AHA Application essays

1. One typed Autobiography
It was about this time that the younger of my brothers graduated high school and moved away to go to college, leaving me the only child at home. When I got to high school I joined the rowing team. Rowing team meet for several hours almost every day of the week, it was very big commitment. I enjoyed it for three racing seasons, it was a good workout and a fun group of people. In my junior year I joined the Iceaxemen Mountaineering Club at my high school. I loved this club and the people in it. The leader and many of the the Iceaxeman were leaders for a local Christian Church. I was active in this Church with this group from my mountaineering club. With this club I did many activities such as rock climbing, mountain climbing and camping. I will always remain close to some of these friends but I rarely find time to rock climb now.
I am a product of the environment that I was raised in. Eugene is a very eco friendly city. The majority of people who live here are into recycling, I learned that in 2nd grade even before I learned where the bathroom was. My family tries to eat sustainable local produce, recycle, compost, garden, decrease our energy usage, use eco friendly products and do things that we know will be good for the environment. I try to bicycle whenever possible and decrease my fossil fuel use. It’s a lifestyle that I plan to maintain for forever.
I have always loved learning about new people from different walks of life. It’s just a yearning that I have had. My experience has been limited to family vacations to Mexico and when I was in 5th grade my Grandmother took our extended family to Peru. We got to hike around Machu Picchu and the Inca ruins, we traveled to Peruvian villages, had a Shaman preform his magic and visited Lake Titicaca where the people still live the same as in 200 AD. It wasn’t until I was much older that I appreciated what a wonderful adventure it was. During my sophomore year I had the opportunity to do an exchange with a family friend in France. I got to spend a month in France with her and her family, then she came back with me for a month. It was a great experience that really opened my mind about the European culture.
After I graduated, I moved to Ashland to attend Southern Oregon University. At first the transition was a little difficult, but I quickly became accustomed to dorm life and made new friends. I am a pre-nursing student, balancing my time with school work and fun. I have been loving college life but I am looking forward to adding some adventure and world knowledge to my college experience in this coming year.


One typed Transitional Experience Essay
I have experienced many transitions in my life as stated like changing schools, and moving from California to Oregon when I was in the second grade. However, I feel that moving away to college was the most significant transition for me. It was the beginning of a whole new life for me. Being totally on my own, responsible for my budget, classes, career choices, making new friends, cleaning, and cooking for myself. Being independent gave me a lot more responsibility than when I was living at home. I lived in the dorm my first year at school and this year I live in an apartment with a friend.
It’s because of this transition that I have become a stronger person. I am still trying to learn how to strengthen the precarious balance between my school, work, and socializing in my life. Moving away to college has made me examine my priorities and decide on my goals. I am striving very hard to achieve them.
I grew up in a medical family with my father being a physician and my mother and three of my aunts being nurses, so it’s not much of a surprise that I have found my passion in Nursing. I find most all things medical related to be very interesting and I don’t get nauseated by the sight of blood. I did a surgical rotation for my senior project in high school and found that when blood came spurting at my face, I wanted to know where it was coming from and thinking about what it takes to stop it. It is for these reasons that I decided I want to be a surgical nurse. Being a nursing student requires a lot of studying and responsibility. I have adjusted to my new life full of responsibility quite well and I am happy where I am now in my life, and excited for the challenges and adventure my future will bring me.
I want going to Ghana to be the next transition in my life. I have always wanted to go to Africa and work and live with the African people. I think that my compassion for people and desire to be a nurse would be a great asset to me for this semester in Ghana. I have few illusions, I know that there will be some difficulties but I am optimistic that they can teach me some good lessons to live my life by.