The vision of the University Honors Program is “Developing students into global citizen scholars who lead innovative efforts towards solving the world's complex problems.” To me, this means seeking out diversity and new experiences in my everyday interactions. I must not be afraid of differences and change, but rather embrace them wholeheartedly. It means being involved in and caring about many communities, not just those that make up and surround the university. Additionally, I have an obligation to excel at my academics, and to succeed in the classroom. School is the perfect playground for exploring my own capabilities of innovation, of forging new paths not yet traveled. This time of safe trial and error is so important to both my learning and future endeavors.

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This year I experienced many firsts, all of which have brought me closer towards becoming a global citizen scholar in my own right. I completed my first year of nursing school, had my first clinical rotation, and sat through my first round of true HESI exams. Unlike my personal definition of a global citizen scholar, I am someone who is typically very uncomfortable with change, and trying new things is always a very anxiety-inducing experience for me. In short, I like to reside in my comfort zone, where everything is safe and familiar, but these recent semesters pushed me so far beyond that. While it was certainly a shock to my system, and I often felt like I was floundering helplessly in an ocean of the unknown, especially at the beginning, I learned so much, far more than I would have in my safe little bubble.

           

Going from practicing new skills on dummies in lab to interacting with real patients in a hospital setting was quite the transition for me, and I admittedly struggled. I was so afraid of messing up and felt completely inadequate, even as a student nurse. At first, I even avoided my patients, and waited until the last possible moment to complete my required tasks. Nonetheless, with every passing week, I grew more comfortable on the unit and in my role and was able to suppress my crippling anxieties that kept me from performing to the best of my abilities. Fully embracing these changes and my new learning environment was far from easy, but I am grateful for the experience and ultimately feel more prepared for the clinical rotations to come.

           

Although, I still harbor plenty of insecurities regarding my future courses, I have confidence in my abilities to adjust and overcome. I would be lying if I said the thought of starting all over in an entirely new facility next semester is not daunting, but I know that I am capable and can rely on the skills I have gained thus far to succeed. Because I hope to pursue a nursing co-op next summer and inevitably wish to pursue a nursing career in obstetrics, the upcoming year and consequential OB rotation are especially important to both my knowledge and achievement in this field.