“No influence is as powerful as that of a mother”. Attending college and being successful has always been my dream. I have already had this goal of being a pediatrician as early as 8 years old. Although my dreams have definitely changed since then, my goal of carrying on with my education has not. My determination to strive for the best and to be successful in life is because of the unending love, support, and inspiration from my mother.

When I was thirteen I found out that I was going to be moving to the United States. My parents made this decision to provide me and my sisters the opportunity to have a better life. I was born in the Philippines and the idea of leaving the place that I grew up in and the people I grew up with behind was difficult for me to take in. I lived in Skokie for the first couple months and I struggled with adjusting, talking to others and making friends since English wasn’t my first language. I didn’t attend school until my family moved to Oak Lawn. In the beginning I was as quiet as a lonely flower, I felt different and I didn’t have any confidence in myself. Then I realized this flower isn’t going to bloom if I kept holding myself back. This motivated me to be the very determined individual that I am today. Another reason that fueled my desire to achieve in what I do is my mother. Prior to moving to the United States, my Mom was a successful nurse and she needed to give up things in her life in order to provide me with a better one. Knowing how she struggled and how hard she worked for her children, I realized how blessed I am to have a mother who truly cares.

My mother simply amazes me. Looking at her, I completely appreciate what I have been given. She was willing to give up a big part of her life to provide me with better opportunities. When my family moved to the United States, my mother had to leave everything behind and start over. She had to go to her temporary job in the day while she took classes at night to review for her nursing licensure exam. She had to learn how to drive and adjust to the new life. Also, my parents had marital issues and this made my mother the strong-willed woman that she is now. Through her own struggles and sacrifices, my mother taught me the value of good education and has inspired me to pursue my dreams. I remember my mother telling me, “I may not be able to give you everything, but education is something I can give you that will last throughout your entire life”. I used to work hard in school just for the grades, but she had taught me that the value of education is priceless it is something that is going to shape me for the rest of my life. Now I want to explore, and I strive to know more. She has unquestioningly supported my hunger for knowledge and I acknowledge her dedication to my education and helping others by working hard in school and getting good grades.

My love for medicine and helping others has been growing ever since I was a little girl. I would put on my mother’s stethoscope and take care of my fictitious patients. While most young girls were playing with dolls and having tea parties, I was pretending to be a nurse just like both my parents. They have been such an inspiration not only to me but also to my sisters who are both currently in college taking up Bachelor of Science in Nursing. My mother is passionate with what she does and her dedication in helping other people has inspired me to work hard in order to achieve academically. Also, she encourages my love of learning and determination to attend college. I’ve accompanied her while visiting her patients, and I think it’s an honor to be a part of the healing process of other people and be able to help them live a better life. My sisters and I grew up with asthma and we would spend weeks in the hospital. I’ve spent a lot of time in hospitals and seeing the hardship that sick people have to go through made me realize what my calling is. My goal is to pursue a medical degree and be able to help people live healthy lives.

I’ve been a diligent student the past four years and I strive to achieve my goals with the best of my ability. I am more than excited to take the next leap into college and am determined to be a successful individual. Every time I make decisions for the future I always keep in mind what my mother has done for me and if not for her I wouldn’t be blessed with such a promising future. My mother is a wonderful role model and an inspiring example of excellence. Her dedication to my success had taught me not to wait around but to grab all opportunities with open arms instead.