry to help individuals function better in their everyday life. I have listened to many people's stories through the mental health app TalkLife giving them advice and words of comfort. Mental health affects the health of one's body and vice versa. I hope to better understand this relationship in my studies and encounters thus reducing these cycles. An unhealthy mind drastically affects happiness. A stressed patient can deter the body's ability to heal. I am happy that I will be able to reach people in this way that I would otherwise not be able to in a different profession. I have always wanted to help people in some way. Ever since I took health class in fifth grade, I have wanted to learn more. I hope to be able to enact real change amongst those whose paths I cross. It starts with one person willing to give their all to their passions and lend their full support. I will do all of these things and more as I continue on my journey. I will learn from others and grow from their feedback and my experiences. I hope their lives are impacted in a good way by me and they can learn from me as well. Through learning from others I will be able to reflect and become better in my nursing career. It just takes one person willing to go above and beyond what is least expected of them. I have already helped many being that person.

Nurses take care of the most vulnerable people in our societies looking after them long after the doctor has made their diagnoses. I am working towards my MSN because I want to fix the ailments of my patients through a thorough examination and dedication to doing whatever it takes to put them in the best possible spirits, especially since mood is a factor in recovery rate. My interest in psychology will help me better emphasize what my patients are experiencing as well as the best ways to help them through their own unique, personal situations. I will build personal connections with them to make them feel better knowing they can relax in an incredibly difficult, bleak environment. I will heal fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, friends, and more. Health can be extremely detrimental to families depending on who supports the household, emotions, mental strain, and anxiety. Having supportive healthcare faculty can ease worries. I will continue to study long after I get my degree to follow up with the recent discoveries in medicine because I strive to make the most accurate decisions as a nurse practitioner. Incorrect diagnoses kill 80,000 a year. I hope to prevent this from happening as much as possible as well as other preventable causes like infections from improper sanitary care. Each individual that is helped causes a ripple effect that enacts many positive changes. Nurse practitioners do not get much say in many states regarding the condition of their patients due to many states not giving them full autonomy in the scope of their qualifications. Nurse practitioner autonomy lowers healthcare costs, reduces the length of hospital stay, and reduces the healthcare shortage burden all while giving out high-quality care. I am active in politics and will help to lobby for legislation to pass for nurse practitioners to be able to do all of these things. I plan to specialize in psychiatry to help individuals function better in their everyday life. I have listened to many people's stories through the mental health app TalkLife giving them advice and words of comfort. Mental health affects the health of one's body and vice versa. I hope to better understand this relationship in my studies and encounters thus reducing these cycles. An unhealthy mind drastically affects happiness. A stressed patient can deter the bodys ability to heal. Outside of nursing, I am interested in finances. Many are not familiar with many aspects such as credit or the stock market. I have read many books, taken a class, and researched money secrets. There are many amazing resources such as tax write-offs and platforms such as bold.org. I wrote an article on the ways students can save money through these means. I hope to familiarize others with these topics so they can make the best of their finances. I hope to be able to enact real change amongst those whose paths I cross. It starts with one person willing to give their all to their passions and lend their full support. I will do all of these things and more as I continue on my journey. I will learn from others and grow from their feedback and my experiences. I hope their lives are impacted in a good way by me and they can learn from me as well. Through learning from others I will be able to reflect and become better in my nursing career and helping many with their financial struggles. It just takes one person willing to go above and beyond what is least expected of them. I have already helped many being that person.

Nurses take care of the most vulnerable people in our societies looking after them long after the doctor has made their diagnoses. I am working towards my MSN because I want to fix the ailments of my patients through a thorough examination and dedication to doing whatever it takes to put them in the best possible spirits, especially since mood is a factor in recovery rate. My interest in psychology will help me better emphasize what my patients are experiencing as well as the best ways to help them through their own unique, personal situations. I will build personal connections with them to make them feel better knowing they can relax in an incredibly difficult, bleak environment. I will heal fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, friends, and more. Health can be extremely detrimental to families depending on who supports the household, emotions, mental strain, and anxiety. Having supportive healthcare faculty can ease worries. I will continue to study long after I get my degree to follow up with the recent discoveries in medicine because I strive to make the most accurate decisions as a nurse practitioner. Incorrect diagnoses kill 80,000 a year. I hope to prevent this from happening as much as possible as well as other preventable causes like infections from improper sanitary care. Each individual that is helped causes a ripple effect that enacts many positive changes. Nurse practitioners do not get much say in many states regarding the condition of their patients due to many states not giving them full autonomy in the scope of their qualifications. Nurse practitioner autonomy lowers healthcare costs, reduces the length of hospital stay, and reduces the healthcare shortage burden all while giving out high-quality care. I am active in politics and will help to lobby for legislation to pass for nurse practitioners to be able to do all of these things. I plan to specialize in psychiatry to help individuals function better in their everyday life. I have listened to many people's stories through the mental health app TalkLife giving them advice and words of comfort. Mental health affects the health of one's body and vice versa. I hope to better understand this relationship in my studies and encounters thus reducing these cycles. An unhealthy mind drastically affects happiness. A stressed patient can deter the body's ability to heal. Outside of nursing, I am interested in finances. Many are not familiar with many aspects such as credit or the stock market. I have read many books, taken a class, and researched money secrets. There are many amazing resources such as tax write-offs and platforms such as bold.org. I wrote an article on the ways students can save money through these means. I hope to familiarize others with these topics so they can make the best of their finances. I hope to be able to enact real change amongst those whose paths I cross. It starts with one person willing to give their all to their passions and lend their full support. I will do all of these things and more as I continue on my journey. I will learn from others and grow from their feedback and my experiences. I hope their lives are impacted in a good way by me and they can learn from me as well. Through learning from others I will be able to reflect and become better in my nursing career and helping many with their financial struggles. It just takes one person willing to go above and beyond what is least expected of them. I have already helped many being that person.

Nurses take care of the most vulnerable people in our societies looking after them long after the doctor has made their diagnoses. I am working towards my MSN because I want to fix the ailments of my patients through a thorough examination and dedication to doing whatever it takes to put them in the best possible spirits, especially since mood is a factor in recovery rate. My interest in psychology will help me better emphasize what my patients are experiencing as well as the best ways to help them through their own unique, personal situations. I will build personal connections with them to make them feel better knowing they can relax in an incredibly difficult, bleak environment. I will heal fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, friends, and more. Health can be extremely detrimental to families depending on who supports the household, emotions, mental strain, and anxiety. Having supportive healthcare faculty can ease worries. I will continue to study long after I get my degree to follow up with the recent discoveries in medicine because I strive to make the most accurate decisions as a nurse practitioner. Incorrect diagnoses kill 80,000 a year. I hope to prevent this from happening as much as possible as well as other preventable causes like infections from improper sanitary care. Each individual that is helped causes a ripple effect that enacts many positive changes. Nurse practitioners do not get much say in many states regarding the condition of their patients due to many states not giving them full autonomy in the scope of their qualifications. Nurse practitioner autonomy lowers healthcare costs, reduces the length of hospital stay, and reduces the healthcare shortage burden all while giving out high-quality care. I am active in politics and will help to lobby for legislation to pass for nurse practitioners to be able to do all of these things. I plan to specialize in psychiatry to help individuals function better in their everyday life. I have listened to many people's stories through the mental health app TalkLife giving them advice and words of comfort. Mental health affects the health of one's body and vice versa. I hope to better understand this relationship in my studies and encounters thus reducing these cycles. An unhealthy mind drastically affects happiness. A stressed patient can deter the bodys ability to heal. Outside of nursing, I am interested in finances. Many are not familiar with many aspects such as credit or the stock market. I have read many books, taken a class, and researched money secrets. There are many amazing resources such as tax write-offs and platforms such as bold.org. I wrote an article on the ways students can save money through these means. I hope to familiarize others with these topics so they can make the best of their finances. I hope to be able to enact real change amongst those whose paths I cross. It starts with one person willing to give their all to their passions and lend their full support. I will do all of these things and more as I continue on my journey. I will learn from others and grow from their feedback and my experiences. I hope their lives are impacted in a good way by me and they can learn from me as well. Through learning from others I will be able to reflect and become better in my nursing career and helping many with their financial struggles. It just takes one person willing to go above and beyond what is least expected of them. I have already helped many being that person.

