"Trust the process" by Ronald

"Trust the process" by Ronald - July 2025 Scholarship Essay

If I could go back and give my past self one piece of advice, I’d say this: "Just trust the process.”

I spent a lot of my earlier years feeling like I had to be perfect. I put so much pressure on myself to get good grades, to make the right choices, to be strong for others. I thought I had to have a clear plan and stick to it or else I’d fall behind or fail. But looking back, I realize that so much of that pressure came from fear. Fear of not being good enough, of letting people down, or of not reaching the future I had worked so hard to imagine.

When I decided to pursue nursing, I knew I was choosing a path that wouldn’t be easy but I also knew it felt right. I’ve always wanted to help people, to care for them in their hardest moments. But what I didn’t know at the time was how many doubts would come along with it. There were moments where I questioned if I was cut out for this. The studying, the long hours, the emotional weight it felt like a lot. And sometimes, I compared myself to others and wondered if I was falling behind.

If I could go back and talk to that version of me, I’d tell her that it’s okay to feel unsure. That growth is messy, and progress doesn’t always look like a straight line. I’d tell her that the hard days would teach her just as much if not more than the easy ones. And that it’s okay to not have every answer right away. What matters most is showing up, asking for help when you need it, and being kind to yourself along the way.

Now, as a nursing student, I’ve learned that the path is never perfect but it’s worth it. Every time I comfort a patient, every time I understand something in class that once confused me, every time I feel like I’ve made a difference, I’m reminded why I chose this. And I’m proud of the person I’ve become not because I’ve had it all together, but because I kept going, even when I didn’t.

So yeah if I could tell my past self one thing, it would be this: “Trust the process.”