My dad died in 2021 due to stage 4 kidney failure. Growing up, it was hard to witness the change in my dad as he went from someone so active to someone who couldn't even put his on his own socks on because he felt so miserable. It was hard having to adjust things around my dad because of his limited capabilities. The first time it really hit me that my dads health wasn't good was at my 5th grade graduation, signaling my completion of elementary school. He couldn't stand and the only time he did was when it was time to leave. That's when I noticed his weight was down too. He'd constantly needed to be sat down or else he'd get a bloody nose and faint. When he got diagnosed with kidney failure my brother and I immediately got tested too. I remember we had to fast the whole day so our blood wasn't affected and getting asked questions during school on why I couldn't eat or drink anything. The relief on my moms face when our test came back negative for any health problems was eye-opening. I was 10 when my dad got diagnosed with kidney failure, and I was 15 when he died. I always said I couldn't see him living no more than 5 years every time when had to go to the hospital. The hospital has always been my second home, and it wasn't just because my mom worked there for over half my life, but the fact the my dad was constantly in and out of it. It got to a point where I came to terms with the fact that my dad would always die when I was young. Eventually other health problems came onto him, but his failing kidneys was the number one source of his illness. During covid, I would have to leave school (which was all online from home) and drive him to his dialysis appointments and anywhere he needed to be because he couldn't. I was only 15 and I had to take care of my dad in a way I never thought I would have had to do until I was way older. My mom was always at work because he couldn't, and my brother was younger than I was. Eventually his dialysis moved to home and my mom had to administer it and my brother and I always had to move his equipment and liquids and sterilization tools to their room. An because he needed sterilization, covid was a tough time for all of us, considering his health. When he died, it was during the middle of school in March of 2021, when we were still at home because of covid. I won't go into details about it, but it's important to note that only my brother and I were home when it happened as my mom was at work. It was a pretty difficult thing to go through alone at 15 and 14 with authorities and family asking what happened. I always imagined his death to be in a hospital, something expected. But it was spontaneous on a random Wednesday morning. It's almost reaching the 4 year mark of his death, and I turn 20 this year. My family, or I guess more my mom, still suffers from his death and those 5 years his kidney failure took from us. The relationship between me and him disintegrated as he became more sick because he was understandably angry. But just because he had this disease didn't make him any less my dad, and he was strong.

Growing up, I've always been surrounded by animals because my family were all made of animal lovers. Goats, rabbits, cats, dogs, turtles, birds, horses etc. have all been through my childhood in one way or another. A lot of the time we took in some animals to help them get better if they were hurt or if they were found somewhere they weren't supposed to be. What sealed my commitment to veterinary medicine was when I was helping a family friend and their foster groups of animals that often times came to her really sick and young. It was really important that we took special care of these animals as their needs were more sensitive than regular. Having to pay all these extra details attention really showcased that basic animal care isn't something that's all that commonly known, and it should be. The main reason I chose to study in veterinary medicine is my love for all animals. Ever since I was little I've always had the mindset of being a veterinarian when I got older. I've always felt strongly that they deserve just as much care, treatment, and attention as humans do whenever they feel ill or just need a regular check-up. For a long time animal care hasn't been held on as high a standard as human medicine and I think that that's completely wrong and distasteful. Especially since we rely a lot on animals to continue to have a prosperous society. Whether it's food, therapy, farm work, or labor safety, animals are the backbone. We need people who truly love animals and are invested in veterinary medicine to care for them. Studying in veterinary medicine is not only beneficial to the animals but also to the humans around them. Animals aren't just pets and contribute more to our lives than many imagine. They are companions, family, the backbone of our economies in many ways. Attending Berry college and being able to work with our dairy and beef cattle really opened my eyes to the importance of animal care and how their health directly effects the health of people around them. It also reinforced my passion for wanting to become someone who can help further advance their health safety and future medicines. Science has always been a special interest of mines, and what is veterinary medicine if not that? I hope to specialize in surgery and emergency care through my education once I graduate college and get into veterinary school to get my DVM. It also would be a huge accomplishment of mine if I'm able to contribute to society through working with and helping the animals that people spend a lot of their lifetime loving and caring for. Understanding animal health is a huge first step that needs to be taken, being able to create and improve medicines is a 2nd. Helping everyone understand the importance of animal care and medicine is probably the biggest goal I have when it comes to an accomplishment I want with my education.

Ever since I was little I've always wanted to be in a career that's surrounded and dedicated to taking care of animals. Growing up I've helped take care of rabbits, turtles, fishes, cats, dogs, birds, goats, and hamsters. They've played such a key role in my life and my love for them has just grown every time I'm with animals. Whether it's companionship, health reasons, or food purposes, animals are the centers of our relationship and selves and it's important that there's people out there who, too, wish to give the best care and treatment to animals. Caring for their well-fare is just as important as caring for a humans. There's been two pivotal moments in my life that truly cemented my passion for becoming a veterinarian (despite the challenge of getting there.) One of the key moments, not including zoo and aquarium visits, was throughout middle school and high school. My moms friend does fostering for cats and kittens very frequently. She once asked me if I wanted to come over an help and I got to learn all about her fostering process and how she goes about acquiring the animals and raising them and finding homes for them. Sometimes when she was away and she had a group I'd go over and stay the night or however long I needed to and would watch over not only her foster animals but her actual cats and chickens and rooster she had outside. I absolutely loved being able to help these animals grow and become healthy enough to find forever homes. It also brings a sense of joy within myself knowing I was able to help not just the animals but also someone who I know will love them with just as much heart and good will as I do. Another key moment in my life was actually not that long ago. In fact it was last semester, my first year of college where my dedication of becoming a veterinarian was sealed. During my animal science classes we'd learn about animal care, health, giving medicine, handling techniques, etc. Then in the lab we'd be around actual animals like horses, sheep, and dairy cows to apply what we learned. I loved working with the animals and learning how to work with them instead of on them. Learning and seeing how these animals behave and the treatment and importance they provide for the world really made me want to become someone who is able to give these animals the best of the best.

