The show Outdaughtered on TLC introduced me to a department called the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The work of the babies’ nurses caught my attention because it just seemed so important. This small interest led me to write a research proposal on how to improve NICUs for entry into a research class my sophomore year of high school. Through this class, I was able to contact various professionals working on NICU research. I began to work with a mentor from Augusta University who was researching blood pressure variations in preterm infants. We completed the entire research project by my senior year and it definitely played a major role in my decision to pursue nursing. She (virtually) introduced me to NICU procedures, materials, and staff. I enjoyed every second of the work I was doing and I felt confident doing it as well. My greatest exposure to the field of nursing, however, was when my mom became pregnant in 2020. I learned the most during this 9-month period which was filled with constant hospital appointments and a premature delivery scare. At 25-weeks gestational age, my mom began to feel contractions. We went to the hospital where she was hooked up to various machines so the nurses could monitor her contractions and the baby. I was in the room when her OBGYN came in and told us that she would inject my mom with corticosteroids to develop the baby’s lungs in preparation for a premature birth. She asked my mom to stay overnight and reassured us that if the contractions continued through the night, the labor and delivery team was ready and the NICU nurses were prepared to bring my sister to utmost health. I was impacted by the sense of reassurance, empathy, and gentleness that the nurses brought into the room. After the scare, I went to my mom’s frequent appointments with her OBGYN, weekly iron infusions, and weekly ultrasounds at our local hospital. I learned that there’s a huge empathetic side to nursing, witnessed the exquisite teamwork that takes place within a hospital, and experienced the true impact these nurses have on the families they care for. Witnessing the fluency and confidence of the labor and delivery and NICU teams exposed me to a career that I want to someday be a part of. I hope to contribute towards the survival rates of preterm infants in NICUs after completing my college education. I want to use my education at Boston College to become a smart and hardworking nurse. I aspire to influence the lives of others in the most positive ways while displaying empathy, compassion, and confidence. One of my greatest desires is to see the healthcare system become more successful, in terms of research and survival rates, and also to see it expand so that everyone can have access to the basic human necessity of physical and emotional healthcare. My mom’s pregnancy was a huge moment of clarity for me as it turned the seed in my head about going to college for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing into a full-bloomed flower.

The show Outdaughtered on TLC introduced me to a department called the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The work of the babies’ nurses caught my attention because it just seemed so important. This small interest led me to write a research proposal on how to improve NICUs for entry into a research class my sophomore year of high school. Through this class, I was able to contact various professionals working on NICU research. I began to work with a mentor from Augusta University who was researching blood pressure variations in preterm infants. We completed the entire research project by my senior year and it definitely played a major role in my decision to pursue nursing. She (virtually) introduced me to NICU procedures, materials, and staff. I enjoyed every second of the work I was doing and I felt confident doing it as well. My greatest exposure to the field of nursing, however, was when my mom became pregnant in 2020. I learned the most during this 9-month period which was filled with constant hospital appointments and a premature delivery scare. At 25-weeks gestational age, my mom began to feel contractions. We went to the hospital where she was hooked up to various machines so the nurses could monitor her contractions and the baby. I was in the room when her OBGYN came in and told us that she would inject my mom with corticosteroids to develop the baby’s lungs in preparation for a premature birth. She asked my mom to stay overnight and reassured us that if the contractions continued through the night, the labor and delivery team was ready and the NICU nurses were prepared to bring my sister to utmost health. I was impacted by the sense of reassurance, empathy, and gentleness that the nurses brought into the room. After the scare, I went to my mom’s frequent appointments with her OBGYN, weekly iron infusions, and weekly ultrasounds at our local hospital. I learned that there’s a huge empathetic side to nursing, witnessed the exquisite teamwork that takes place within a hospital, and experienced the true impact these nurses have on the families they care for. Witnessing the fluency and confidence of the labor and delivery and NICU teams exposed me to a career that I want to someday be a part of. I hope to contribute towards the survival rates of preterm infants in NICUs after completing my college education. I want to use my education at Boston College to become a smart and hardworking nurse. I aspire to influence the lives of others in the most positive ways while displaying empathy, compassion, and confidence. One of my greatest desires is to see the healthcare system become more successful, in terms of research and survival rates. My mom’s pregnancy was a huge moment of clarity for me as it turned the seed in my head about going to college for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing into a full-bloomed flower.