I do not remember the first time it happened, just the pain after, and the weird clicking noise my jaw made. My mom was at work most of the time to support us, while her boyfriend made each day a cloud of gray. He found any reason to put his hands on me, such as my sister crying because I took hand sanitizer away that she was trying to eat. He yelled in my face," Do you like seeing your sister cry!" From there, just darkness and the words, "I'm sorry." Many experiences in that situation have altered the ways that I cope, interact with others, and psychological patterns, and have left me with emotional numbness. It has always been my dream to write a novel about my experiences called, "Haunted Memories." I remember the first time I read a story with similar experiences, I felt relieved and healed since it felt like somebody finally knew what it was like. I had the assignment to write a 30-page novel in my high English class in eighth grade. I wrote it over the basics of my childhood. My teacher wrote a long note on the backside of the book about how phenomenal my writing is and how she didn't even see the grammar errors she was so invested which there were plenty since I finished half of the book the night before. Every story brings a face to the generalization of the concept. Every story shared, more listen. If enough people hear, that will enact change over generations, even if it is a slow one. Every copy sold would mean that we are one step closer to society being more aware of what happens behind closed doors as well as signs to look out for in the families around them. My stepmom has had similar experiences and she has started to write out her novel. I have helped her edit it, and add more sensory details to the story even if it is tough to be vulnerable. Many hide their stories because they feel ashamed, such as if there are more sinister truths lurking such as molestation in my case. It is incredibly hard to expose those wounds to many people, much less strangers. Her story will bring these closeted situations into reality to the common people who may not think things like this happen much in America. I have also helped many people on the mental health app Talklife with similar situations. I am going to be a nurse practitioner specializing in psychiatry continuing to help those in these situations heal. Hopefully, they will be comfortable enough to share their stories as well with those they trust to spread these truths and build a community that actively looks for signs of these situations occurring. The more people that talk, the harder it will be to ignore the occurrence of domestic violence. Thus, there will be a cultural change to aid the victims and take them out of the environments where it happens. Many grow up to see their mothers or fathers being hit and screamed at. Depending on their coping mechanism, some grow up to do the same thing because they find those behaviors normal. Some may not even realize the extent of what they are doing is wrong, especially if it is towards their children. I hope that by helping others heal their wounds and writing my novel I can help even just a few people have the courage to tell their experiences and end the cycles with them.

I hope to have truly reached my full potential as well as know that I have done everything that I possibly could to be the best version of myself fulfilled in my endeavors and life.

My grandmother was on life support, with a tube down her throat, and in a medicalized coma. I stood there pleading with whatever forces were listening that she couldn't go until we had our first Bingo game together. I had gone with her many times to Bingo but was never allowed to play since I was not 18. Every day for a month I sat in her room hoping that she would make it, that we could make donuts together again or watch the ghost show in the early morning. I saw the humility of the nurses, the doctors that took time from their busy schedules to explain what everything meant, and the graciousness of people when we stayed overnight sleeping in the waiting room. They made a disruptive experience warming. As I familiarized myself with the rhythms every day, ate the cafeteria food, and found my way through all of the hallways and elevators, I thought to myself, "I can see myself doing this." It was the moment I realized what I wanted to do in my life. Psychology has always been my first love. Many have befriended me and talked about their life while I listened intently, asked questions and helped them analyze their situations. I have always been interested in what truly drives people, how their subconscious influences them, and the mysteries of the mind. I have helped many people from all over the world through the mental health app TalkLife. I plan to become a nurse practitioner and specialize in psychology. I write poetry in my spare time which is heavily emotionally directed. I know that I will put many of my feelings working in such a heavy-hitting career into my art. This will help me stray away from getting compassion fatigue in the future. I have bought a book called, "The Ultimate Nurse Practitioner Guidebook" by Nadia Santana since the ins and outs of the profession were confusing. It helped me understand all that I need to about the profession as well as what it entails such as continued schooling to keep licensure. I also bought an anatomy book that explains in depth about the body as well as taking an anatomy class. I have been gifted Mcat prep books that I have started reading to learn more. I also had a subscription to Picmonic to start relaying information in my mind and I wrote the information learned from there in a notebook. I have also joined some Facebook groups and researched online to scout out if the profession is right for me- which I wholeheartedly know it is. I started becoming politically aware in 2016 during the election process. Since then, I have gone to committeeman meetings in my county, walked in parades, and walked door to door to promote good politicians. Nurse practitioners do not have much autonomy depending on the state where they practice. I hope to help promote change to give qualified people in the profession the ability to give medical care to their full ability as well as change the notion that nurse practitioners are "glorified nurses". I hope to be able to incorporate all of these qualities into my work as a nurse to give back to a deserving community of selfless people. I will be attending Tennessee Wesleyan University in the Fall to start working on my BSN Degree, then hopefully I will go to new mexico and work as a nurse in an underserved community while getting my MSN. Thank you for this opportunity to start this journey financially free.

I gave up my first choice to major in a career that has a better outlook financially to be able to pay back my debts. I initially wanted to be a psychologist to listen to people and give them tips and tricks to better their lives as I have for many of my friends or acquaintances that found me comforting. Though, I realized that this could be better utilized as my bedside manner in the nursing field reaching the people who may not have the resources to take care of their mental health. I want to be able to make a lot of money so I can build generational wealth. I come from a family of factory workers which takes a toll on their bodies. Still, they can not always afford the things they need like a new trailer because the one they live in now is falling in. I have already shown them ways to save money and programs available through my research. This will also help me be able to retire early and wait to pull my money out of my 401k for full benefits. Since I do not have connections, I have been looking into ways to build my resume while working on my BSN. I have been looking into job shadowing opportunities. This will help me stand out in job applications as well as make me the best possible nurse post-graduation. This could help me attain a job with a better pay rate compared to my peers, which will also help me in my first goal of having a salary on the higher end as a nurse practitioner. My family experienced financial hardship during Covid. Nursing is a job that will be there no matter what since people will always get sick. I also will have multiple streams of income such as selling eggs, so I always have something to fall back on in case of a difficulty that can affect the healthcare world or my personal life. I hope to achieve happiness and satisfaction in my career since that is something that many do not have the luxury to do in their job sets. Nursing fits my personality since I care about the individual's experience, understanding their condition, and solving the puzzle to find the best possible solution for them which I find pride and purpose in.

