Christina Merritt

I see life as a book that consists of many chapters. The first chapter of my life has just begun. I have learned that I have strengths that I can excel in and weaknesses that I can overcome. I also have a voice that has power and deserves to be heard. I cherish life because I understand that nothing is wrong with being poor, abandoned, abused multiracial, different, intelligent, creative, young, or a female. Those characteristics define Christina Merritt, and I am proud of who I am.
My goal in education is to attend a wonderful university and to major in pediatric nursing. Because of the abandonment of my mother and father when I was only two years old, I am incredibly passionate about working with children. I want to provide children with the nurturing, compassion, and support that I missed in my early years. Thus, I am willing to put in effort and time and to dedicate myself to the steps necessary to become a pediatric nurse. I am ready and eager for the rigorous coursework necessary for achieving my dream. I can already imagine the relief and pleasure of one day seeing the name “Registered Nurse Christina Merritt” on my badge, and I feel certain that it will be worth all my years of effort. Perhaps much later, I can even mentor and train future nurses.
As a child, I was raised by my grandmother, but she died on November 5th, 2013. I no longer have a legal guardian. My grandmother has always been the sole financial provider in my life. She did not have any money from her public assistance to leave to the family because at her death she was 86 and had been ill for many years. After her death I have continued living with my aunt. My aunt is unemployed and suffers severely from diabetes and cannot work. Due to my aunt’s unemployment status she is unable to provide the finances needed for me to attend college.
Being abandoned as a child fueled my desire to want to become a pediatric nurse. I want to give to children what my biological parents did not provide me with, which was their heart and time. The death of my grandmother has also caused me to cherish life much more and to desire to make her proud in heaven. Assisting her while she was alive helped me to become an affectionate person. My grandmother was always one to offer a kind word or special meal, and her Japanese upbringing instilled the true meaning of honor and humility into her and her family. My grandmother truly leaves a legacy of love, sacrifice, and commitment. Because my grandmother instilled great wisdom in me, I plan on creating an organization focusing on child abandonment, to give them shelter and love. My grandmother taught me skills, abilities, and talents that will help me build a stable family and be a provider for others.
I want to heal others and express my talents within the community. I will use my intended major of becoming a pediatric nurse to become a vital contributor to the St. Louis workforce and community by helping to save many children’s lives and improving their quality of life as they cope with their conditions. I plan to make many patients’ hospital stays comfortable. I want to give children immediate medical attention and assist them with my time and effort to make them feel better. I think the best part of being a pediatric nurse would be reading to the children, playing with them, and just keeping their spirits positive.
In addition to working as a nurse, I would like to travel to local elementary and high schools to educate students on issues affecting their health. Because my aunt has suffered with diabetes for several years I know the significance of maintaining a healthy diet and exercising consistently. I plan to encourage children with diabetes to eat healthily and exercise. I also want to be a factor in informing children on the risks of cancer. My biological mother was recently diagnosed with cancer. She had a bad habit of smoking, and I want to inform children about the risks of smoking and stress how important it is to never start such a terrible habit. Finally, I am aware of the emotional disadvantages of dealing with adversities such as abuse. I want to give all sick or mistreated children love and inspiration. I not only want to heal them and make them feel comfortable, but leave a lasting impact on them with my thoughtful characteristics. I want children to remember me. I want them to say “Can I go visit Nurse Christina?”
I think what strikes people the most about my personality is that I am a fighter. I am an exceptionally hard worker, which will lead me to great success in life. I will work to my best ability and fight for the opportunity to attend college. Please understand that I am motivated and devoted to being successful. I always set goals for myself to accomplish personal achievements. I am dedicated to increasing my knowledge and building interpersonal relationships with children, which will help me get far in the pediatric nursing field. When I am having a hard time with a subject I go over and beyond to get help, and I plan to do exceptionally well in college.