Thump-Thump. Thump-Thump. The world becomes a kaleidoscope of colors, swirling around me as I struggle to catch my breath. Gasping for air, I find myself paralyzed, held captive by the invisible chains of anxiety. Tears stream down my cheeks, mingling with the sweat that cascades from my forehead. The bustling sidewalk, a stage of judgmental stares, becomes a theater of vulnerability, my panic attack an unscripted performance. Running was once my escape, a way to break free from the shackles of my anxious mind. What was once freeing now feels like an attempt to outrun my own fears, but anxiety is a shadow that clings tightly to my heels, ever-present, even as I sprint away. These experiences have woven within me a tie of empathy that stretches far beyond my own struggles. My anxiety allows me to connect with many people's struggles and gives me a sense of heightened sensitivity. As I embark on my journey towards becoming a nurse, I carry anxiety with me, both as a strength and a burden, as it enables me to connect with patients on a level beyond words. In the realm of nursing, I see myself as a bridge that can connect patients and physicians. My encounters with anxiety have granted me the gift of seeing the world more sensitively. Diagnoses may change, but feelings remain universal – fear, vulnerability, hope, and resilience. As a future nurse, I aim to reach out with arms of understanding, supporting those with mental health struggles and even general fear in the hospital. Seeking professional help was unlike what I expected. Therapists come across to be hope in the darkness of anxiety. But instead, I found myself adrift, the therapist's words a distant echo that failed to reach the depths of my soul. I was unable to make a genuine connection with her and it seemed like she didn't quite care about my struggles. I felt so isolated. Confused. Alone. This experience has etched a solemn vow within me – to always maintain compassion. As a future nurse, I am more than a caretaker of physical wounds; I am a caretaker of the mind and soul. I will nurture and prioritize my patients' well-being just as much as their physical, providing them with a safe space to grow and heal. My journey with anxiety has not been a curse but a guidance towards a purpose greater than myself. I now embrace the threads of vulnerability and resilience I have grown to understand to bring about hope. As I take the first steps into the realm of nursing, I do so with open arms, ready to embrace the challenges that lie ahead. As I embark on this noble path of nursing, I am humbled by the thought that my own struggles with anxiety can be the catalyst for positive change. My heart swells with the desire to make a difference, to touch lives in a way that brings comfort and solace. Every smile I help bring back and every connection I make as a nurse, will remind me that my journey with anxiety has a purpose greater than myself. As I walk forward, I carry the weight of my experiences with anxiety, but I also carry the promise of a brighter future for my patients. My heart is filled with determination, and my soul echoes with the words of compassion. Through it all, I know that my journey with anxiety has prepared me for this moment – to be the nurse who truly listens, understands, and cares.

Thump-Thump. Thump-Thump. The world becomes a kaleidoscope of colors, swirling around me as I struggle to catch my breath. Gasping for air, I find myself paralyzed, held captive by the invisible chains of anxiety. Tears stream down my cheeks, mingling with the sweat that cascades from my forehead. The bustling sidewalk, a stage of judgmental stares, becomes a theater of vulnerability, my panic attack an unscripted performance. Running was once my escape, a way to break free from the shackles of my anxious mind. What was once freeing now feels like an attempt to outrun my own fears, but anxiety is a shadow that clings tightly to my heels, ever-present, even as I sprint away. These experiences have woven within me a tie of empathy that stretches far beyond my own struggles. My anxiety allows me to connect with many people's struggles and gives me a sense of heightened sensitivity. As I embark on my journey towards becoming a nurse, I carry anxiety with me, both as a strength and a burden, as it enables me to connect with patients on a level beyond words. In the realm of nursing, I see myself as a bridge that can connect patients and physicians. My encounters with anxiety have granted me the gift of seeing the world more sensitively. Diagnoses may change, but feelings remain universal – fear, vulnerability, hope, and resilience. As a future nurse, I aim to reach out with arms of understanding, supporting those with mental health struggles and even general fear in the hospital. Seeking professional help was unlike what I expected. Therapists come across to be hope in the darkness of anxiety. But instead, I found myself adrift, the therapist's words a distant echo that failed to reach the depths of my soul. I was unable to make a genuine connection with her and it seemed like she didn't quite care about my struggles. I felt so isolated. Confused. Alone. This experience has etched a solemn vow within me – to always maintain compassion. As a future nurse, I am more than a caretaker of physical wounds; I am a caretaker of the mind and soul. I will nurture and prioritize my patients' well-being just as much as their physical, providing them with a safe space to grow and heal. My journey with anxiety has not been a curse but a guidance towards a purpose greater than myself. I now embrace the threads of vulnerability and resilience I have grown to understand to bring about hope. As I take the first steps into the realm of nursing, I do so with open arms, ready to embrace the challenges that lie ahead. As I embark on this noble path of nursing, I am humbled by the thought that my own struggles with anxiety can be the catalyst for positive change. My heart swells with the desire to make a difference, to touch lives in a way that brings comfort and solace. Every smile I help bring back and every connection I make as a nurse, will remind me that my journey with anxiety has a purpose greater than myself. As I walk forward, I carry the weight of my experiences with anxiety, but I also carry the promise of a brighter future for my patients. My heart is filled with determination, and my soul echoes with the words of compassion. Through it all, I know that my journey with anxiety has prepared me for this moment – to be the nurse who truly listens, understands, and cares.