I could not get a job until halfway through my senior year of high school due to transportation issues. Therefore, when I started making my own money working as a waitress at Pizza Hut, I started getting into finances trying to figure out how to configure the system to work for me and my endeavor to become a nurse practitioner. I sought the advice of those closest to me for advice on how to handle this new faction of my life, though the NFEC website my consumer economics teacher uses for his class advised me against this. My family expressed to me to do my research and be smart with my money, which has led to many good financial habits. I learned from a couple of financial influencers to make your money work for you through investing since the return is much bigger than the interest from dollars sitting in your bank account. I bought a book called “Investing 101” where I learned about ETFs, mutual funds, commodities, and more. My mom’s boyfriend has experience in the stock market, so he recommended some stocks to invest in through my cash app account. The lesson from the NFEC account rings true not take advice from people without doing your research. I lost about 40 dollars, but it is a valuable lesson that I will uphold from now on, even with financial advisors. I also learned this when I asked my consumer economics teacher about credit utilization. He said it is fine to spend all of your credit line, as long as you pay it off, it will not affect your credit score. Though, in reality, if you spend more than 30% of your credit line, your score can drop. Thus, I also learned to avoid the trap of spending to earn money in rewards and bonuses when searching for my first credit card. I am waiting to get a credit card, so I can take advantage of the student credit cards once I get my college i.d. to prove my attendance. I made a goal to save up 5,000 dollars to go towards college by the beginning of my college semester. So far, I have raised 3,657. 49 through my paychecks and tips. I also won 1,500 dollars from scholarships sponsored by my school. Now I have 5, 157.49 saved up officially reaching my goal. I am applying for as many scholarships as I can to meet a new goal of 7,000 by September. I also researched tax credits for students which I will utilize when I file my taxes with the help of an accountant. My financial endeavors inspire me to help others with their financial situations. I have written two articles for my school newspaper, The Magnavox. One was from a book I read called,” Good Money” by Nathalie Spencer which hints at the psychology of money. The other one was about resources, such as Bold.org to fund their college educations, as well as tax advantages. I also have informed those around me on how they can better their financial situation. My Uncle did not know that an apr did not apply to your monthly payment as long as you pay the whole balance off. I also researched and found FHA loans to help my stepmom and dad afford to buy a mobile home to replace their trailer, though since they live in Tennessee they did not qualify. I will continue to help others gain control of their monetary situation. I will continue to research opportunities to lower costs such as tax write-offs. I will save, invest responsibly, and make sure I know all of the options out there that can help me in my financial goals. I feel extremely proud to be taking control of my finances coming from a low-income household raised by a single mother as well as on track to be a first-generation college student. Many may say they did not get taught how to handle their finances in high school, but they are neglecting a powerful resource that is in most of their pockets-- a smartphone. I am glad I had others encourage me to take the initiative to look into my financial options to figure out what is the best path to pursue for myself. I will continue to learn, and spread financial awareness to those around me that will help them with their situations, not just what benefits mine. I will probably write more journalism articles if my college has a newspaper to help young people take control of their finances. This is truly important since we are taking the spots of adults today. I am going to take some financial electives to ensure my financial stability throughout my life. When I have children, I will instill positive monetary values. I hope to live my life financially free, and I am doing everything I can to fulfill this goal.

My grandma with her long chestnut, braided hair; a tinge of a smoker's voice; and deep, chocolate eyes brings back memories of euphoria, a time when nothing seemed heavy in her presence. Though, she was just a memory for the longest time when my dad signed his rights away. I did not see her for years wondering if they ever tried to call or send a card for my birthday. It would be five years later before I got to feel her embrace again. Still, the kindness of her soul, the patience and grace in her demeanor, and the sunshine in her eyes never faltered or got muddled in my recollections. In the silent and dark moments, she was and still is a beacon of light, a lighthouse amongst the roaring, troubling seas. Years later, she told me that when my mom would not let me see them, she would tell my grandpa, "I am going to see Kiersten today." Met with a bewildered look, she continued to pursue what she felt was right. She parked across the street from my house, waiting for me to come out and play. Countless hours waited for a glimpse of the grandchild robbed of her. Countless hours in monotony. When I first heard this story, I was shocked that she went to these lengths to still be in my life, even from a distance. It makes me feel so loved. She has some of the strongest willpower and determination of any person I know. It is inspiring to see how far she has treaded to be where she stands today. I hope to have that same spark of fire burning inside my foes and mishaps. She is not the type of woman that conforms to her environment, she is resilient and malleable in her way. When my dad was younger, he accidentally started a fire that engulfed the house in flames taking the life of his little brother. My grandma did not break down, falling into pits of despair. She stood strong like a tree amid a hurricane for my dad. She did not hold blame in her eyes when she comforted him in those nights ahead. Though she could hold in the pain in her waking moments, when she fell asleep, the nightmares were vicious. She often woke up in haste checking every crevice in the house for signs of burning, as well to make sure everyone was alright. She never got therapy. She just kept living her life until she was okay again. She did everything she had to do as a mother, wife, grandma, and sister with the comfort that God has a plan. My grandma Helen has always been there through every torrent of life, standing up for me when I falter. She has been one of the only people that I can count on to lead me in the best direction when I need guidance. She has never lied to me, even telling me the truths I do not want to hear which only makes me a better person in all of my endeavors. Her actions and humble ways inspire me to become the best version of myself that I can be while having kindness and understanding to the people around me. She never went to school to be an accountant, her dream job. She encourages me to chase my dreams, even if she never got to achieve all of hers. Her selfless compassion always brings warmth to me. I hope I am and will always have that essence that she has so effortlessly.

My family works painstaking hours in factories on long twelve-hour shifts struggling to afford anything nice. My dad lives in a run-down trailer with the floor caving in from where the porch collapsed underneath it. I live with my mom, who is currently jobless and her boyfriend who just started his first day of work today. Seeing them, I do not want to live a life where I have to work twice as long for the same amount of money somebody else makes with a college degree losing time with my family as I often felt the effects of. I never asked for much growing up because I always knew on some level that they could not afford it. Even now, I see people my age buying cold sodas after a long day of school, but I know I do not truly need them. Purchases like that add up and can be better used to save up more for my education. These anxieties propelled me to research anything I can so that I can lift myself as well as my family out of this rut. I was and still am open to a whole new world that promises security for my future now that I understand how things work such as credit utilization. I have bought books such as ones about financial psychology and the tricks they use to get you to buy something, such as saying a price is marked down so you think you are getting a deal when it is only a penny less, or how credit cards make it easier to spend more money without feeling the "pain of buying." I have also got a book that talks about stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, IRAs, real estate, 529 plans, and so on. I feel empowered through this information like I am in on a 'secret' that a lot of are oblivious to. I am realizing now that since I am young, I can change the course of my life by pursuing higher education, putting money into a plan like the 401k now to benefit from compound interest and being able to help with the costs my family endures whenever they need it. Now is the time to set me up for a better foundation than my parents before me. I want to do either house hacking or open up a mobile home park on one plot of land fenced-in, and let have poultry running around eventually selling their eggs and getting rent payments that will pay for the land and then some. As well as this, I wish to try my luck in the stock market even if that is just in a conservative investment like a mutual fund. I am currently waitressing at Pizza Hut to save up money. I am budgeting my money to make sure I will be able to reap the rewards of higher education. I am moving to Tenessee with my grandparents at the end of this year to save on room costs since they live next to Tennessee Wesleyan University where I have already been accepted. I hope to continue to learn and implement positive financial practices in my life. Thank you !

Usually, people say that a peaceful space attributed to their success and drive such as having supportive people that persuaded them to keep going through every low; a clean, uncluttered environment that reinforced their mental clarity; a calm atmosphere that eased their anxieties and helped them release their stress and did not berate their resolve; and opportunities to have fun when work was over flooding them with dopamine that reinforced their positivity towards achieving their goals. Throughout my life, my environment has been everything but those things. It has been messy, colluded, and hard to bear often. This is what gives me motivation. The reality is that all of the factors that boggle me do not have to be my 'forever.' I will end up victorious, with all the things I mentioned above if I work hard, keep a focused mindset, and create this peaceful space for myself that I never really had growing up with a dysfunctional family. I have always had resilience through my hope for a better world for myself. Adversity has impacted my life by pushing me to the events that has made me promise to myself to strive to make my goals my truth. Honestly, these external probabilities that I let myself dream have kept me from falling into extreme bouts of depressive episodes. Often, when I was younger, I would say to myself, "You just have to wait until you are 18." This deadline, which is coming up shortly as I am 17, has been a saving grace. I have always been successful in school, except for sixth grade when things got to be super hard-hitting. I make myself study, get good grades, and consume anything knowledgeable that will help me in life. I am preparing for my nursing classes using study apps to build a basic foundation while in High School, and I am reading medical-related books. I have forged a plan and implemented many self-care practices to ground myself until I can delve into higher education in full force. These experiences have shown me that I can handle many hurdles that come my way while remaining a sense of compassion for myself as well as others, and responsibility for my actions. Though difficult, it has been a rewarding basis to learn from my turmoil and it has inspired me to partake in many conquests like writing a novel about my experiences and helping many people with their mental health struggles on TalkLife. I will take many lessons with me that will only uplift my pursuits in any endeavor I commence. I have a heart murmur that never went away, though, it has never caused me problems. Thank you!