Life has taught me that it is not only my happiness that is important, but so is the happiness of those around me. My greatest desire is to become a neonatal nurse post-college. I know that this field of nursing requires a lot of compassion, empathy, and selflessness. Although I would love to believe that I naturally have these traits and I’m a perfect fit for the role, I know that these traits take practice. I began to develop skills of selflessness in high school when I began to join teams and gained my very first volunteer experiences. I volunteered at a medical office, where I learned organization and confidentiality skills and I became an executive board member of the Paper Bridges Chapter at my school, which revolved around empowering foster children. Together we organized book drives, a pen pal letter exchange, and many other events. However, I gained the greatest passion for helping others be their best at 16. My mom became pregnant in 2020. I learned the most during this 9-month period which was filled with constant hospital appointments and a premature delivery scare. At 25-weeks gestational age, my mom began to feel contractions. We went to the hospital where she was hooked up to various machines so the nurses could monitor her contractions and the baby. I was in the room when her OBGYN came in and told us that she would inject my mom with corticosteroids to develop the baby’s lungs in preparation for a premature birth. She asked my mom to stay overnight and reassured us that if the contractions continued through the night, the labor and delivery team was ready and the NICU nurses were prepared to bring my sister to utmost health. I was impacted by the sense of reassurance, empathy, and gentleness that the nurses brought into the room. But I realized, this was just the beginning of a very difficult process for my mom and my family, and I had to play a role in being there for her and my future sister. My sister ended up waiting a few more weeks to be born. After the scare, I went to my mom’s frequent appointments with her OBGYN, weekly iron infusions, and weekly ultrasounds at our local hospital. I didn’t want her experiencing these taxing appointments by herself and I also wanted to be there for her in case of any unexpected news. I was her translator when the doctors talked too fast, and I was her comfort. After my sister was born, I tried being there for her everyday and night, even if it was 4 am and she was refusing to sleep. The years of my junior and senior year were almost fully dedicated to my family and my studies, and even though it was as though I had no time for myself, I was fulfilled and satisfied with the help I was providing. For almost 8 months I’ve been working at Everbrook Academy, providing care to young children and their families. I have learned so much from the innocence of the children I care for and the pure love, care, and concern I notice between them and their caregivers. I know that when I become a neonatal nurse I will witness the same types of relationships, in even more profound ways. I hope that my experiences will help me provide the best care to vulnerable babies and their families and I hope to exhibit the empathy and compassion that I’ve been striving to obtain to strengthen my relationships with the people around me.

After my first year of nursing school, something that has really stood out to me is resilience. My professors believe that resilience is the most important trait in a nurse, however, I would admit that resilience is not my strong suit. Am I able to stay focused and determined and demonstrate a strong work ethic? Yes, I am. Through my constant involvement in activities, I have learned incredible time management and I have learned to prioritize my tasks. I try to work every year on my leadership skills and my communication skills by putting myself out there and stepping out of my comfort zone. I apply for positions that I may not feel I am ready to overtake, but I know I can accomplish them if I put the work in. I was someone who had never worked a day in her life and then one day, during my spring semester, I decided I wanted to start working with kids. I applied relentlessly to DayCare jobs and was hired at Everbrook Academy. I embraced my position as an assistant teacher and got to work with kids and their parents. I learned how to talk to families and how to provide selfless care and I realized this is amazing practice for when I am a nurse and I have to speak to my patients their families. I’ve learned to be unselfish every day for those kids because it doesn’t matter if I’m tired or what I’m going through, they deserve to be taken care of to the best of my ability. I realized that I could balance school and work and I could lighten the load off of my parents who provide for me. There is nothing more fulfilling than being able to sustain myself without having to burden the people who do so much for me. In the future, I want to be a neonatal nurse, which is why I have been loving the experience of working with kids. In order to become a nurse I need a nursing degree and I am working very hard in order to achieve that. Leadership does not only mean being able to boss other people around and demonstrate confidence, it also means stepping out of your comfort zone and doing things that are going to make you more versatile and experienced. A large part of being a leader is loving the things that you do. A true leader is not a leader if they are not passionate about the mission that they are on. Recently, I was accepted as the service and trip coordinator for the organization Timmy Global Health at Boston College. I have similar experience from high school from the Paper Bridges Organization; however, this is a totally different field with a lot more responsibility to carry. I am passionate about health and I am passionate about spreading healthcare to minorities, so I believe that my passion makes me a suitable member of the executive board of this organization and I hope to gain communication skills, leadership, skills, and valuable experiences. I hope that my actions have an impact on the world and not just myself and the people around me. I believe in myself and in my growth.

