Introduction to Busy College Student
My name is Catalina Cardenas. I am a Senior at the University of Oklahoma. My major is Health & Exercise Science along with pre-nursing. I am also in the National Guard so I have been looking into the PA program offered through the military. I spent nine months on deployment in Kuwait and it was definitely an experience. That slightly set me back in school so I am slowly started to catch up.
The image above is a photo I took of a bazaar in Kuwait.
I started out as an education major since growing up that has always been a passion of mine but then I veered away from that after my first semester of college. This past summer I took classes nonstop since the end of spring so I was not able to travel. I have a couple of trips planned throughout the rest of the semester and also at the very end. Every winter break I am able to travel back to visit family in Mexico so I will be visiting there also. I was able to maintain a 3.5 GPA last semester so this semester I am going for a 4.0. I enjoy reading and running when I have time. I have a very busy semester so hopefully I am still able to enjoy a little of each of those! I like to stay super busy but sometimes I wish I wasn't. I am super close to my family since I am the youngest of four. I wish I was able to be home more often but I am mostly able to go home on the weekend. I love to eat. Anyone can message me at any time to go eat and I can't say no. For the most part I will eat anything as long as it doesn't have tomatoes, onions, olives, or mushrooms. Those are all weird in taste to me and I cannot eat them! I also like to workout which goes hand in hand with my eating. This is just a short summary of some of the things that make up my life but there is so much more to me!
Hi Catalina,
ReplyDeleteIt is awesome that you are a national guard, I bet that keeps your busy along with taking classes. Aye a 3.5 GPA is great, but yes setting a higher goal is a good way to keep on working harder, I am sure you will be able to get a 4.0 GPA. All it takes is motivation and hard work and it seems like you have both. Good luck for this semester.
-Pranali
Hi Catalina! Nursing is such a great career, and I think it actually has a lot in common with education, so it makes sense to me that you would have moved from education to nursing; even more than doctors, it seems to me that nurses help educate us how to take care of ourselves and to take charge of our own health when we can, making good choices, etc. etc. just like teachers trying to help students become lifelong learners. Maybe you will want to do a medicine-related project for this class: the heroes in the epics go out there on the battlefield and need medical help, including supernatural help, like when the monkey-god Hanuman brings back a whole mountain of medicinal herbs to save Lakshmana, one of the heroes of the Ramayana. One of the Bizzell comic books tells that story in detail: it's one of my favorite Hanuman legends! Hanuman to the Rescue
ReplyDeleteHi Catalina! First of all, I want to say thank you for your service. My dad is in the Army and I have HUGE respect for everything you've had to sacrifice. Good luck this semester. I'm sure that if you set your mind to it and work hard, you can achieve the grades that you want! Good luck this semester!
ReplyDeleteHi Catalina, your major sounds really important. Healthy people make healthy societies! I remember the few (thankfully) times my family members have been in the hospital the nurses were always so cheerful and efficient, which made my family feel safe and cared for. I love to eat too! That's so good you are striving for a 4.0 this semester. I believe in you!
ReplyDeleteHi Catalina,
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your introduction. It is great that you are in the national guard. Also, very cool major. If I was not a biology major, I would definitely go for health and exercise science. It is also great that you are considering nursing, as this seems to be a logical jump from education. Both are natural caregivers to people in need. Best of luck this semester!
-Andy McDowell
Hey Catalina! I wish I could hear more about your time being deployed in Kuwait. Experiences like that help you evolve into such a dynamic person that brings a lot of insight and creativity to the table, and that definitely shows through your writing! I know you changed your major, but as a nurse you will always be an educator. Nurses work among other nurses of all ages, specialities, and positions in the nursing hierarchy so you will always be teaching others from your experiences and knowledge and learning from them at the same time. You will also be teaching your patients, as nurses often act as a bridge between a patient and their sometimes intimidating doctors, and to be able to comfort someone by translating complex medical jargon sounds extremely fulfilling.