I am a senior in high school with plans to go to South College. I enjoy watching House M.D. and The Good Doctor. These shows have inspired me to reimagine my future as one who helps others live the most productive and healthy lives that they can lead. It has always been my calling to do something where I am of service to others. I enjoy waitressing immensely because I feel happy when everyone has what they need to enjoy their meal. I do think it will be similar in a nursing setting making sure the patient's levels are good in their blood and giving them the tools to help alleviate the symptoms. Those are just the nuances that have helped me lead further in discovering the path right for me. When I was seven I had surgery for my vesicoureteral reflux where the urine would back up into my kidneys. I experienced the magic of the profession through the amount of time they put into making sure I was comfortable with the whole ordeal even giving me a special book about a rabbit having the same problems such as it hurting to pee. Later, I would get to see the healing power of the nursing force again. My grandma got sick with multiple health issues piling on top of each other. It was the summertime. I was in the hospital every single day for a month. I got into a routine of seeing them do their procedures, and I would go to the cafeteria and eat lunch when I got hungry. As I familiarized myself with the layout of the building, and the shortcuts of the halls, I started to think to myself," I can see myself doing this." That thought has been with me ever since. I just did not know what it was that I wanted to do, but the desire to help people in the same way just stuck with me. Now, I am going to school to get my bachelor's degree of science in nursing with the eventual goal to get my MSN or my DNP as a nurse practitioner. I will be starting classes after I graduate due to the convenient quarter system of my college. I am also saving up money from working, as well as applying for as many scholarships as possible to make this dream a reality. I want to catch problems before they exacerbate in patients as they did for my condition and so they don't worsen such as in my grandma's situation. My primary goal as a family nurse practitioner will be just that- being aware of multiple conditions so that I can prevent as many health issues in my community as possible.

"I found" by Amber Run is a beautifully written vocal and lyrical masterpiece. It is about a struggle everyone experiences: accepting your losses, learning from them, feeling the pain, and moving on. People are empowered by the haunting melody of this song by making them feel understood. Sometimes, we do not get any consolation. We just have to go through waves of uncertainty until we feel stable enough to get back up again without falling harder. It is important to not lose yourself amidst all of the tyrant emotions that wage war inside trying to conquer you. Survival is about protecting yourself. You should take things as warning signs to not repeat mistakes. You owe it to yourself to become enlightened through the grayness that clouds your life. There is always a lesson that you can learn from your trifles. That lesson is the sun that peaks from behind the clouds. Eventually, it will break through to you and past the depressive state you were in. Life is about all experiences. We are impacted greatly by the negative which leads to ambition, hope, and resilience.

My name is Kiersten Shadowens. I love reading as books are the true interdimensional traveling where you can experience somebody elses dreams and imagination. French is becoming my second language with the hope to visit Quebec, Guyane, Martinique, or France one day. I am a very ambitious person with many goals that I work towards like producing my own vegetables and spices, and working towards publishing my first poetry collection from my adolescent and teenage era called Permafrost. Lana Del Rey is a big inspiration to me in my writing. Becoming a nurse practitioner is my biggest goal. I only have one-hundred dollars saved up. I could not get a job before due to having no access to transportation to get me anywhere living so far out. Luckily, I have hired on to work with my uncle on the same shifts as him, so I can start saving money. My mom is a single mom who does not have enough funds to support me towards this aspiration. This fire crept inside me that has not gone out since with the urge to make this happen for myself and my future. A scholarship will bring me so much closer to being able to accelerate my degree and save money. South College is one of the only options I have due to transportation issues. This college goes by a quarter system. For undergraduate classes, it is 5,500 for 3 to 5 classes. The normal course load is 3, but I want to do five to advance my education faster and save much-needed money. These classes are also online, so I can work with more flexibility. This money will help me be able to pay more attention to my classes considering that there is an additional 2 hours of study time for each class in order to be successful. I also want to start getting experience in the nursing field as soon as possible as well as still be able to take as many classes as possible. I plan to start shadowing a preceptor early to get experience and hours to complete my MSN or DNP faster. I may have to pay to be able to shadow someone as many wait years to get their hours in because it is hard to find somebody available. After I complete my nursing degree, I am moving to New Mexico with my boyfriend. I plan to work in an underserved community there while I work to complete my NP degree. These plans will cost money that I will work hard to save up. I am very excited about this journey I am about to embark on. I hope to offer a scholarship to the nursing force too once I have the financial means to give back to this community. Thank you!

I am a high school senior awaiting the financial hurdle that I am about to put myself through. Knowing this, I have tediously looked and searched for the college that has the most valuable educational services, is the cheapest that I can accelerate, and has a hybrid program so I can work more, thus being able to fund my education. Niche describes South College as one of the best nursing institutions in many regards. The tuition is 5,500 for a quarter of a school year for 10-20 semester hours. Three classes are 12 semester hours, but I want to take five putting all my time towards accelerating and having cheaper tuition overall. Thus, I am trying to write as many well-articulated essays to get financial help to take this leap into my education. Hopefully, I can take the first part of the year to focus without worrying if my job is going to be enough to pay off my loans. I am saving up all of my funds working at pizza Hut to be able to make this goal attainable. I have also filled out the FAFSA form and am working on my Pell grant. I have spoken to my grandparents and got it set up to where they will take out a loan for me since their credit score is good, I will not be paying a third of my tuition as interest. Once at a college fair, I was asking questions about finances and how good their program is, and this young college recruiter said, "I wish more people asked questions as you do." This was my freshman year of high school. I do not have the advantage of parents making extra money to set aside for their kids to succeed. My mom is a single mom that often does not have enough funds for things like putting presents under the tree. I have only myself to pave the way to higher education. Nurse practitioners have a good salary that is well worth the cost and time I am putting into this ambition. I hope to make myself financially sound so that I can help build a better life for my family and myself. Inflation is going up, and the economy is in a recession. It is more important now than ever to become capable of feeding ourselves and heating our houses as prices increase especially living somewhere like Illinois where we have one of the highest taxes in the nation. I need to make enough money to support myself, so I can help my family succeed and fund an earlier retirement for myself since they keep moving the age limit up. Economic prosperity will drastically improve my quality of life.

I am a senior in high school with plans to go to South College. I love reading books. They bring me to another world, where I have developed a great deal of compassion, imagination, and lots of vivid dreams and goals that I apply to my life every day. I also enjoy watching House M.D. and The Good Doctor. These all have inspired me to reimagine my future as one who helps others live the most productive and healthy lives that they can lead. It has always been my calling to do something where I am of service to others. I enjoy waitressing immensely because I feel happy when everyone has what they need to enjoy their meal. I do think it will be similar in a nursing setting making sure the patient's levels are good in their blood and giving them the tools to help alleviate the symptoms. Those are just the nuances that have helped me lead further in discovering the path right for me. When I was seven I had surgery for my vesicoureteral reflux where the urine would back up into my kidneys. I experienced the magic of the profession through the amount of time they put into making sure I was comfortable with the whole ordeal even giving me a special book about a rabbit having the same problems such as it hurting to pee. Later, I would get to see the healing power of the nursing force again. My grandma got sick with multiple health issues piling on top of each other. It was the summertime. I was in the hospital every single day for a month. I got into a routine of seeing them do their procedures, and I would go to the cafeteria and eat lunch when I got hungry. As I familiarized myself with the layout of the building, and the shortcuts of the halls, I started to think to myself," I can see myself doing this." That thought has been with me ever since. I just did not know what it was that I wanted to do, but the desire to help people in the same way just stuck with me. Now, I am going to school to get my bachelor's degree of science in nursing with the eventual goal to get my MSN or my DNP as a nurse practitioner. I will be starting classes after I graduate due to the convenient quarter system of my college. I am also saving up money from working, as well as applying for as many scholarships as possible to make this dream a reality. I want to catch problems before they exacerbate in patients as they did for my condition and so they don't worsen such as in my grandma's situation. My primary goal as a family nurse practitioner will be just that- being aware of multiple conditions so that I can prevent as many health issues in my community as possible.