The show Outdaughtered on TLC introduced me to a department called the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The work of the babies’ nurses caught my attention because it just seemed so important. This small interest led me to write a research proposal on how to improve NICUs for entry into a research class my sophomore year of high school. Through this class, I was able to contact various professionals working on NICU research. I began to work with a mentor from Augusta University who was researching blood pressure variations in preterm infants. We completed the entire research project by my senior year and it definitely played a major role in my decision to pursue nursing. She (virtually) introduced me to NICU procedures, materials, and staff. I enjoyed every second of the work I was doing and I felt confident doing it as well. My greatest exposure to the field of nursing, however, was when my mom became pregnant in 2020. I learned the most during this 9-month period which was filled with constant hospital appointments and a premature delivery scare. At 25-weeks gestational age, my mom began to feel contractions. We went to the hospital where she was hooked up to various machines so the nurses could monitor her contractions and the baby. I was in the room when her OBGYN came in and told us that she would inject my mom with corticosteroids to develop the baby’s lungs in preparation for a premature birth. She asked my mom to stay overnight and reassured us that if the contractions continued through the night, the labor and delivery team was ready and the NICU nurses were prepared to bring my sister to utmost health. I was impacted by the sense of reassurance, empathy, and gentleness that the nurses brought into the room. After the scare, I went to my mom’s frequent appointments with her OBGYN, weekly iron infusions, and weekly ultrasounds at our local hospital. I learned that there’s a huge empathetic side to nursing, witnessed the exquisite teamwork that takes place within a hospital, and experienced the true impact these nurses have on the families they care for. Witnessing the fluency and confidence of the labor and delivery and NICU teams exposed me to a career that I want to someday be a part of. I hope to contribute towards the survival rates of preterm infants in NICUs after completing my college education. I want to use my education at Boston College to become a smart and hardworking nurse. I aspire to influence the lives of others in the most positive ways while displaying empathy, compassion, and confidence. I believe that the new generation of nurses, which I will be a part of, has to work towards making a change by making healthcare more accessible for minorities. One of my greatest desires is to see the healthcare system become more successful, in terms of research and survival rates, and also to see it expand so that everyone can have access to the basic human necessity of physical and emotional healthcare. My mom’s pregnancy was a huge moment of clarity for me as it turned the seed in my head about going to college for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing into a full-bloomed flower.

The book I would have everyone read is Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult, a realistic fiction novel that revolves around a school shooting. This book captivated me through its blunt description of the tragic events and the initial descriptions of an ordinary school day embedded with normal tensions between teens and parents. As the events unfolded, I internalized how possible it is for anyone to be caught in a shooting. This thought was extremely unsettling because it felt as though I was reading grotesque fiction. Lacy, the shooter’s mother, had the most impactful perspective for me. Although Lacy wouldn't be considered a traditional victim of the shooting, the book portrayed her as one. Lacy carried the weight of her son’s actions while also struggling to perceive where she went wrong in raising him. The positive memories of the little boy she had nurtured infiltrated her newfound hatred for the person he had become. This book presents many important concepts that can resonate with a lot of people. It emphasizes how a single person's actions can have drastic effects on numerous people. It also demonstrates how sometimes one must make decisions from the heart rather than the mind. For example, Lacy continued to visit her son in jail, despite her mental struggles, because she knew that if she didn’t show up for him, his ever-present hope would be obliterated. As someone who's extremely oriented by her emotions, it's reassuring to see the importance of letting empathy take the lead sometimes. I was also moved by the way Lacy’s character perceived love. Lacy realized she could never stop loving who her son had been, despite hating who he had become. As the nineteen-year-old sister of a three-year-old, I reflected on the concept of unconditional love. Lacy fought against the truth of her love not being unconditional. It's difficult for me to resonate with this truth because I have only seen my sister basking in innocence and bliss. I know that she'll eventually make her own decisions, but I can't imagine myself losing the love that I have for her now. This book presents many moral and ethical principles that are critical to expanding our understanding of human nature. The themes of Nineteen Minutes postulate complex questions that with deep reflection can contribute towards our growth as a unified and educated society.