ReplyDeleteHey Catalina! That is great that you are able to visit your family in Mexico during Winter breaks! I have family in El Paso, Texas who are from Chihuahua, Mexico who I only get to see every couple of years. Family is so important and I think it is even better to have a diverse family in many states and/or countries to visit. I'm also interested in the medical field and I think it is amazing that you are able to balance being in the National Guard all while taking the very difficult classes that we are required to take. Thanks for sharing a little bit about you and I wish you the best this semester!
ReplyDeleteHello Catalina! I really liked your introduction! It is great that you are a senior! I am also a senior and it is exciting and kinda nerve wracking. I look forward to what awaits in my future! A pre-nursing major is awesome! I am also interested in pursuing health science! I am applying the medical school this cycle! However, I hope you have a great weekend and good luck with the rest of your semester!
ReplyDeleteHi Catalina! It's awesome that you can visit and enjoy Mexico, along with family! Your semester certainly sounds busy, and I know that pre-nursing can be a tough ride but it is cool that you are going that route. It seems like your major can go hand-in-hand with your passion for food -- it is always awesome when your passions collide!
ReplyDeleteHi Catalina!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed reading your introduction! It's awesome that you are in the national guard. I have a friend who's in it too. Also, I totally feel you on not being able to say no when someone asks you to eat. I wasn't able to travel either this past summer, but it's exciting that you some trips coming up. I hope you enjoy them and good luck on the rest of your semester!
Hey Catalina,
ReplyDeleteHES is a wonderful major and I know tons of people who are currently or have graduated with a degree from that major. Also, congrats on making a 3.5! That's a great achievement and I hope you will be able to maintain that work ethic!
Hey Catalina! I am so impressed that you have kept your grades up with what seems like a really busy life. And that's awesome to go for an even higher goal this semester. I have been looking into joining the National Guard, as well, so it's super cool to find someone else in it. I wish you all the luck with your studies and your future plans!
ReplyDeleteHi Catalina!
ReplyDeleteFirst off thank you for your service. I tried to join right after high school, but could not due to health issues. That being said, I have the upmost respect for those serving our country. Thank you for sacrificing some time in your education for the benefit of others. I wish you all the best in your endeavors!
Hi Catalina!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for your service in the National Guard! Deployment in Kuwait must have been quite an experience! I appreciated the link to your favorite place post, and 100% relate on the not liking tomatoes/onions/olives/mushrooms- something about the texture gets me too. It’s awesome that you’ve been so studious as to take classes nonstop. Congratulations on keeping that 3.5 last semester, and best of luck in your 4.0 endeavors this coming year!
Hi Catalina! The really odd thing that stuck out to me was the distaste for olives and tomatoes. I hate tomatoes too, but love marinara sauce, so I think it's the texture that weirds me out. Thank you so much for your service, and I really hope that you reach your goal of a 4.0 this year. Hope you have a great semester!
ReplyDeleteHi Catalina! It's awesome that you're doing so well in all of your classes! It sounds like you have done a great job catching up and that is really impressive! It sounds like you have a lot of great experiences and traits that will help you become a fantastic nurse! Good luck this semester. I hope you get that 4.0!
ReplyDeleteHi Catalina! Firstly, thank you for your service! I find it so interesting that you're in the National Guard. I enjoyed reading your introduction and getting to know more about you. The part I found funny was your distaste for tomatoes, onions, olives and mushrooms because it's the same for me! I hate mushrooms and olives so much, but I've definitely started loving onions and I can live with tomatoes too. I hope you're having a great semester! Hope you get that 4.0 you're aiming for!
ReplyDeleteHi Catalina! It must have been a unique experience to be deployed in Kuwait. I took summer classes non-stop, too! I thought it’s kind of exhausting to take classes without breaks. Oh wow, that’s amazing that you’ve earned 3.5 GPA. I’m sure you’ll earn 4.0 GPA this semester as well. Sometimes having a busy schedule can be demanding, but I still kind of think it’s better than having no schedule. It’s nice to meet you Catalina!
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