I was an eighth grader asking my friends, "If you could vote, who would you vote for?" I was met with an answer that dismayed me, that boiled my blood in a way that I could not articulate why back then. They told me that they won't be voting in the future because they do not care about politics. That translated to me that they do not care about the future of our country, or their civic duty to vote as a citizen. To make matters worse, these were females. All that was fought to give them the chance to make such an impactful choice as an American was left unappreciated. It struck something deep within that has made me want to encourage others to get out there and vote not because they can, but because it is a way to voice your opinion and represent others like you. I even wrote a persuasive speech for my class encouraging them to register to vote and participate in one of the most patriotic acts anyone can do- be a part of the next chapter of our country. As my understanding of the political world progressed, I started to see people fall for the propaganda in social media ads when November starts rolling around that only reinstates their worldview and how they let their party tribalism make gerrymandering and other forms of corruption effective. I want to see a world in which everyone is informed and votes based on unbiased observations so that maybe we can get more done in congress. It starts at the individual level, so I have put myself in as many opportunities to learn. It started with informing myself on important issues making sure that I see all patterns of thoughts to make a fair judgment on the situation before it turns into beliefs. I have had many debates and discussions so that I can change my mind when the need arises. I noticed patterns in demographics and how that pertains to subcultures that influence voting habits. I see the categories that make me prone to different political tendencies and I evaluate whether that is coming from a deep-rooted psychology or it is my true thoughts and feelings on the matter. I surround myself with people that have different opinions from mine so that we can walk in each other's shoes gaining invaluable experience and empathy. I have gone to many political functions to see politicians speak first-hand. I even attended one of Trump's rally's when he was close to where I live. I have been going to committee meetings for many years now. I inform the people around me about what is going on, often mentioning important local information in my government class so students can make up their own minds about a situation. Still, I see the same thing I did in eighth grade. People who do not care about the integrity of our government, or at least, the power of the people to vote and show those that pull strings in Washington that we strongly disapprove. Silly things like a man putting a free donut back or a woman making her kids put fair candy back because it came from the other party just make me even more inspired to unite the country on our differences by understanding each other.

Essence of Incense Following forged fire into the wist night led me ever so astray I relied on the ambient lights of others to show me my way I didn't look to the stars to save me, but the stardust tracing Their fingertips in what they touch leaving seething to taint The glory I won in my journey as the one who dared create My soul would seem to be perplexed with the faltered rage So thus, my greatest achievements propel me into a ruthless grave To know that for everything I ever did I wanted to solemnly replace For it was all beckoned by others in their unwavering saving grace To control the extent of the moment, I, as the wielder, made My greatest enemy was attributed to the writhing, seeping pain of dousing the inner flame that once so vigilantly reigned As I get to finally breathe for myself, my lungs don't feel as caged Unto a sad miracle my final moments of wonder where I was praised Was when I lived off another's truth becoming the more estranged A flicker into the arid estate of my heart is aburst into flame As the match between me and the relentless voices splayed My only limit now is how far the flame will rise to the things I curate The scars that once inhabited me had slowly begun to rip again I singed them together so that the heat would rise no longer lain

"If You Tell" by Gregg Olsen is a true-crime story about a deranged mother named Shelly Knotek that constantly abuses her three daughters putting them through endless torture such as making them "wallow" or move around naked in the mud while getting sprayed by the gardening hose. Shelly Knotek would go on to murder her nephew Shane, her roommate Kathy, and her friend Ron while manipulating her husband to be an accomplice to the murders. This book opened up some old wounds for me that came from my childhood. My mom's boyfriend implemented much trauma in my life by abusing me emotionally, mentally, and physically. I relate with the story in the most prevalent theme: you never know what is going on behind closed doors, and nobody will open them to look inside until you force the door open yourself. Abuse like this is more common than what is expected. It goes unheard, unseen, and often, forgotten completely. Nobody knew for the longest time because of all of the confusion surrounding my feelings. I was prompted to finally tell the final piece of the story that I had been keeping in for so long- the molestation. It still makes me feel weird, but that burden is horrible to keep on oneself forever. I also relate to the fear that the middle daughter Sammy had: being absolute in keeping everything buried, even the dead. She started telling the truth about the reasons why her homework was gone or not done all the way from her mother's bogus sabotage. It ended with pity, concern, and the sobering reality of the potential repercussions. She ended up lying saying her whole reign of excuses was fake. I find it hard to face the reality of the darker contents of my past, much else telling somebody what I went through. It is incredibly difficult to articulate a past of broken fragments that you have tried to rid yourself of to make somebody understand. This book offers something truly magical- the blessing of finally knowing that it has and will be put in a way that can help others feel understood in similar situations. This book has made me patch things up with my inner child whom I have often neglected throughout the years trying to be too grown before my time. We have 'forgiven' each other for all that has happened one last time moving on for good towards new horizons. It has been my dream to write my own book like this about my hardships and triumphs dealing with multiple aftermaths of tragedy to remind people out there that they can be resilient to the negative changes that happen in their lives. I am inspired to put things into motion when I have lived a little more life and can write the happy ending that I am going to make for myself one day at a time. This is my novel of change, innovation, and determination to pass through the clouds and downpour so that you may see a clear sky with a rainbow.

Most of my poems are dark, but Unsupervised is a dramatic, goofy story poem about alien abduction with a deeper meaning behind it. It talks about the risks of looking too much into a question and not necessarily feeling happy when you have uncovered your answers. It is important to have fun with heavy topics, even turning them into a tall tale-like omen. My inspiration for the style of this piece is "The Night Before Christmas." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsupervised Shimmery air travels by the star wanderer in the scurrying currents In the fathomable, the green men of otherworlds, I would have never concurred this That when I looked away for a moment of sought for clarity from all distractions I would in a single motion look upon such a sight as I finally opened my curtains There beyond a past moon that winks from above lives a curious sight that there would be a spinning disc somersaulting in the chirping of night like a frisbee on a summer's midday spinning in the sky on the fourth of July Spedfast, it would leave arcs of pastel color in the twilight creation as if benign Hovering there in the inkened atmosphere from earth-view I confronted The wave of nostalgia in my drummed organ seemed to not be stunted As to when I looked within myself I knew that I was marked to be hunted For when you awaken yourself to the truth that stares so at your face you can't run from it You look up to the sky asking for an answer only to find a flying flight God exists for you in existence but so do the layman beasts that wish for you half alive For they will seek you out wherever you hide knowing that dusk awaits strife As to close your eyes and not see again is a privilege no longer of your rights As you are a surveying enemy to the lies that we settle to smooth over our trifling minds So unto that very moment, you are locked up as a eugenics for your bashful crimes Abducted is your freedom as you doubt the gravity and weight of your last and final demise As you levitate no longer by earthly laws taken from your life to rest lightyears in time ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I hope you enjoy my poem! Thanks for giving me the opportunity to share it. It is hard to find poetry scholarships that do not require you to major in writing.