The show Outdaughtered on TLC introduced me to a department called the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The work of the babies’ nurses caught my attention because it just seemed so important. This small interest led me to write a research proposal on how to improve NICUs for entry into a research class my sophomore year of high school. Through this class, I was able to contact various professionals working on NICU research. I began to work with a mentor from Augusta University who was researching blood pressure variations in preterm infants. We completed the entire research project by my senior year and it definitely played a major role in my decision to pursue nursing. She (virtually) introduced me to NICU procedures, materials, and staff. I enjoyed every second of the work I was doing and I felt confident doing it as well. My greatest exposure to the field of nursing, however, was when my mom became pregnant in 2020. I learned the most during this 9-month period which was filled with constant hospital appointments and a premature delivery scare. At 25-weeks gestational age, my mom began to feel contractions. We went to the hospital where she was hooked up to various machines so the nurses could monitor her contractions and the baby. I was in the room when her OBGYN came in and told us that she would inject my mom with corticosteroids to develop the baby’s lungs in preparation for a premature birth. She asked my mom to stay overnight and reassured us that if the contractions continued through the night, the labor and delivery team was ready and the NICU nurses were prepared to bring my sister to utmost health. I was impacted by the sense of reassurance, empathy, and gentleness that the nurses brought into the room. After the scare, I went to my mom’s frequent appointments with her OBGYN, weekly iron infusions, and weekly ultrasounds at our local hospital. I learned that there’s a huge empathetic side to nursing, witnessed the exquisite teamwork that takes place within a hospital, and experienced the true impact these nurses have on the families they care for. Witnessing the fluency and confidence of the labor and delivery and NICU teams exposed me to a career that I want to someday be a part of. I hope to contribute towards the survival rates of preterm infants in NICUs after completing my college education. I want to use my education at Boston College to become a smart and hardworking nurse. I aspire to influence the lives of others in the most positive ways while displaying empathy, compassion, and confidence. I believe that the new generation of nurses, which I will be a part of, has to work towards making a change by making healthcare more accessible for minorities. One of my greatest desires is to see the healthcare system become more successful, in terms of research and survival rates, and also to see it expand so that everyone can have access to the basic human necessity of physical and emotional healthcare. My mom’s pregnancy was a huge moment of clarity for me as it turned the seed in my head about going to college for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing into a full-bloomed flower.

The show Outdaughtered on TLC introduced me to a department called the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The work of the babies’ nurses caught my attention because it just seemed so important. This small interest led me to write a research proposal on how to improve NICUs for entry into a research class my sophomore year of high school. Through this class, I was able to contact various professionals working on NICU research. I began to work with a mentor from Augusta University who was researching blood pressure variations in preterm infants. We completed the entire research project by my senior year and it definitely played a major role in my decision to pursue nursing. She (virtually) introduced me to NICU procedures, materials, and staff. I enjoyed every second of the work I was doing and I felt confident doing it as well. My greatest exposure to the field of nursing, however, was when my mom became pregnant in 2020. I learned the most during this 9-month period which was filled with constant hospital appointments and a premature delivery scare. At 25-weeks gestational age, my mom began to feel contractions. We went to the hospital where she was hooked up to various machines so the nurses could monitor her contractions and the baby. I was in the room when her OBGYN came in and told us that she would inject my mom with corticosteroids to develop the baby’s lungs in preparation for a premature birth. She asked my mom to stay overnight and reassured us that if the contractions continued through the night, the labor and delivery team was ready and the NICU nurses were prepared to bring my sister to utmost health. I was impacted by the sense of reassurance, empathy, and gentleness that the nurses brought into the room. After the scare, I went to my mom’s frequent appointments with her OBGYN, weekly iron infusions, and weekly ultrasounds at our local hospital. I learned that there’s a huge empathetic side to nursing, witnessed the exquisite teamwork that takes place within a hospital, and experienced the true impact these nurses have on the families they care for. Witnessing the fluency and confidence of the labor and delivery and NICU teams exposed me to a career that I want to someday be a part of. I hope to contribute towards the survival rates of preterm infants in NICUs after completing my college education. I want to use my education at Boston College to become a smart and hardworking nurse. I aspire to influence the lives of others in the most positive ways while displaying empathy, compassion, and confidence. I believe that the new generation of nurses, which I will be a part of, has to work towards making a change by making healthcare more accessible for minorities. One of my greatest desires is to see the healthcare system become more successful, in terms of research and survival rates, and also to see it expand so that everyone can have access to the basic human necessity of physical and emotional healthcare. My mom’s pregnancy was a huge moment of clarity for me as it turned the seed in my head about going to college for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing into a full-bloomed flower.

