Friendship means having someone by your side no matter what. Friendship means being with someone through the good times and the bad times. If it wasn't for my closest friend, I honestly do not think I would be here writing this essay. My best friend always stands up for me, tells me the truth even when I do not want to hear it, always makes sure I am safe, and always supports my dreams and goals. True friendship means that you can talk to that person about anything and never feel like you are being judged. I have always felt safe opening up to her when I had no one els to talk to. We have known each other for over 15 years and have moved around so much. Even though we do not live close by anymore, we still always make time to drive to each others houses and visit every couple of months. A true friend is always there for you even if they are miles away. I believe that it is so much better to have one really incredible best friend then many different people who are not truly there for you. Life can be so rough sometimes but I am glad that I have a best friend to conquer it with.

Being there for someone and showing zero judgement is a great way to help people who are struggling with mental health. Everyone struggles with mental health in their own way. Some people show they are struggling, while others don't. I think it is important to notice the signs of someone struggling with a mental illness. Many people are too afraid to advocate for themselves and for others. We see people posting on social media on a daily basis; whether they post something positive or negative. I have seen people post depressing photos and their comments would even be upsetting. Yet, no one writes back to see if that person is okay. I have notice that people like to be watchers and not do anything when theres something clearly going on. For example, when you see an accident on the side of the road, if you pay attention close enough you can see that a lot of people are looking and taking videos. I think that mental health needs to be addressed more in schools and our work places. It seems like most people are ashamed to talk about their mental health when it is clearly one of the most important things in our lives. My mother has been struggling with major depression, anxiety, PTSD, and suicidal thoughts for over 20 years now. She told me that she doesn't think she would be struggling this much if someone had helped her years ago.

My academic goal is to start the nursing program next spring semester. I will never forget the day that my mom's doctor came into our hospital room to tell us that she had stomach cancer. In 2013, my mother was diagnosed with stomach cancer and had to undergo many different procedures to take out the massive tumor that was growing on her spine. To this day, I remember every single nurse my mom had in the past and the ones she currently sees now. My mom reminds me once in a while that if it wasn't for the few incredible nurses she has had, she wouldn't have survived the cancer treatments. Nurses are so important and some people don’t realize how much they can make a difference in someone's life. It’s not only about giving medical care to the patients, it’s also about connecting with the patients and their loved ones during these difficult times. I want to be a nurse who takes that extra step to really connect with their patients and be there for them physically and mentally. Nurses play a huge role in our society by advocating for health promotions, providing care and support, educating the public and patients on preventing injury and illnesses. I have such a big heart for those who are battling cancer and struggle with a mental illness. I want to be able to advocate for those who can not stand up for themselves and get them back on their feet. I am hoping to go to college to become a nurse and hopefully continue my education to become a physician assistant. I have so much love to share with others and I want to be given the chance to take care of others. For the longest time, I thought I would not be able to go to college and continue my education because my family struggles with money on a daily basis. Thankfully, there are many scholarship opportunities for students like me. For those who are donating money for students to be able to go to college, this is a huge help and gives us so much hope. My mother always told me that she wishes she could go back in time and get her bachelors degree. Getting an education has always been a blessing because not everyone in the world is lucky enough to be able to get one. I have always dreamed about going to college and getting a degree. I have always dreamed about receiving my diploma and walking on the stage. No matter how hard life got, I would always make sure that I kept up on my studies because I knew how important it was to keep my grades up. I come from a low income home; meaning that my family has gone through so much that an average family does not have to go through. We have struggled to pay rent, get groceries, get new clothes, etc. Thankfully, there are resources out there that have helped a lot but we still have our struggles. Getting an education means that I will be able to pursue a career that I am very passionate about and be able to provide for my family because they deserve to have everything they want. I want to be able to wake up everyday feeling so blessed that I get to do something I love every single day.

