My first year of college I struggled with understanding how some peers do not need to put a lot of effort into studying as they simply understood the material. I would constantly get frustrated with myself until I realized what worked for me sophomore year. It has been life changing and I went from a C+/B- to an A-/A student. Being a nursing major this has not only made my grades increase but I am able to retain information now. I begin by using powerpoints posted before class and review them along with reading the corresponding chapters. I transfer the powerpoint into a document format and add personal notes while listening to lecture. I tend to make one document per course per exam. For example, all powerpoints that will be on the first exam go into one document. However, I usually am unable to learn from a computer. I find that information does not stick when typed out. This leads me to taking printer paper and using 1-2 pages per powerpoint where I use bright colors and write out my notes in a shortened, condensed version. I separate each different topic by a different color. I cannot emphasize how much this has helped me. Seeing my notes that are usually 5-7 pages long per powerpoint condensed to 1-2 pages has made me understand the information by allowing me to focus on the important details and not the fluff. Also, I am able to take more study breaks when reviewing since all the information is separated. I also learned that by rereading my notes every night approximately one week before my exam has helped me retain information. Understanding how difficult my journey has been I hope to encourage students to spend time figuring out a studying technique that works for them.

The night my best friend died in a horrifying drowning incident, I laid awake listening to the radio chatter from the incident. At that point I had been a volunteer on the Morris Minute Men EMS Squad and Rainbow Lakes Volunteer Fire Department for a year. I joined both squads/departments in 2017, but became a certified New Jersey EMT and a Firefighter (Proboard / IFSAC) 4 weeks after her passing, in August of 2018. I knew I wanted to help people for the rest of my life. Friends who were at the lake when my friend, Bella, drowned spoke poorly about the volunteers who were on scene as they were laughing and making plans to go to the bar once their shift ended. Meanwhile, the dive team was searching for my friend's lifeless body at the bottom of the lake right next to them. When I heard this, my heart instantly sank and I knew that not only did I want to help on 911 calls, but wanted to be a respectful and caring person to the individuals experiencing some of the worst days of their life. I aspire to make a difference in people's lives and to give back to my community. I have gained so many memories from volunteering over the last 4 years and I never once thought about quitting. Everyone who calls 911 is so grateful for the people who show up on their doorstep and when they say thank you and have a smile on their face, it makes it all worth it. I think my life would have gone a different way if it wasn't for Bella. She is the reason I pray that individuals are safe and alive when a possibly fatal call goes out. She is the reason I stop whenever I see a car accident, just to make sure no one needs any medical assistance, because she always stopped and asked. She is the reason for my constant dedication to volunteering and helping others. I have over 1,000 volunteer hours with my EMS squad and I volunteer approximately 5-10 hours per week with the fire department when I am home from school. I currently am in nursing school and it is one of my biggest priorities, however I never skip a chance to volunteer when I am home for the weekend or for breaks. I have met some of the strongest, most thoughtful and most caring people at these organizations who all have the same goal in life: to help others. I will continue to be a volunteer until the day I no longer can physically. It has transformed my life more than I can explain. I have seen some of the worst situations, helped the patient's who were almost on death's doorstep, and have continued learning so much. I hope one day I can make an impact on others as people from my organizations have for me. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to be considered for this scholarship.