The show Outdaughtered on TLC introduced me to a department called the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The work of the babies’ nurses caught my attention because it just seemed so important. This small interest led me to write a research proposal on how to improve NICUs for entry into a research class my sophomore year of high school. Through this class, I was able to contact various professionals working on NICU research. I began to work with a mentor from Augusta University who was researching blood pressure variations in preterm infants. We completed the entire research project by my senior year and it definitely played a major role in my decision to pursue nursing. She (virtually) introduced me to NICU procedures, materials, and staff. I enjoyed every second of the work I was doing and I felt confident doing it as well. My greatest exposure to the field of nursing, however, was when my mom became pregnant in 2020. I learned the most during this 9-month period which was filled with constant hospital appointments and a premature delivery scare. At 25-weeks gestational age, my mom began to feel contractions. We went to the hospital where she was hooked up to various machines so the nurses could monitor her contractions and the baby. I was in the room when her OBGYN came in and told us that she would inject my mom with corticosteroids to develop the baby’s lungs in preparation for a premature birth. She asked my mom to stay overnight and reassured us that if the contractions continued through the night, the labor and delivery team was ready and the NICU nurses were prepared to bring my sister to utmost health. I was impacted by the sense of reassurance, empathy, and gentleness that the nurses brought into the room. After the scare, I went to my mom’s frequent appointments with her OBGYN, weekly iron infusions, and weekly ultrasounds at our local hospital. I learned that there’s a huge empathetic side to nursing, witnessed the exquisite teamwork that takes place within a hospital, and experienced the true impact these nurses have on the families they care for. Witnessing the fluency and confidence of the labor and delivery and NICU teams exposed me to a career that I want to someday be a part of. I hope to contribute towards the survival rates of preterm infants in NICUs after completing my college education. I want to use my education at Boston College to become a smart and hardworking nurse. I aspire to influence the lives of others in the most positive ways while displaying empathy, compassion, and confidence. I believe that the new generation of nurses, which I will be a part of, has to work towards making a change by making healthcare more accessible for minorities. One of my greatest desires is to see the healthcare system become more successful, in terms of research and survival rates, and also to see it expand so that everyone can have access to the basic human necessity of physical and emotional healthcare. My mom’s pregnancy was a huge moment of clarity for me as it turned the seed in my head about going to college for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing into a full-bloomed flower.

The show Outdaughtered on TLC introduced me to a department called the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The work of the babies’ nurses caught my attention because it just seemed so important. This small interest led me to write a research proposal on how to improve NICUs for entry into a research class my sophomore year of high school. Through this class, I was able to contact various professionals working on NICU research. I began to work with a mentor from Augusta University who was researching blood pressure variations in preterm infants. We completed the entire research project by my senior year and it definitely played a major role in my decision to pursue nursing. She (virtually) introduced me to NICU procedures, materials, and staff. I enjoyed every second of the work I was doing and I felt confident doing it as well. My greatest exposure to the field of nursing, however, was when my mom became pregnant in 2020. I learned the most during this 9-month period which was filled with constant hospital appointments and a premature delivery scare. At 25-weeks gestational age, my mom began to feel contractions. We went to the hospital where she was hooked up to various machines so the nurses could monitor her contractions and the baby. I was in the room when her OBGYN came in and told us that she would inject my mom with corticosteroids to develop the baby’s lungs in preparation for a premature birth. She asked my mom to stay overnight and reassured us that if the contractions continued through the night, the labor and delivery team was ready and the NICU nurses were prepared to bring my sister to utmost health. I was impacted by the sense of reassurance, empathy, and gentleness that the nurses brought into the room. After the scare, I went to my mom’s frequent appointments with her OBGYN, weekly iron infusions, and weekly ultrasounds at our local hospital. I learned that there’s a huge empathetic side to nursing, witnessed the exquisite teamwork that takes place within a hospital, and experienced the true impact these nurses have on the families they care for. Witnessing the fluency and confidence of the labor and delivery and NICU teams exposed me to a career that I want to someday be a part of. I hope to contribute towards the survival rates of preterm infants in NICUs after completing my college education. I want to use my education at Boston College to become a smart and hardworking nurse. I aspire to influence the lives of others in the most positive ways while displaying empathy, compassion, and confidence. I believe that the new generation of nurses, which I will be a part of, has to work towards making a change by making healthcare more accessible for minorities. One of my greatest desires is to see the healthcare system become more successful, in terms of research and survival rates, and also to see it expand so that everyone can have access to the basic human necessity of physical and emotional healthcare. My mom’s pregnancy was a huge moment of clarity for me as it turned the seed in my head about going to college for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing into a full-bloomed flower.

