My Scars Motivate Me by Savannah

My Scars Motivate Me by Savannah - February 2024 Scholarship Essay

“Whatever you do, don't flip.” Those were the last words said to me as my best friend handed me the keys to his golf cart. It was a warm summer night before my freshman year and like most restless teenagers, my friends and I needed to get out of the house. Fortunately, a large group of us lived in the same neighborhood, so most of our nights were spent together. We had each other to keep entertained, but our favorite hobby was riding the golf cart around at night. This night, though, ended much differently than any previous.
While riding around that night, I had such a strong urge to drive. This was nothing out of the ordinary, as I would always ask to drive but be told no. After much begging, my friend finally agreed to let me drive despite the fact I am notorious for my horrible driving. We switched seats and just as he thought all was good, I took an extremely sharp turn, putting us up on two wheels.
As the driver's side of the golf cart went plummeting into the ground, the back roof bar came up and slammed the back of my head into the cement. When we all got up to digest what had happened, a wave of relief came over me seeing that no one was hurt, or so I thought. The look of terror on my friends' faces was one I had never seen before. When I asked what was wrong, an overwhelming taste of blood filled my mouth. Blood was everywhere, gushing from my face and two front teeth.
While being rushed to the ER, I noticed that not only did my face and teeth suffer the consequences of the crash, but my entire body was covered in road rash. An overwhelming sense of fear dawned on me as I considered the timing of this accident. One month before entering what I thought would be the four most important school years of my life, my face and soon-to-be braceless teeth were ruined.
Sitting there worried, I heard a knock on the door to my hospital room. I was greeted by the nurse who would eventually change my entire attitude about the situation and consequently inspire my future career path. She had spent such a short amount of time in the room with me, yet made such a large impact.
Although my face was covered in bandages for what was left of that summer, the most impactful part of that night was my nurse. She showed me so much kindness and compassion in just a short amount of time. Now I aspire to show the same to others. She inspired me to become a helping hand and cheerleader to people during their lowest times. Leaving the ER that night, I began to wonder how I could impact others the way she had me.
With a little thinking, I concluded that a career in nursing would allow me to show my true character. Nursing would provide me with an opportunity to support and encourage those who need it most. I still look in the mirror every day and am greeted by scars all over my face, but they are scars that I am not insecure about. I am grateful for them. The scars on my face are a constant reminder that showing others' kindness and empathy can impact them much more than expected. Flipping my best friend's golf cart was not ideal, but now I am thankful for the unfortunate event that motivated me to pursue a career working to help others.