Tears run down my cheeks in waves as I lay around in the darkest corner of my room sobbing quietly. I cry for my lost childhood. I cry that I haven't seen my dad's side of the family in years because he signed his rights away and my mom would not let them see me. I cry for the feelings of dread that I had every day being around my mom's abusive boyfriend. I was only in fifth grade, but I had and still do have soemthing extraordinarily powerful- Resilience. Sometimes I am perplexed and amazed at how I developed this ability. As I let out every bad, deranged sorrow, I repeated to myself my go-to mantra: It's going to be okay; it has to be okay. Instead of letting myself fall into the traps of self-doubt and negative thought patterns, I changed my perception of the situation. I told myself that I was going to get out of that bad environment by working hard to attain success. I excelled in school despite the norm of kids dealing with those big emotional burdens being lower grades and losing care in life. My resilience has helped me not to be led astray much in my life's trifles. It helps me overcome adversity all the time. It's a type of self-insurance that I will be able to bail myself out of most struggles with a better mindset to keep my ambition and hope running when all is against it. Still, now, I handle many struggles by partaking in this quality. I deal with my mother never being home because she is chasing a guy, so I am a co-mother to my sister. I handle domestic responsibilities at home because my grandma can't get around well. I find ways to keep enjoying life even with all of the stress that accumulates in me and I dream even bigger dreams along the way like getting my nurse practitioner license. As I walk up the ladder of life, I will be able to apply this trait to many situations that try to cripple me. I am growing up in important ways like taking care of myself financially and applying myself for a better future through my education. When times get tough, this will help me embrace the darkness as I did years ago by feeling and letting go of my duress and finding a solution or a hope that I will work meticulously towards.

I have been learning french and getting more accustomed to french culture. I plan on visiting either Quebec to practice my language skills, go somewhere like Nice, France where they put on a fantastical light show every year during Christmas, or get to experience the Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans. To get immersed in the language, I downloaded the Toucan browser extension that translates random words in articles. I also have the Duolingo learning app. I have accumulated 24,191 XP so far, 185 crowns, and have advanced all the way to unit 26. I have learned 1140 words through using this app. I started taking french classes at my high school. I am in french 3 this year and I am apart of the French club. I have a green notebook where I write down all of the words I have learned so far. I have gone to one of the oldest french towns in Illinois- Prairie du Rocher. There, they have an old territory called the Fort de Chartres. Inside the massive walls of protection, there is an old gunpowder room believed to be the oldest building in Illinois. Though, there have been renovations since. I have talked to people who go to a Rendezvous where they reenact 1700s life in new France as Indians and french people wearing only things that would be seen during that time. My long-term goal is to be fluent in the language and even more immersed in the culture. I am a high school senior that will be graduating around May 19. The biggest struggle I anticipate going to nursing school is stress. I am very prone to migraines when everything gets to be overwhelming and out of my control. I have the ambition to work through the migraines to get my assignments done on time as I have done many times before. Though the stress of trying to pay for my education may settle upon me harshly as the debt goes up more and more. I will cultivate this as more ambition making every single penny count and soaking up all of the knowledge that will help me be a better healthcare provider. I am applying to as many scholarships as I can that I am eligible for so that I have the means to take out as little of a loan as possible with less attack on me by interest rates. I may have some lows where I struggle to have the motivation, but I am implementing an award system for myself to condition me for the rigor of the classes. An educational goal I have is to save up money, so I gave myself the goal to apply to 60 scholarships by New Year which I have achieved. My next goal is to apply to 100 by the end of January. I am also getting hired to work at Pizza Hut to finance my endeavors. Merci beaucoup!

Generational wealth means being able to assist your family and future family members so that they are secure to build more and more wealth to live comfortably if something happens like the covid pandemic. It also opens them up to more opportunities when money would have hindered them without the monetary means. Growing up not always being able to afford everything that we needed, has inspired me to become financially secure whether it is watching envelop cash stuffing budget videos to see how people spend their money responsibly or searching tediously for the lowest tuition rates for the highest quality. That is why I have chosen to do online classes for the most part due to it being cheaper. Also, that allows me more flexibility to work to pay for school. I have also looked for small side profits like selling my class notes online to get extra cash. I have joined many websites like bold.org, niche, nitro, etc that give me access to scholarships to fund my education as well as financial services at low costs that help me keep track of financing everything. I still have to look more into future retirement plans. I have watched videos where people recommend Roth Ira and always click cash back for your card. I have searched endlessly trying to find the best job that is in demand, has the best salary, and fits my personality the best eventually deciding on being a Nurse Practitioner. I will continue to look into all of this advice through internet resources to substantiate my future. I have spoken to my dad and stepmom about getting chickens and starting a garden. This will save us money by not paying inflation rates on vegetables, spices, and eggs. We can also sell our extras at the local farmers market. We plan to start once I move to Tennessee to make extra money to help alleviate our financial burdens. I scrounge the internet looking for the best deals on things that will fund my education such as book deals from np's that have already got their degrees. When going shopping with friends and family, they or I will often see things that look cool. I will burst their bubble often saying that it has no practicality to it and that it would barely be used. The biggest thing to get over to save money is to stop falling into the shopping traps. I have sent invites to these scholarship apps to friends that are planning to go to college, so that they too can utilize their organization and opportunity of them. I watch this guy that goes over people's finances looking into what they spend on their credit cards, what their expenses are, and how much debt they are in. This shows me what I need to look at to not fall into the same traps that they have. I still have a long way to go in my fiscal journey, and as I am learning, I am advising the people that I am surrounded with. Hopefully, the small agriculture businesses and the smart choices I make with my money will put me in a situation where I can invest and save. I plan to start accounts for my kids early so that I put money in for their education, business endeavors, or down payments when they are older. Financial stability and prosperity are important to me. It means that when I pass away, I will have left behind better chances to succeed.

Honor is an intrinsic motivation to do things to your utmost capability in a benevolent and truthful manner. There is a senior group chat at my school where they share homework answers. I have been tempted many times to use this resource whether it is good or bad in morals. I even wrote down the answers to a worksheet for a government paper. Though, it did not feel right. I could have just turned it in without a second thought, but I went back to the textbook and looked up all of the answers. I knew I could do better than just get by. I want to know I am capable of doing it no matter how frustrating the task is sometimes, instead of not reaching my full potential because it is easier. Integrity is to do things with honesty and having a good moral compass. In my freshman year of Speech, I was entered into an informational speaking event. I was pretty nervous and ended up forgetting to give credit to people for some famous quotes I was reciting for my piece. After I was done speaking, I made sure to tell them so they knew I was not trying to plagiarize. I was very timid then and felt bad about the whole ordeal. Even though they probably recognized the quotes, It did not feel right to just walk out of the room without saying anything. This probably did take off points for my event as well. Overall, honor and integrity are staying true to yourself and others.

Every floor of the skyscraper at the Children's Hospital in St. Louis is assigned an exotic animal like an elephant or a giraffe. In the lobby, there is a train set that constantly runs on the overhead beams which makes my eyes widen in amazement. I reminded myself why I was there, recounting the book I got about a rabbit who had the same condition as me that made it hurt to pee. I had vesicoureteral Reflux which made my urine back into my kidneys resulting in many U.T.Is. The room smelled of what seemed like sweaty blood wafted through my nose. After surgery, I went to the rec room with my dad. We started to play hungry hippos, which we thought was the funniest thing ever, as tears rolled down our cheeks, and my lower abdomen burst into pain. Though I could not seem to stop finding the matter amusing, and my body kept retaliating sending me to cringe, laugh, cringe, laugh many times. I was seven years old, and getting surgery ended up being a magical experience that has stayed with me since that day. After that, I would often see a donation table to donate to Children's Hospitals in places like Walmart where coins would travel down long tunnels. Thus, the magic never ended for me. I pledge to myself that I will donate in not just quarters, dollars, or dimes. I will donate by becoming a part of the workforce of the amazing field of medicine. I didn't know how yet. I just knew that one day I would find myself back to this dream to give back what was once given to me. Specialty care that saved my life. Nursing is a field full of caring, nurturing people that take care of people at their most vulnerable making sure they get better. The white scar below my stomach symbolizes the desire to make a difference by healing the ones that cannot do it themselves. The memories in the hospital reminded me of the joy I found in something scary because of all of the care that went outside of just a procedure. They took time to explain to me how everything works to ease my consciousness even giving me an illustrated book with a bunny going through the same journey as me. I want to do the same thing as a nurse practitioner. I love educating people, so they understand how their bodies and mind work. I want to inspire others to begin this journey, hopefully combatting the nursing shortage that faces us. I want to offer a service to people that will keep the aging and upcoming generations healthy so that we are a well, prosperous society.

