A Walk Down Future Lane by Natalia

A Walk Down Future Lane by Natalia - June 2023 Scholarship Essay

Imagine you’re walking down a quaint neighborhood in the Heights district of Houston Texas. The Heights is known for its timeless architecture, small-town feel, and walkable neighborhoods. Trees line the streets, families walk around enjoying a peaceful afternoon, and an air of tranquility radiates from the neighborhood. As you’re walking you come across a small house that has Victorian charm, a picket white fence, and a well-manicured lawn. Bright flowers line the porch and a curious brown German shepherd peeks at you from the window. “What a picture-perfect house,” you think to yourself “I wonder who lives there”
In the house lives a young couple and their pet German Shepherd Apollo. The couple has graduated college, got married, and bought this house. The house has 11-foot ceilings, hardwood flooring, and an overall mid-century modern design. Pictures of their families, wedding photos, and of course, Apollo adorn the walls. Their refrigerator is covered in magnets from Mexico City, Greece, Seoul, Tokyo, and Paris from their many adventures. The kitchen is filled with Latin spices and fresh produce because the young lady loves to cook Mexican dishes that remind her of her childhood. Since the young woman lives a sustainable lifestyle, she has had solar panels installed on the roof and has made a compost bin in the backyard. A music stand sits in the corner of the living room, as she has been playing flute since 6th grade and plays her flute as a hobby.
A framed nursing degree from the University of Houston is proudly on display in the study room. This degree was no easy feat for the young lady to receive. Due to her hard work in high school, she was able to get the degree in three years rather than four. Even after this feat, nursing school was no walk in the park. Juggling late nights studying and the mandatory 12-hour clinical shifts proved to be seemingly impossible. Even with a busy schedule, with the help of a solid support system and a determined mindset, she was able to get the degree and start her young adult life.
Thanks to her higher education experience, her degree has garnered her a stable job and a fulfilling lifestyle. She feels pride when waking up in the morning to put her scrubs on knowing that she will be helping people feel better. As an extrovert and someone who is fascinated by the human body, being a nurse is the perfect job for her. She can live her life in peace knowing that no matter what, her nursing degree provides job security.
Taking a step back, you continue walking down the sidewalk as another house catches your attention. While your mind continues to ponder the next house, my mind can’t help but dwell on the young woman in the Victorian house because she is where I see myself in the next ten years.