Unknowing of the idea of nursing homes, I found normality in multigenerational families living symbiotically under the same roof. Throughout my adolescence, I sorrowfully watched my grandma – my Lola – succumb to Alzheimer’s disease. She was not only my caregiver, but she was also my best friend. My Lola bathed me during my early childhood, provided companionship in walking me to school, shared conversation with me over her home-cooked meals, and comforted me after my parents’ reprimanding. However, her mental state deteriorated to the point where she would continually revert to Tagalog, causing a language barrier that would come to fragment our relationship. Despite this cultural boundary, this role reversal allowed me to return her compassion as her caregiver in which I’d assist her in everyday tasks: managing her medication, cooking meals to meet her nutritional needs, promoting physical therapy, and helping her bathe. Where we were disconnected verbally, our familial bond allowed us to communicate. I did not have to speak her language to know when the showerhead sprayed harshly when it should soothe, or when her stress was insufferable. It was not fair of me to make her assimilate into these modern ways, nor would I be able to immerse her back into her traditional Filipino lifestyle. To reach a compromise, I introduced a tabo (a bucket that holds warm water) into her hygienic routine, offering a more gentle approach to perineal care and bathing to instill a sense of comfort and security. By taking a more culturally-sensitive approach with my grandma, I saw the importance of prioritizing individualized care to bring about greater compassion, a universal language triumphant over any cultural differences. I returned this compassion when gaining the opportunity to complete my own research project at the University of Southern California in their Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences which I would dedicate to the betterment of my grandma’s welfare. In specifying my project around the treatment of Alzheimer’s, I searched for genera and examined its secondary metabolite diversity and biosynthetic potential, pursuing the aims of my supervisor, Dr. Wang. Within the first month of intern researchering, I discovered Trichoderma, a genus with notable Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors that aid in promoting neurotransmission. Through this animate application, I realized biology to be more than the written word of a textbook. Dr. Wang subsequently taught me how to analyze with a comparative genomic approach, guiding my investigation of Trichoderma’s secondary metabolite diversity. With familiarity in regards to gene regulation in bacteria, I efficiently examined Trichoderma’s percentage of clusters with known secondary metabolites and saw this genera’s great pharmaceutical potential in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia and Parkinson's. As I continue to discover Trichoderma’s promise of symptomatic benefits for cognitive decline, the critical thinking and collaborative skills I gained through this experience personally integrate into my ability to provide greater patient care. Nursing’s reach for scientific knowledge in conjunction with altruism brings the study to life. I hope to serve a mission in the Philippines and cultivate a greater patient voice using past experience alongside the knowledge of my environment and the Filipino communities I’d serve in the future. As a nurse, I hope that through patient care, my Lola would see herself within me, and within my practice of inherent benevolence and creation of empathic relationships indicative through nursing. With the magnitude of health conditions, including dementia, rapidly growing, my commitment to contribute greater advancements in nursing research whilst lending a philanthropic hand in patient care would be best fostered through the nursing profession I plan to pursue.

Unknowing of the idea of nursing homes, I found normality in multigenerational families living symbiotically under the same roof. Throughout my adolescence, I sorrowfully watched my Lola succumb to dementia. She was not only my caregiver, but she was also my best friend. My Lola bathed me during my early childhood, provided companionship in walking me to school, had conversations with me over her home-cooked adobo, and shared laughs with me as we watched TFC. However, her mental state deteriorated to the point where she would continually revert to Tagalog, causing a language barrier that would come to fragment our relationship. Despite this cultural boundary, this role reversal allowed me to return her compassion as her caregiver in which I’d assist her in everyday tasks: managing her medication, cooking her meals, promoting physical therapy, and helping her bathe. Where we were disconnected verbally, our familial bond that Filipinos so highly value allowed us to communicate. I did not have to speak her language to know when the showerhead sprayed harshly when her stress was insufferable. It was not fair of me to make her assimilate into these modern ways, nor would I be able to immerse her back into her traditional Filipino lifestyle. To reach a compromise, I introduced a tabo into her hygienic routine, offering a more gentle approach to perineal care and bathing to instill a sense of comfort and security. By using something from our Filipino culture to bring about comfort, I saw the importance of prioritizing individualized care to bring about greater compassion, a universal language triumphant over any cultural differences. Nursing’s reach for scientific knowledge in conjunction with altruism brings the study to life. As a Filipino-American nurse, I hope that through patient care, my Lola would see herself within me, and within my practice of inherent benevolence and creation of empathic relationships indicative through nursing. With the magnitude of health conditions, including dementia, rapidly growing, my commitment to contribute greater advancements in nursing research whilst lending a culturally-sensitive hand in patient care is greatly heightened by the embracement of my Filipino-American identity.