There has always been this ingrained desire that feels 'right', that my purpose in life is to help others. I was always taught to follow my instincts, that they will guide me on the right path to vigor and exceptionalism. Through my family, mental health, and life struggles, I started to find it frustrating when I would reach out for help and was met only with words of sympathy. There were no insights into the mechanics that turned the gears of pain and hopelessness that consumed me. Only words that seemed shallow left me feeling even more weight ease into my shoulders. They did nothing to help me understand and process my emotions. That is when I saw the app Talklife available. It is a mental health app with a continuous feed of people reaching out for someone to help them navigate the waters that are hard for them to steer. It does not cost money; instead, it builds a community of people that foster each other's emotions and help them succeed on their paths. I started to find my style of nurturing people's feelings, as I wanted for myself- somebody that will help me dissect apart the patterns that I may not see myself following, why I could be feeling such an irrational emotion that is upcoming from a subconscious hassle, and making jokes among the shards of a broken mirror that I no longer look upon as myself, finally changed for the better. I have helped people from all around the world through the app- India, Britain, Bangladesh, the United States, and the list goes on. I have heard many different stories throughout my time on the app- the guy who gets bullied at a school where he is the minority in race; the adopted, rich girl that feels out of place in her family; the homeschooled guy that moved around a lot and is not struggling to make any form of connection in his early adult life; the girls in arranged marriages that they feel miserable taking away their spirit; or the stories of peoples sexualities and darker secrets that they would never let see the light of day in in-person interactions. Everyone is a different book, you have to dig deeper than a couple of pages in their life. There is no better feeling than when people start to see the light shine through their windows again, encouraged to take the steps to make their life happier existence, or when they thank you for helping them through their scuffles radiating peace throughout their being. I may not be able to see all of the results of my helping through Talk life, but I know they are there. It just takes a couple of positive seeds that you plant into someone's head that start to grow, even if a little slow at first. Then, months, later they will tell you, "I still remember what you told me." Those are the moments that I strive for. The moments where I have helped them make a change, a small butterfly effect, that is where their thoughts go, another positive memory, a better mantra than the doubt and beliefs that may spiral in their head. The most important lessons that I have learned throughout my journey of healing myself by healing others is that many people have similar situations to you and by helping those people, you gain invaluable insight into your own experiences and patterns. Sometimes you need that third-person perspective of your situation. Another is, sometimes you have to be sad and feel those crippling emotions. Fixing your problems is not by rationalizing them, and thus, avoiding the biggest aspect of them- your humanity. It is by letting yourself feel them, embracing them, and changing them into fuel for ambitions. Lastly, there is no universal scale of 'pain'. People are exposed to different hindrances in their life, and thus, have different spectrums of what offends or stresses them. Helping others has helped me as I gain more insight into how people work. Every story is credible. Every trifle is unique to that person in their perception. Every struggle builds a bridge to a deeper understanding of humankind.

Tears make ski lines down my cheek. My eyes still feel heavy after eight hours of sleep. The feeling of doom when I would get off the bus and walk to the door of a place that did not feel like home, waiting for a few minutes before I had to walk into the suffocating atmosphere that he made. Sitting quietly as the other kids were excited about summer break feeling despair because I would get no break from that house. The rush of excitement when I would see my mom's car in the driveway because I knew he would treat me nicely in front of her. The adrenaline when I made him mad and he started stomping towards me. The hyperventilating awaiting the pain. Watching t.v. on the weekends to escape the reality I was living in. My mom was with him for a good portion of my childhood. He mentally and physically abused me. He hid his true colors in front of my mom, and I was too afraid to tell. He would blame me when they got into fights saying I ruined their relationship. He would hit me for things that made no sense to get mad at like taking hand sanitizer away from my baby sister so she would not eat it. This resulted in tears that I presume annoyed him. I excelled in school with the promise to myself that I would get myself out of that situation with a good job and enough money to get my own place. Schoolwork was another distraction that helped ease my mind. There were no signs of the abuse I was going through because I hid it. I thought it was normal, and that I was overreacting. I thought it was true for all families of kids to experience this. This caused me to conceptualize all the torment I was going through. The only leaks that I let through were the words, "He is mean sometimes, " I spoke to my friend as we were making tye-dye patterns with chalk on the porch. He would mislead people from his actions saying, "I haven't spanked her in a while, right?" he asked looking to me for confirmation. I said no. Spanking is not quite the same as hitting me anywhere I am not shielding myself. This caused me much trauma and many bad mental patterns of thinking and feeling. I find it hard to accept the love that does not come with any forms of manipulation and mental abuse. I feel anxious and overthink the actions of the people closest to me thinking they are going to hurt me in some way. For the longest time, I shut myself off from feeling emotions in general. It was all too much to handle, so I stopped. I still struggle to break down my walls and open myself to people. I feel skittish around people thinking I am going to do something that will upset them. I feel guilty accepting gifts and basic needs from people like a drink due to not feeling like I deserve them. I feel more comfortable in chaos than in a peaceful environment. His actions have led to many skewed perceptions about myself and my world that hinder me in the most basic interactions today. Mental health does not always show up in the most obvious ways. I overachieved in school when there is a notion that grades drop in these situations. I want to write a novel about my experiences to raise awareness for people who grew up and continue to deal with this.

Stores closed down. Economic peril. Fear surges at highs worrying about family members' livelihood. The governor shuts the state down. Stimulus checks offer relief to many. America is printing money at all-time highs to keep everything stable. Covid was a test of people's faith, hope, patience, and health. As everything shut down, hospitals took on as much as they could handle. These brave people put themselves in danger to help others showing a true act of selflessness and perseverance. Once thought to be an outlandish sci-fi movie scenario, a global pandemic swept across the globe changing the field of medicine forever. There has been a nursing shortage for a while, but Covid encouraged people to put their foot in the door of many medical professions. I am one of them aiming to be an MNP or a DNP. The people most at risk for death by Covid were the elderly and people who have health complications that require them to take multiple medicines to survive, weakening their immune systems. I am going to motivate people to take precautions to limit their risk of crippling conditions like heart failure by eating better and exercising more. These habits are common knowledge, but many need to hear them more in the exam rooms. The basic knowledge of moving more might do little to motivate a person until it is explained more in-depth how limited movement affects your fascia or how the chemical changes of moving more improve your mood. Putting the science behind this simple advice can help in the patient's reasoning to pursue it. Ultimately, this can lead to less chance of having health complications and thus less medicine intake that makes them more susceptible to having a hard time with diseases like Covid. Vaccinations are a weary choice for some. There have been conspiracy theories such as there being tracking chips in the vaccine so the government can collect data on them. Educating people on how they work and the different kinds can help them come around more to the choice by breaking down these misconceptions. If this is done enough, more people will get vaccinations. This leads to herd immunity thus protecting the already vulnerable people from potentially coming into contact with these diseases especially since some can't get the vaccines due to their health in the first place. This builds a safer community for all people regardless of their health. Many disregard natural medicine in the wake of easy access to antibiotics. I will educate my patients on ways they can improve or lessen their symptoms as an alternative to prescription drugs such as honey in tea to alleviate a sore throat. Even a temporary kick to the immune system can cause an increased likelihood of not being able to fight off infections or diseases. Covid is a wake-up call to many to get in better health. By providing these resources to every one of my future patients, I will help shape the outcome of future risks and hazards that come our way.

