Abundance in April

By: Kayla Tejero

 

The word April derives from the Latin “aperire” meaning “to open.” This month is all about opening, new beginnings, new opportunities. It is in April that we see the blossoming of the fl owers and trees starting to show off their greens again. Personally, this month is just opening me to many windows of new beginnings. What surprises me this month is the tremendous new opportunities crossing my path. I am so humbled to share that I successfully passed my nursing exam, and am beginning to settle my feet into the career of nursing. So far, it has been a positive experience. I am fi nally able to take care of patients, educate them about their care and treatment, and meet with the families and build that professional relationship based on trust and rapport. I knew nursing is a very rewarding and noble job. Looking at the near future, I will be starting a new journey of working in a hospital. This has been a dream job for me and I am just excited to experience a dream unfolding into a reality. If there is one thing I can advise to college students out there, or to our young generation in general, it is to reach for the stars and aim high. I strongly believe in working hard and earning what you have or wanted in life. No dream is too out of reach, but it depends on the effort and work that is put in. May this month bring all of us a new beginning, new mindset, new focus, new start, new intentions, and new results! Let us hear from our four featured college students!

Christelle Santos says, “In the future, I hope to become an APRN and start my own practice while doing my online business as well. I’ll work even harder after graduation to achieve my goals and give my mom a life she deserves.”

Kate Cabrera says “As an Asian American college student and the fi rst one in my family to attend college in America, I have always felt as though my main focus is to be proud of myself, and ensure my parents are proud of me as well. I want to make my parents proud and work just as hard as they did. Hopefully, one day I will be able to afford to give them a big gift in return.”

Ramani Kala says, “Being a nursing student, I have defi nitely set expectations and goals for myself in terms of my education and career. I am currently on my chapter’s executive board of the Student Nurses’ Association, as well as working as a patient care technician. I hope to graduate in May 2024 with my BSN. I wish to work as an ICU nurse working towards my MSN/DNP.”

Shaniah Gangoso, “After my graduation I hope to pursue nursing in a way that overcomes the stereotype people automatically have just because I am a Filipino nurse. I want to become a skilled and caring nurse that touches the life of each patient I work with. My eyes are set on becoming a successful CRNA in the future. I also want to work in the Filipino community where I can inspire other Filipinos to embrace their culture without feeling like they have to supplement who they are.”

Christelle Santos, Freshman
BS Nursing / Northwestern Connecticut
State Community

Kate Angela Cabrera, Sophomore
BS Nursing
University of Illinois at Chicago

Ramani Kala, Junior
BS Nursing
Aurora University

Shaniah Gangoso, Senior
BS Nursing / The Adventist
University of the Philippines