Continuing my education: My academic goals are to get my BSN and become the best possible nurse I can be. I will never forget the day that my mom's doctor came into our hospital room to tell us that she had stomach cancer. In 2013, my mother was diagnosed with stomach cancer and had to undergo many different procedures to take out the massive tumor that was growing on her spine. To this day, I remember every single nurse my mom had in the past and the ones she currently sees now. My mom reminds me once in a while that if it wasn't for the few incredible nurses she has had, she wouldn't have survived the cancer treatments. Nurses are so important and some people don’t realize how much they can make a difference in someone's life. It’s not only about giving medical care to the patients, it’s also about connecting with the patients and their loved ones during these difficult times. I want to be a nurse who takes that extra step to really connect with their patients and be there for them physically and mentally. Nurses play a huge role in our society by advocating for health promotions, providing care and support, educating the public and patients on preventing injury and illnesses. I have such a big heart for those who are battling cancer and struggle with a mental illness. I want to be able to advocate for those who can not stand up for themselves and get them back on their feet. I am hoping to go to college to become a nurse and hopefully continue my education to become a physician assistant. I have so much love to share with others and I want to be given the chance to take care of others. For the longest time, I thought I would not be able to go to college and continue my education because my family struggles with money on a daily basis. Thankfully, there are many scholarship opportunities for students like me. For those who are donating money for students to be able to go to college, this is a huge help and gives us so much hope. I will be graduating this spring with my Associates in Psychology and will be starting the nursing program in January 2023. This fall, I will be taking my last couple of courses before I can officially start the nursing program. I also plan to volunteer at my local hospital to gain more experience. I am very interested in being an oncology nurse or a psy nurse.

My academic goals are to get my BSN and become the best nurse I can possibly be. I will never forget the day that my mom's doctor came into our hospital room to tell us that she had stomach cancer. In 2013, my mother was diagnosed with stomach cancer and had to undergo many different procedures to take out the massive tumor that was growing on her spine. To this day, I remember every single nurse my mom had in the past and the ones she currently sees now. My mom reminds me once in a while that if it wasn't for the few incredible nurses she has had, she wouldn't have survived the cancer treatments. Nurses are so important and some people don’t realize how much they can make a difference in someone's life. It’s not only about giving medical care to the patients, it’s also about connecting with the patients and their loved ones during these difficult times. I want to be a nurse who takes that extra step to really connect with their patients and be there for them physically and mentally. Nurses play a huge role in our society by advocating for health promotions, providing care and support, educating the public and patients on preventing injury and illnesses. I have such a big heart for those who are battling cancer and struggle with a mental illness. I want to be able to advocate for those who can not stand up for themselves and get them back on their feet. I am hoping to go to college to become a nurse and hopefully continue my education to become a physician assistant. I have so much love to share with others and I want to be given the chance to take care of others. For the longest time, I thought I would not be able to go to college and continue my education because my family struggles with money on a daily basis. Thankfully, there are many scholarship opportunities for students like me. For those who are donating money for students to be able to go to college, this is a huge help and gives us so much hope.

My academic goals are to transfer to Kettering College and start the nursing program next spring semester. I will never forget the day that my mom's doctor came into our hospital room to tell us that she had stomach cancer. In 2013, my mother was diagnosed with stomach cancer and had to undergo many different procedures to take out the massive tumor that was growing on her spine. To this day, I remember every single nurse my mom had in the past and the ones she currently sees now. My mom reminds me once in a while that if it wasn't for the few incredible nurses she has had, she wouldn't have survived the cancer treatments. Nurses are so important and some people don’t realize how much they can make a difference in someone's life. It’s not only about giving medical care to the patients, it’s also about connecting with the patients and their loved ones during these difficult times. I want to be a nurse who takes that extra step to really connect with their patients and be there for them physically and mentally. Nurses play a huge role in our society by advocating for health promotions, providing care and support, educating the public and patients on preventing injury and illnesses. I have such a big heart for those who are battling cancer and struggle with a mental illness. I want to be able to advocate for those who can not stand up for themselves and get them back on their feet. I am hoping to go to college to become a nurse and hopefully continue my education to become a physician assistant. I have so much love to share with others and I want to be given the chance to take care of others. For the longest time, I thought I would not be able to go to college and continue my education because my family struggles with money on a daily basis. Thankfully, there are many scholarship opportunities for students like me. For those who are donating money for students to be able to go to college, this is a huge help and gives us so much hope. I like to read books about psychology and mental health. I have learned so much from them and think my knowledge will be very beneficial in the nursing field.