The clicking of buttons and the rolling of the joy stick hastily play a rhythm of tap tap tap. The grunts and grimaces when the game goes south. The looks of frustration when the teddy bear appears on the box. The joy when somebody gets the ray gun. They annoyance when somebody accidentally shoots the giant in Buried. My mom, her boyfriend at the time, and I would play black ops zombies as a nightly ritual that added connection and sustenance to our lives. Of course, as avid zombie players, we had headsets that linked us to the rainbow of cusswords and dark humor. Thus, the memes about the black ops lobby were born. It is often frustrating to see a society now that has a perception that these dark jokes are all bad in an attempt to be sensitive to everybody's feelings. There have been many amazing strides to stand up for all of the communities that have been ridiculed in the past. Though, this has come at the cost of being too sensitive in some regards such as humor. Now, many comedians are limited in the jokes that they can make in case they offend anyone and get 'canceled'. I believe ostracizing these jokes stifles a side of humans that is prevalent in us all to an extent. Some jokes can be in poor taste, though. The difference is that a majority of the people who like dark jokes think it is funny, instead of a stare in astonishment at the words they are hearing. Not everyone jives with this form of communication, but that does not mean it should be exiled as a whole. For example, I have made a joke about the stereotype of white people and their animals. I have told people that my dad is one of the whitest people ever. Then I will explain how he lets his Pitbulls eat off of his fork when they want a bite, then continue to use that same fork. Also, how when he eats cereal, he will let his cats drink the milk with him. By some, I would get called awful for saying this. Humor can also be used as a coping mechanism, especially if they are on the dark side, which many people forget. There have been studies linked to the kinds of jokes people make, and the mental health of people that use them. These kinds of jokes were popular in the 2000s. Now, as society's norms change, this is looked down upon in such a short amount of time, to the 2020s. Many people feel like they belong in another era due to the values and culture that characterized the generation that they identify with. I think that these people feel they can let this side of human nature out through the online realm. As humans, we categorize things to make them easier to process. This leads to stereotypes that are looked at as cruel and degrading at the expense of natural human tendencies. This can cause a limit to the authenticity of a person's personality in real-life interactions. It is more intimidating to be yourself and say everything on your mind in person. The truth is, many make these jokes with the knowledge that this is not the truth of an entire group of people. It all depends on your perception of the subject and how you look at it. Society is just tired of the extreme jokes that people hide their racism and prejudice behind. Though, there does seem to be another culture in the gaming world.

The dim lights buzz ahead. Footsteps shuffle in throughout the night trying to be unheard. The squeaking of cots periodically arises in different increments throughout the night as the unrestful rest carries on. The sound of the vending machine dispensing in the lobby wakes me up every once in a while. That was the first time I had stayed overnight in a hospital waiting room, hoping that my grandmother would have good news in the morning. I sat in the room alone with her, pleading with her that she can't go yet while she was sound asleep on the ventilator. "We still have to have our first Bingo game together," I told her. I am turning 18 in late march, so that dream will finally come true soon all thanks to the nurses and doctors that made it possible. I want to help save people like she was saved! I want to prolong the lives of people for as long as possible so that they can see their children get married! Sometimes medical care is a second chance for people to undo the patterns that have failed them much in their life already. Everyone deserves another opportunity to unwrite their wrongs, achieve things on their bucket list like staying 10 minutes in the world's quietest room, and step foot on this earth with a new resolve, a sort of reset to begin again as a more enlightened person through the sobering reality that they may not get that chance forever. That gift is priceless. That is what I want to help people accomplish. Unfortunately, not everyone has easy access to the possibility of that opportunity. There is a need for medical staff in many places that cannot also take care of the aging and sick populations in their community. I am going to help an underserved community with their health needs so that everyone, regardless of where they live, can have that second chance too. Ever since I was little, I wanted to do something with my life that can help people whether that was being a psychologist to ease burdened minds or a human resource manager to better the lives of workers. changing my mind many times, I decided on being a nurse practitioner to fill the gap between nursing and doctor needs. I believe that a small ripple in the ocean can cause a change in a multitude of paths for the better. It just takes someone to throw that rock and to take the actions required to make a difference. I plan to be a catalyst of many ripples in my life for a future of healthy and happy people.

We all get asked that one simple, but hard question when we are kids: "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Mine was not some silly aspiration like a ballerina unicorn. Interestingly, my answer was to go into the military to fight for my country. I got my first medical 'class' at the army recruitment office. Burns taught us how to use a tourniquet in case any casualties happened on duty. He told us to not do it too tightly or else it could break someone's bones. Also, do not do it too lightly or it could still cause loss of blood. That was the first and the last time that I went towards my military endeavors. Covid hit and the world got sick. Perhaps, this was a perfectly timed push to set me in another direction. I set my eyes on something else entirely then. The gift of fighting for the individual lives in my country. Just like Burns taught us that fateful day, I too am excited to educate people on how their body works and understand why it would "go against" them sometimes. Many times, I have gone to google to gain insight into my medical upheavals. A lot of the anxiety that consumed me was released once I got certain answers and resolutions to the problem. I want to console people and put to rest the seemingly 'medical mysteries'. Tears are often shed in hospitals, hearts beat fast expecting the worst, and prayers are softly spoken for a miracle. Patients are vulnerable when they step inside the white, sterile rooms that contradict their internal disarray. As a nurse, I want to create a safe space for the people who finally stopped putting off their ailments. Unfortunately, there are many areas in the united states that do not have adequate access to medical services. For example, this forces people in New Mexico to drive to El Paso for care. This hinders many people from seeking out needed health treatment. I hope to help an underserved community in my future nursing career. Many people have stories about how the nurse didn't do too nice of a job getting the vein the first time. While these may be funny at times, it is increasingly common that people have poor experiences with their providers. This can discourage many from wanting to go to the hospital conjuring up an excuse such as they always get sick when they go. I want to give people a positive association with their treatment, so they continue to seek out important care. Although I am not going into the military directly as of this time, I am considering the possibility of working as a nurse in the armed forces in the future. After all, in middle school, I aspired to be a psychiatrist in the military. Though, I still have a long way to go from being a high school student to a registered nurse, and even longer from being a high school student to being a DNP. Still, the fight is worth it. Nurses are warriors against bad bacteria. Nurses have soldiered through the pandemic putting themselves on the front line. Nurses continue to keep communities safe and healthy. Soon, I will be one of those nurses.

I remember staring into the black polished rock that now had my uncle underneath. The reflection showed me, a living, breathing essence. However, in the year 2016, I did not feel alive much either. My Uncle got into a four-wheeler accident. He was always told to wear a helmet, but sometimes that advice does not heed well. It started with tears and ended with a broken family that is still growing apart. I stopped caring about my future. I was usually a good student, but my grades declined exponentially. It wasn't a slow spiral, it was a whirlwind. I started gaining weight. Food is a source of comfort to my stress. I shut myself away. At least in isolation, you can trick yourself into thinking there is peace. I knew I was failing. I could have very well got my report card back with the words," held back." Still, I just felt numb like every part of me was frozen over with ice. I sat alone in the dark a lot. My mom would give me scornful looks, at least that I know of when I could see her face. However, through this time, I have developed a great deal of introspection. I play soft music that lulls my mind into a deep meditation as I lay sprawled out on my bed. The noises all ebb away as I am transported into a place where I am one with my consciousness flowing down a river of a clear stream of thoughts. I can hear myself in these moments when the rush of life often takes that ability away from me as it did when I lost myself all those years ago. I started to look around me, at the inequality and unfairness of life. I realized that I have to do better. My sister started acting out a lot from psychological patterns like yelling to be heard. She made me want to be a psychologist to ease the burden. My mom is barely home due to busy and hostile work conditions. She made me want to become a human resources manager to fight for better employee health. My grandma has been sick for a long time. She has made me want to ultimately become a nurse practitioner for the previous goals, and for the fight for a well and decent livelihood for all who come into my care. I started to become ambitious again. My grades have excelled ever since, sometimes getting disappointed when I don't make straight A's. Life has not got much easier, though. I just stopped letting the clouds build up in my mind, and let the rain pour from my eyes. I did not lose my will to the frostbite, or to the coldness of that set over me. I feel as though things are looking up for me now. I can't make all of life's hurdles melt away, but I can do something meaningful for my future by achieving some of the goals that I set for myself. I can bring some light into my family's life. I can help people in their most vulnerable states. I can listen to the unheard. I can stand up for the abused. I can make the world a better place one person at a time. That begins with myself and my education.