Undergraduate / People around me - UBC Personal: What is Important to you [4]

The people around me

The people around me have always held top priority in my heart. It is only because of kindness received from my community that I am able to become the person I am today. Due to this, I try to reciprocate as possible, tailoring myself and my personal goals to meet others expectations. I've only recently come to recognize this trait as both a value and a detriment. Growing up in an environment that placed high emphasis on STEM, I based my goals around striving towards a STEM based career in Engineering. Out of fear of letting my community down, I suppressed my own interests and did what was expected of me. It was not until close introspection I realized that basing my self value on the perceptions of others was preventing me from defining my own value. While I was exceeding the expectations of others, I was letting myself down by relinquishing my own goals. In my senior year, I decided to shift focus and gear towards nursing, a field that resonated with me more on a personal level. Though questioned regarding this decision, I decided to move forward with confidence, directing my efforts in pursuing my own definition of success. To me, while earning the respect of others is important, what is more crucial is to never lose sight of my own values. I will always go the extra mile for those that need me, but will aim to never lose sight of matters regarding my own personal growth and development.

Hi, any feedback is appreciated! I'm worried about this being too basic or lacking voice, so if a topic shift is necessary I will do so!