Children often inspire to become a person of importance based on the people they see around them, the ideas their parents instill in them, or based on what they see or hear through media outlets. Growing up, I was not surrounded by people of incredibly high career stature, like doctors and lawyers. In fact, becoming a teacher is probably what most girls in Elementary School wanted to accomplish. Not to say a career in teaching is not important but I wanted to help people in a different way. In the fourth grade, I witnessed a classmate fall down and was asked to accompany her to the nurse’s office. This was my first time observing a “clean up and bandage” routine from a nurse. As minor as this experience was, it triggered an interest in me that never left.

While attending Stony Brook University, I worked at Maryhaven Center of Hope as a Direct Care Counselor. This job entitled me to be the eyes, ears, and minds of the mentally and physically disabled, as well as autistic individuals that lived there. This experience showed me the extent of how important primary care givers, as well as, medical personnel are. I had the opportunity to speak with a nurse administering medication to my individual one day, and I questioned her career path. To sum up her response, she replied that in addition to being paid very well, she found it to be very fulfilling in helping her patients.

Facing my senior year in College, I had Health Science as a declared major and felt it was too late to change. I decided to do personal search on nursing schools in New York State. The Nursing program at New York City College of Technology was very appealing to me because of its cost and distance from home. I then attended the information session to learn more about the program. After meeting the staff, learning about the affordable tuition, having my transcript reviewed, and knowing the convenience of being a 15-minute train ride away from home; I realized this was the program for me. The admission staff made it very clear that the program was intense, and will take a lot of hard work and vigor to get through.

In 2010, I returned to school to pursue a career in nursing while working a full-time job because I did not feel satisfied with my everyday 9 to 5 job. While doing so, I became a volunteer at the Marcus Garvey Nursing Home on weekends for a year and half. This volunteer experience was sort of the icing on the cake that made me realize I really craved a career in the Health care field, because I found helping and tending to others was gratifying. Since then, I am proud to say I was accepted by New York City College of Technology Associate Nursing Program in Fall of 2013 and have completed it. The next chapter in my book is to go on and receive my Bachelors degree in Nursing. I’ve already taken the necessary steps towards my goal, and I hope that the drive I have along with the financial help I could possibly receive will be of great help in attaining my dreams to further my education in being a Registered Nurse.