Growing up, I loved playing video games; it was a form of creative outlet, but also a way to escape from reality. There are a variety of video games that allow us as players to showcase our creativity, but also our knowledge on certain topics. Even as a child, Roblox has been the biggest outlet for me in terms of creativity and freedom. Aside from Roblox, helping people has always been a greater passion and ambition of mine; thus, I decided at a young age to pursue healthcare. Now, you may be wondering what video games has to do with my passion for helping others. Well, through Roblox, I have discovered a variety of healthcare games, such as role-playing, where I could pretend to be either a doctor or a nurse. Currently, my obsession is the CNA simulation game that allows me to pretend to be and immerse myself in nursing. As an incoming nursing student who begins clinicals in the fall, CNA simulation has allowed me to “gain experience” of what it could be like in the hospital, which excites me. I love the whole aspect of nursing and helping people, which is something I have always dreamed of doing. However, my absolute dream after nursing school is to work either as a NICU nurse or a Labor and Delivery nurse. I love being around babies, so the idea of working with them and nursing them back to health is a dream come true. My passion for NICU mainly stemmed from my mother’s miscarriage when I was a child. It made me realize that I want to help women through every process and help increase the baby’s survival rate as much as I can. Thus, I want to work in either the NICU or Labor and Delivery. Aside from wanting to work with babies, as a Hispanic woman, I want to reassure women of color who are either new, nervous, or overall wary due to prior experiences that they and their babies are in good hands. I want to make a difference in how they view healthcare, so that they feel like they can trust to come to us with anything, regardless of how small the issue may be. I want to make a difference for thousands of women, especially those of color. I want to change the statistics of women of color dying, receiving mistreatment, and negligence, and allow them to feel more comfortable and at ease, especially in a place that has death attached to it, such as a hospital. As mentioned before, I am currently an incoming nursing student, thus announcing myself as a “first-year.” Although I have not made any true progress that may prepare me for my step in this journey, I know that with the experiences I do have, it may help. I currently have CPhT credentials that allow me to work as a pharmacy technician. This has allowed me to have a bit of insight in regards to medication, rules and regulations, patient adherence, and overall patient care. With my pharmacy knowledge, it allows me to have a sense of the effects medications can cause and their uses, which will help me adapt in terms of my pharmacy class in nursing school.

Immigrating to a new country isn’t easy, especially if you’re seventeen. Fortunately for my father, he had siblings living in California to help him and get him on his feet. For my dad, working hard long hours wasn’t a new thing for him; he was accustomed to labor as he had grown up tending to the farm animals at his home and the farms my grandfather owned. My father began his labor in the United States by packing chip bags in the 90s and eventually moved on to construction. As the years went by, my father continued to perfect his craft through hard work and long hours, regardless of the season and temperature. My mother, a hardworking and intelligent woman, grew up in the same town as my father. She grew up wanting more which led her setting her sights on college. My mom had to work to put herself to school; she even picked up extra classes to graduate on time after taking a semester off. Her hard work paid off when she graduated from her original graduating class; she graduated in 2002 with a Bachelor's in Public Administration and Political Sciences from Universidad Autónoma de Baja California. After graduating, she was momentarily able to work at her dream job but was let go after her company merged with another, causing the seasoned workers to put the less-experienced employees out of their jobs. After that, she met my father, married him in the United States, and left everything behind in Mexico to start a new life in the States with my dad. Both my parents have gone years without seeing their family members, and have unfortunately missed the funerals of their closest relatives due to their citizenship status. They were also unfortunately unable to attend their fathers’ funerals which was saddening to witness. Moreover, for as long as I can remember, my parents have worked hard to provide a better life for both my younger brother and me. I recall not having much early in my childhood, but I was still provided with the best due to my parents' hard efforts. Witnessing this every day inspired me to work hard and attend university to achieve my dreams, but has also created my beliefs in how the world works. For example, because of my parent’s situation, I advocate for citizenship status laws that would grant citizenship or at least help the process of those who have been in this country for years and have done their part in their community, like paying taxes. Aside from my family, I’ve always had a desire to help people. Growing up, I would help the homeless with whatever allowance or pocket change I would have. Even in high school, I began the first ever Red Cross Club at my school and organized a couple of successful fundraisers for a local shelter. With my desire to help people and the inspiration to work hard, I decided to pursue nursing as my major, and that is what I’m currently focusing on. I hope to eventually graduate with a bachelor of science in nursing and take the NCLEX exam to become a NICU nurse. My choice in NICU nursing was due to my love for babies and my desire to nurse them back to health. So with hard work, the power of God, and lots of schooling, I hope to achieve my dreams of becoming a nurse and help better those in my community.

Growing up, I would witness my parents waking up around four or five in the morning to get ready for work. My dad, since immigrating to the United States in the 90s, has worked in construction regardless of the season. My mom, as his pillar of support, would wake up early to make him lunch and prepare his cooler for work. Seeing my dad work tirelessly to provide a better life for my brother and me, even today when temperatures reach at or above one hundred degrees, inspired me to work hard in school to eventually provide my parents with a comfortable retirement life. Another factor that helps motivate me is my parents' strength and how they push forward in life. I admire how strong they are, especially with the reality that my parents go years without seeing their siblings, nieces and nephews, and parents. However, what affected me the most was watching my mother relapse back into depression, and cry and wail for her father after his passing. My family in Mexico were able to say their goodbyes, but my mother wasn't granted that luxury. She didn't get to see him before his passing nor get to say her goodbyes; she also couldn't attend his funeral. But as time moved on, I saw my mom fighting and trying her best to get herself out of depression; she told me that the only reason she was able to was because of us. Because of what I've seen and gone through, it has motivated me to push towards higher education and follow my dreams. Regardless of how hard life can be or how difficult a class is, I'm inspired and motivated to continue pushing forward and reminded that the only way to achieve success is through hard work. To me, my parents are my idols and a reminder whenever I'm struggling. As of right now, I'm running towards my dream of becoming a nurse and helping others. I want to inspire others to push forward in life whenever I'm helping them feel better. I want to help babies who aren't well to eventually help them grow and become healthy. I have so many goals in life that I want to accomplish, but my main one is receiving my Bachelor of Science in Nursing. I want to achieve that dream so greatly that I push myself to have good grades to eventually be accepted into my University's nursing school. As of now, I am on track to be accepted according to my counselor, and hopefully, once I take the KAPLAN, I hope to receive a good score and be accepted into the program. My dreams, parents, and the people around me are my source of motivation, and my goals are what keep me ambitious and on track. I hope to one day achieve my lifelong dream of becoming a nurse and making a difference in other people's lives.