The show Outdaughtered on TLC introduced me to a department called the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The work of the babies’ nurses caught my attention because it just seemed so important. This small interest led me to write a research proposal on how to improve NICUs for entry into a research class my sophomore year of high school. Through this class, I was able to contact various professionals working on NICU research. I began to work with a mentor from Augusta University who was researching blood pressure variations in preterm infants. We completed the entire research project by my senior year and it definitely played a major role in my decision to pursue nursing. She (virtually) introduced me to NICU procedures, materials, and staff. I enjoyed every second of the work I was doing and I felt confident doing it as well. My greatest exposure to the field of nursing, however, was when my mom became pregnant in 2020. I learned the most during this 9-month period which was filled with constant hospital appointments and a premature delivery scare. At 25-weeks gestational age, my mom began to feel contractions. We went to the hospital where she was hooked up to various machines so the nurses could monitor her contractions and the baby. I was in the room when her OBGYN came in and told us that she would inject my mom with corticosteroids to develop the baby’s lungs in preparation for a premature birth. She asked my mom to stay overnight and reassured us that if the contractions continued through the night, the labor and delivery team was ready and the NICU nurses were prepared to bring my sister to utmost health. I was impacted by the sense of reassurance, empathy, and gentleness that the nurses brought into the room. After the scare, I went to my mom’s frequent appointments with her OBGYN, weekly iron infusions, and weekly ultrasounds at our local hospital. I learned that there’s a huge empathetic side to nursing, witnessed the exquisite teamwork that takes place within a hospital, and experienced the true impact these nurses have on the families they care for. Witnessing the fluency and confidence of the labor and delivery and NICU teams exposed me to a career that I want to someday be a part of. I hope to contribute towards the survival rates of preterm infants in NICUs after completing my college education. I want to use my education at Boston College to become a smart and hardworking nurse. I aspire to influence the lives of others in the most positive ways while displaying empathy, compassion, and confidence. I believe that the new generation of nurses, which I will be a part of, has to work towards making a change by making healthcare more accessible for minorities. One of my greatest desires is to see the healthcare system become more successful, in terms of research and survival rates, and also to see it expand so that everyone can have access to the basic human necessity of physical and emotional healthcare. My mom’s pregnancy was a huge moment of clarity for me as it turned the seed in my head about going to college for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing into a full-bloomed flower.

The show Outdaughtered on TLC introduced me to a department called the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The work of the babies’ nurses caught my attention because it just seemed so important. This small interest led me to write a research proposal on how to improve NICUs for entry into a research class my sophomore year of high school. Through this class, I was able to contact various professionals working on NICU research. I began to work with a mentor from Augusta University who was researching blood pressure variations in preterm infants. We completed the entire research project by my senior year and it definitely played a major role in my decision to pursue nursing. She (virtually) introduced me to NICU procedures, materials, and staff. I enjoyed every second of the work I was doing and I felt confident doing it as well. My greatest exposure to the field of nursing, however, was when my mom became pregnant in 2020. I learned the most during this 9-month period which was filled with constant hospital appointments and a premature delivery scare. At 25-weeks gestational age, my mom began to feel contractions. We went to the hospital where she was hooked up to various machines so the nurses could monitor her contractions and the baby. I was in the room when her OBGYN came in and told us that she would inject my mom with corticosteroids to develop the baby’s lungs in preparation for a premature birth. She asked my mom to stay overnight and reassured us that if the contractions continued through the night, the labor and delivery team was ready and the NICU nurses were prepared to bring my sister to utmost health. I was impacted by the sense of reassurance, empathy, and gentleness that the nurses brought into the room. After the scare, I went to my mom’s frequent appointments with her OBGYN, weekly iron infusions, and weekly ultrasounds at our local hospital. I learned that there’s a huge empathetic side to nursing, witnessed the exquisite teamwork that takes place within a hospital, and experienced the true impact these nurses have on the families they care for. Witnessing the fluency and confidence of the labor and delivery and NICU teams exposed me to a career that I want to someday be a part of. I hope to contribute towards the survival rates of preterm infants in NICUs after completing my college education. I want to use my education at Boston College to become a smart and hardworking nurse. I aspire to influence the lives of others in the most positive ways while displaying empathy, compassion, and confidence. I believe that the new generation of nurses, which I will be a part of, has to work towards making a change by making healthcare more accessible for minorities. One of my greatest desires is to see the healthcare system become more successful, in terms of research and survival rates, and also to see it expand so that everyone can have access to the basic human necessity of physical and emotional healthcare. My mom’s pregnancy was a huge moment of clarity for me as it turned the seed in my head about going to college for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing into a full-bloomed flower.