Unknowing of the idea of nursing homes, I found normality in multigenerational families living symbiotically under the same roof. Throughout my adolescence, I sorrowfully watched my grandma – my Lola – succumb to Alzheimer’s disease. She was not only my caregiver, but she was also my best friend. My Lola bathed me during my early childhood, provided companionship in walking me to school, shared conversation with me over her home-cooked meals, and comforted me after my parents’ reprimanding. However, her mental state deteriorated to the point where she would continually revert to Tagalog, causing a language barrier that would come to fragment our relationship. Despite this cultural boundary, this role reversal allowed me to return her compassion as her caregiver in which I’d assist her in everyday tasks: managing her medication, cooking meals to meet her nutritional needs, promoting physical therapy, and helping her bathe. Where we were disconnected verbally, our familial bond allowed us to communicate. I did not have to speak her language to know when the showerhead sprayed harshly when it should soothe, or when her stress was insufferable. It was not fair of me to make her assimilate into these modern ways, nor would I be able to immerse her back into her traditional Filipino lifestyle. To reach a compromise, I introduced a tabo (a bucket that holds warm water) into her hygienic routine, offering a more gentle approach to perineal care and bathing to instill a sense of comfort and security. By taking a more culturally-sensitive approach with my grandma, I saw the importance of prioritizing individualized care to bring about greater compassion, a universal language triumphant over any cultural differences. I returned this compassion when gaining the opportunity to complete my own research project at the University of Southern California in their Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences which I would dedicate to the betterment of my grandma’s welfare. In specifying my project around the treatment of Alzheimer’s, I searched for genera and examined its secondary metabolite diversity and biosynthetic potential, pursuing the aims of my supervisor, Dr. Wang. Within the first month of intern researchering, I discovered Trichoderma, a genus with notable Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors that aid in promoting neurotransmission. Through this animate application, I realized biology to be more than the written word of a textbook. Dr. Wang subsequently taught me how to analyze with a comparative genomic approach, guiding my investigation of Trichoderma’s secondary metabolite diversity. With familiarity in regards to gene regulation in bacteria, I efficiently examined Trichoderma’s percentage of clusters with known secondary metabolites and saw this genera’s great pharmaceutical potential in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia and Parkinson's. As I continue to discover Trichoderma’s promise of symptomatic benefits for cognitive decline, the critical thinking and collaborative skills I gained through this experience personally integrate into my ability to provide greater patient care. Nursing’s reach for scientific knowledge in conjunction with altruism brings the study to life. I hope to cultivate a greater patient voice using past experience alongside the knowledge of my environment and the communities I’d serve in the future. As a nurse, I hope that through patient care, my Lola would see herself within me, and my practice of inherent benevolence and creation of empathic relationships indicative through nursing. With the magnitude of health conditions, including dementia, rapidly growing, my commitment to contribute greater advancements in nursing research whilst lending a philanthropic hand in patient care would be best fostered through the nursing profession.