My academic goals are to transfer to Kettering College and start the nursing program next spring semester. I will never forget the day that my mom's doctor came into our hospital room to tell us that she had stomach cancer. In 2013, my mother was diagnosed with stomach cancer and had to undergo many different procedures to take out the massive tumor that was growing on her spine. To this day, I remember every single nurse my mom had in the past and the ones she currently sees now. My mom reminds me once in a while that if it wasn't for the few incredible nurses she has had, she wouldn't have survived the cancer treatments. Nurses are so important and some people don’t realize how much they can make a difference in someone's life. It’s not only about giving medical care to the patients, it’s also about connecting with the patients and their loved ones during these difficult times. I want to be a nurse who takes that extra step to really connect with their patients and be there for them physically and mentally. Nurses play a huge role in our society by advocating for health promotions, providing care and support, educating the public and patients on preventing injury and illnesses. I have such a big heart for those who are battling cancer and struggle with a mental illness. I want to be able to advocate for those who can not stand up for themselves and get them back on their feet. I am hoping to go to college to become a nurse and hopefully continue my education to become a physician assistant. I have so much love to share with others and I want to be given the chance to take care of others. For the longest time, I thought I would not be able to go to college and continue my education because my family struggles with money on a daily basis. Thankfully, there are many scholarship opportunities for students like me. For those who are donating money for students to be able to go to college, this is a huge help and gives us so much hope.

My academic goals are to transfer to Kettering College and start the nursing program next spring semester. I will never forget the day that my mom's doctor came into our hospital room to tell us that she had stomach cancer. In 2013, my mother was diagnosed with stomach cancer and had to undergo many different procedures to take out the massive tumor that was growing on her spine. To this day, I remember every single nurse my mom had in the past and the ones she currently sees now. My mom reminds me once in a while that if it wasn't for the few incredible nurses she has had, she wouldn't have survived the cancer treatments. Nurses are so important and some people don’t realize how much they can make a difference in someone's life. It’s not only about giving medical care to the patients, it’s also about connecting with the patients and their loved ones during these difficult times. I want to be a nurse who takes that extra step to really connect with their patients and be there for them physically and mentally. Nurses play a huge role in our society by advocating for health promotions, providing care and support, educating the public and patients on preventing injury and illnesses. I have such a big heart for those who are battling cancer and struggle with a mental illness. I want to be able to advocate for those who can not stand up for themselves and get them back on their feet. I am hoping to go to college to become a nurse and hopefully continue my education to become a physician assistant. I have so much love to share with others and I want to be given the chance to take care of others. For the longest time, I thought I would not be able to go to college and continue my education because my family struggles with money on a daily basis. Thankfully, there are many scholarship opportunities for students like me. For those who are donating money for students to be able to go to college, this is a huge help and gives us so much hope. Getting an education has always been one of my goals and it is so important to me. Growing up in a low income home, we have struggled on a daily basis. I hope to get my BSN and help people in my community who have had the same struggles as my family.

I remember the three different times that my mother tried to take her own life away. I remember feeling so scared and hopeless while I watched my mother destroy her own body. The first time my mom tried to hurt herself is when I was only 11 years old. The first thought most people have is, "why would a mother do this in front of her kids"? And the truth is, theres no real explanation but I have never blamed her for anything. It is hard to understand unless you have gone through the same thing. Depression can be such a deadly illness and it does not matter who is around. Depression starts to affect the brains chemical balances which can cause so many side affects. This illness can take complete control of your mind and body. To this day, my mother still struggles daily to survive and to continue living. Thankfully, she found a wonderful therapist to speak to and was able to get on medication that has stable her illness. I worry every single day that I am going to come home to my mother not breathing. Because of this, I struggle with depression and major anxiety. I have found a therapist for myself and she has helped a lot. Many people think going to a therapist makes you weak but in reality, I think it makes someone a whole lot stronger. I understand that mental health is so important and I was go beyond for my friends and family to make sure they are truly doing okay. Many people tend to hid behind a fake smile and it is so important to be able to tell when someone is just hiding behind a mask. I think one of the big issues in our community is that people are afraid to speak up and feel ashamed. I believe mental health needs to be talked about more in schools and at work. I am hoping to become a nurse and specialize in mental health so that I can help others like my mother and myself.

In 2013, my mother was diagnosed with stomach cancer and had to undergo many different procedures to take out the massive tumor that was growing on her spine. To this day, I never take anything for granted. I am so lucky that my mother is still with us and I treat everyday like it is our last. No one is guaranteed tomorrow; it is important to appreciate the little things in life and do everything you can to be an extraordinary person. I am very grateful for my beautiful little family and friends. Some of the things that make me happy are volunteering in my community, walking my dog, spending time with my mother and sister, educating the public on women's health, and learning new things in life.