I've always loved animals, and been surrounded by them, since I was a child. I grew up with a father who also loved animals and would introduce my brother and I to all kinds like rabbits, turtles, birds, dogs, cats, goats, etc. Animals provide so much comfort to people and they become family. For all the comfort and love I got in the company of animals I'd love to be able to provide them with the best care I could give the besides love. We couldn't always go to the vet for our dog and it made me so sad that we couldn't get him all the help he required. There's so many people wanting to become nurses, doctors, or anything related to human service and healthcare, but what about the animals? They deserve just as much treatment and love as humans as they are living beings just like us. I want to be able to provide the best of the best for all my family. The first time I vividly remember wanting to be a veterinarian was in pre-school when we went to an animal farm. It was so cool seeing and interacting with all those cute animals that decided that I wanted to do something in my future related with taking care of them. Even being in college now and being in my animal science labs it's fun interacting with the animals and learning all about their health and behavior and the current issues related to animal health. Plus, who wouldn't love the title of "Dr." in front of their name?

If there was just one book I’d have everyone in the world read, it would be the first book of the Michael Vey series called “Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25.” I first picked up this book in 7th because of one of my best friends. It’s especially a good book to read if you love science fiction, drama, a bit of dystopian vibes, and of course cool powers. I quickly fell in love with the book and ended up finishing all 7 books (the 8th one just came out) in the span of 3 months. The story itself is so well written and even in the first book you can tell the plot would just continue to develop into something amazing. The author has a way of drawing the reader in and making them want to continue onto the next boom. And it’s not a book that requires you to have a lot of extra thought and focus into to understand what’s happening. You can get immersed so quickly it’s amazing. What I adored with the first book, and the many that followed, was that there wasn’t any confusion where the reader is left wondering what the heck they just read. There’s always suspense when reading this book. I also loved how the main character also has Tourette’s syndrome, a reflection of the author himself, as there weren’t many books, at that time, that had them main character have something different about them. What’s cool is how the author didn’t let the Tourette’s hinder the main character but instead helped him grow into himself and allow him to develop his powers into something more. Having this character have this syndrome not only show us a part of the author, but also holds inclusivity within fields that aren’t dapped into as much like race, sexual orientation, gender or the LGBTQIA+ communities. Overall, I think this book, along with the rest of the series, is an amazing read that truly gets you interested and help you fall in love with reading even more than you already do.

My absolute favorite Netflix series of all time would have to be Supernatural. I fell absolutely in love with the show when I first watched it in 2020. I fell in love with the characters and the plot. Despite the show being made and aired in 2005, I loved how the graphics, despite not being the best compared to today's, were still phenomenal. There were just a whole lot of aspects that kept me committed to all 15 seasons and tons of rewatches (including my current 7th rewatch). The main reason I became hooked on Supernatural was because of my love for fiction. Whether it's books, movies, or shows I become immersed in the story. They created such an in-depth plot that went great along the 15 seasons while also having each season include its little theme. And the best thing was that you don't just get thrown into the show and have no idea what's going on. The initial season is like an introductory to what Supernatural is about and gives a feel for what kind of things will be shown and dealt with. And then the lors they integrate into the episodes are amazing as well. They don't just have the stereotypical supernatural but also creatures and beings that have been lors throughout history and include one's from multiple different cultures as well. Another aspect that dragged me down the Supernatural love was the acting itself. The emotion is so powerful that I cry every time, without fail, to every heart-wrenching episode. The show, actors, and creators behind it did such an amazing job of pulling you into the story that you feel the same type of emotions as the characters. They do such of good job of carrying the story through their acting that you can see that they immersed and dedicated themselves to this role so that the audience can also immerse themselves and build attachments to these characters. They have a way of creating villains you hate, heroes you love, villains you love, and heroes you just can't stand. Despite the plethora of praise, I can rave on and on about this show, I'd have to say the last thing this show had that had me binge-watching over and over again was the plot. And not just the fiction but the freshness of allowing bad things to happen, and not bring back for a happy ending. Despite the show ending on a happy note, what it took to get there was rough. And the show wasn't gentle nor nice about killing off favorite characters and not reviving them. I've seen lots of shows, and I always hated how they never let characters rest or go just because they were a fan favorite or for another reason. Supernatural sturs up a lot of emotion and conflict within when it comes to the plot and I love it. They provide something different and I'm glad they did or else 15 seasons would have just seemed ridiculous. A little addition I just have to add is their comedic episodes. Everyone once in a while they have these fun little filler episodes to give the audience a good break from all the sadness and intensity the shows have. All in all, Supernatural is a definite must-add to your binge-watching list. If you want something fiction-filled with lots of emotion, plot, and just downright amazing acting then I 100/10 recommend Supernatural. The show is worth the initial watch, and the multitude of rewatches that are bound to happen afterwards.

My dream future self is passionate, fun, and loving woman who became a veterinarian helping animals in all the ways that they may need.