Unknowing of the idea of nursing homes, I found normality in multigenerational families living symbiotically under the same roof. Throughout my adolescence, I sorrowfully watched my grandma – my Lola – succumb to Alzheimer’s disease. She was not only my caregiver, but she was also my best friend. My Lola bathed me during my early childhood, provided companionship in walking me to school, shared conversation with me over her home-cooked meals, and comforted me after my parents’ reprimanding. However, her mental state deteriorated to the point where she would continually revert to Tagalog, causing a language barrier that would come to fragment our relationship. Despite this cultural boundary, this role reversal allowed me to return her compassion as her caregiver in which I’d assist her in everyday tasks: managing her medication, cooking meals to meet her nutritional needs, promoting physical therapy, and helping her bathe. Where we were disconnected verbally, our familial bond allowed us to communicate. I did not have to speak her language to know when the showerhead sprayed harshly when it should soothe, or when her stress was insufferable. It was not fair of me to make her assimilate into these modern ways, nor would I be able to immerse her back into her traditional Filipino lifestyle. To reach a compromise, I introduced a tabo (a bucket that holds warm water) into her hygienic routine, offering a more gentle approach to perineal care and bathing to instill a sense of comfort and security. By taking a more culturally-sensitive approach with my grandma, I saw the importance of prioritizing individualized care to bring about greater compassion, a universal language triumphant over any cultural differences. I returned this compassion when gaining the opportunity to complete my own research project at the University of Southern California in their Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences which I would dedicate to the betterment of my grandma’s welfare. In specifying my project around the treatment of Alzheimer’s, I searched for genera and examined its secondary metabolite diversity and biosynthetic potential, pursuing the aims of my supervisor, Dr. Wang. Within the first month of intern researchering, I discovered Trichoderma, a genus with notable Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors that aid in promoting neurotransmission. Through this animate application, I realized biology to be more than the written word of a textbook. Dr. Wang subsequently taught me how to analyze with a comparative genomic approach, guiding my investigation of Trichoderma’s secondary metabolite diversity. With familiarity in regards to gene regulation in bacteria, I efficiently examined Trichoderma’s percentage of clusters with known secondary metabolites and saw this genera’s great pharmaceutical potential in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia and Parkinson's. As I continue to discover Trichoderma’s promise of symptomatic benefits for cognitive decline, the critical thinking and collaborative skills I gained through this experience personally integrate into my ability to provide greater patient care. Nursing’s reach for scientific knowledge in conjunction with altruism brings the study to life. I hope to cultivate a greater patient voice using past experience alongside the knowledge of my environment and the communities I’d serve in the future. As a nurse, I hope that through patient care, my Lola would see herself within me, and within my practice of inherent benevolence and creation of empathic relationships indicative through nursing. With the magnitude of health conditions, including dementia, rapidly growing, my commitment to contribute greater advancements in nursing research whilst lending a philanthropic hand in patient care would be best fostered through the nursing profession.

Unknowing of the idea of nursing homes, I found normality in multigenerational families living symbiotically under the same roof. Throughout my adolescence, I sorrowfully watched my grandma – my Lola – succumb to Alzheimer’s disease. She was not only my caregiver, but she was also my best friend. My Lola bathed me during my early childhood, provided companionship in walking me to school, shared conversation with me over her home-cooked meals, and comforted me after my parents’ reprimanding. However, her mental state deteriorated to the point where she would continually revert to Tagalog, causing a language barrier that would come to fragment our relationship. Despite this cultural boundary, this role reversal allowed me to return her compassion as her caregiver in which I’d assist her in everyday tasks: managing her medication, cooking meals to meet her nutritional needs, promoting physical therapy, and helping her bathe. Where we were disconnected verbally, our familial bond allowed us to communicate. I did not have to speak her language to know when the showerhead sprayed harshly when it should soothe, or when her stress was insufferable. It was not fair of me to make her assimilate into these modern ways, nor would I be able to immerse her back into her traditional Filipino lifestyle. To reach a compromise, I introduced a tabo (a bucket that holds warm water) into her hygienic routine, offering a more gentle approach to perineal care and bathing to instill a sense of comfort and security. By taking a more culturally-sensitive approach with my grandma, I saw the importance of prioritizing individualized care to bring about greater compassion, a universal language triumphant over any cultural differences. I returned this compassion when gaining the opportunity to complete my own research project at the University of Southern California in their Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences which I would dedicate to the betterment of my grandma’s welfare. In specifying my project around the treatment of Alzheimer’s, I searched for genera and examined its secondary metabolite diversity and biosynthetic potential, pursuing the aims of my supervisor, Dr. Wang. Within the first month of intern researchering, I discovered Trichoderma, a genus with notable Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors that aid in promoting neurotransmission. Through this animate application, I realized biology to be more than the written word of a textbook. Dr. Wang subsequently taught me how to analyze with a comparative genomic approach, guiding my investigation of Trichoderma’s secondary metabolite diversity. With familiarity in regards to gene regulation in bacteria, I efficiently examined Trichoderma’s percentage of clusters with known secondary metabolites and saw this genera’s great pharmaceutical potential in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases, such as dementia and Parkinson's. As I continue to discover Trichoderma’s promise of symptomatic benefits for cognitive decline, the critical thinking and collaborative skills I gained through this experience personally integrate into my ability to provide greater patient care. Nursing’s reach for scientific knowledge in conjunction with altruism brings the study to life. I hope to cultivate a greater patient voice using past experience alongside the knowledge of my environment and the communities I’d serve in the future. As a nurse, I hope that through patient care, my Lola would see herself within me, and within my practice of inherent benevolence and creation of empathic relationships indicative through nursing. With the magnitude of health conditions, including dementia, rapidly growing, my commitment to contribute greater advancements in nursing research whilst lending a philanthropic hand in patient care would be best fostered through the nursing profession.