Artefact #1 – My Acceptance Letter
Throughout my education, I have never really struggled with keeping up with school. I was always able to maintain a high average and stay on top of all of my course work. When it came to studying for tests, I had a routine down and would make it my top priority to make sure I knew everything I needed to do forwards and backwards. By the time grade eleven hit, I began to struggle with school. I had courses that I did not understand why I could not do well with the material and did not know how to reach out for help to resolve this. Due to my grade eleven struggles, it prevented me from having a high enough grade average to confidently apply for early university acceptances. The next year in grade twelve, my school motivation declined dramatically. I no longer had high grades and did not want to continue in STEM based courses. When I recieved my acceptance letter to the Trent/ Fleming School of Nursing BCsN program, I was over the moon. I did not believe that I actually got into a university after all my struggles in school. This acceptance was the only full four year program at a University program I was accepted to. The letter not only motivated me the rest of the school year to maintain the average needed, but it also proved that I really did it and was able to fulfill my childhood dream of going to university.
Artefact #2 – My Heart Surgery
When I was born, I was born with a hole in my heart. It was not a major case, but it did need to be closed surgically. At around the age of seven, I went into surgery to fix my hole. I remember going to the Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto and always being around this one nurse. She did everything with me whether it was arts and crafts, bringing me special snacks, taking me on walks or even just explaining what is going to happen when I go into the procedure. I even went with her to meet the doctor and to pick out the “flavour” of anesthetic I preferred, I remember picking Skittles. She was there to take me into surgery and was there when I woke up. This nurse went above all expectations when making me feel comfortable at this scary time. Although I do not remember her name, she is the reason I wanted to become a nurse. Her kindness, compassion and friendliness is what made me want to help other kids who are in similar situations as I once was. Even though she does not know it, she is who I look up to when I think of one day becoming a nurse and it continues to motivate me each day to finish assignments and keep up with content to one day get my degree and licence.
Artefact #3 – My Dream Unit
After having a personal experience in the Sick Kids Hospital, my dream unit to work in would be pediatrics. For the longest time I believed I wanted to work in a cardiology unit because that’s what I needed my surgery for. It was not until recently that I decided pediatrics was where I really wanted to be. I am choosing pediatrics because I want to be able to help kids not be scared to go into surgerys’ or even just being in the hospital environment, just like that kind nurse did for me. I want kids to look up to me as someone they can trust to lead them through their tough times. By having my own experience as a young child in a scary hospital setting, I know first hand how to help these kids to make them feel the most comfortable because I also went through something similar at their age. Another reason I would love to work in a pediatrics unit is because I have always loved being around kids. They bring so much joy to even just a simple conversation and I know that I would do well in being by their sides. Although my dreams may change after beginning to work in clinical settings, I am hoping I will get to one day work in pediatrics.
Artefact #4 – Mr Lloyd, My Grade Twelve Chemistry Teacher
Grade twelve was by far my most challenging year, both academically and socially. I struggled with multiple conflicts amongst friends, which overall made it very hard to focus on maintaining my school work. I also struggled with understanding the content of specifically chemistry and biology. My chemistry teacher, Mr Lloyd, knew of my struggles and reached out to offer extra support every morning during my spares and his prep periods. We worked together on going through slide shows over and over again as well as on extra practice worksheets until I understood the concepts. Mr Lloyd helped me reach the grade I needed to keep my Trent University offer of Admission, and continued to go above and beyond when helping me keep my dreams. He is and forever will be one of the teachers I will be grateful for having in my highschool years. Mr Lloyd taught me to never give up and that even when something does not seem possible, as long as I try and put effort into it, I will not regret it. In my eyes, he is the reason I got the opportunity to go to Trent for my post-secondary education.
Artefact #5 – My Grandmother
For as long as I can remember, my grandmother has always wanted me to become a doctor. Becoming a doctor has not been something that has been an interest in something I want to pursue for my lifetime career. Fortunately, I found my calling in becoming a nurse. Although they are not the same career, I believe that becoming a nurse will be better than becoming a doctor because I get to be with patients longer while they recover. Recently, I found out that the reason my grandmother was so persistent in me becoming a doctor was because if I were to go to university, I would be the first in my family to attend. My aunts, uncles, and parents have all attended college for their post-secondary education, and I am the first to pursue mine in a university. Even though I did not know this before accepting my offer to Trent University, it has definitely been one of my motivations for finishing my degree. I am not motivated because I want to be the first in my family, I am motivated because I want to prove to my family that I can go to nursing school and successfully achieve my degree at a university like I had dreamed of since being a child.