Nurse Practitioner or Psychiatrist? This is the quandary weighing on San Pasqual High School student Maya Ovando’s mind as she prepares for her future. There are thousands of colleges to choose from. Ovando’s top three choices were San Diego State University, Pomona College, and Cal State San Marcos. She chose SDSU as her top choice because the campus is “clean, chill, and very pretty.” 

Ovando has very high standards for herself and seeks higher education so she can give herself that push into becoming the person she wants to be. But which career is she able to obtain at SDSU and would she be happy with either one? “I’d be extremely satisfied with either job,” stated Ovando. “I’ve always planned to have one of those jobs for years!”

What about after college? Where does Ovando see herself in 5 years? “I see myself in medical school or being an assistant to a doctor in any medical department,” states Ovando. “I also hope to have a baby with my future soulmate.” 

If Ovando ends up on the career path of Nurse Practitioner she’d like to work in the neonatal intensive care unit because she loves taking care of babies. Being a nurse is a very tiring job, so I wondered how much money she’d like to make with this difficult job. She responded with “Uhh how much does life cost again? Hopefully make $100,000 a year. Yes I know that’s a very large number.” 

Ovando’s family wasn’t given the opportunities that she’s been given. She hopes to meet her mother’s expectations and make her proud since she wasn’t able to have these choices. Ovando wishes that she was born into a richer family so it would be easier to accomplish her dreams. 

Achieving dreams is all about setting goals and creating a plan to follow through on those goals. What are the five main goals that Ovando has set for herself in high school in order to take the next steps? “My five main goals are to study hard, rock hard, pay attention, get a part-time job, do extra credit, and make sure everything is understood,” states Ovando. 

Ovando expects to face many challenges in the future including college tuition.“I have many options to consider: schooling, the price, and housing!” ‘Ovando explains. “My family doesn’t have as much money as other families so I’ll struggle with that.”

Ovando concluded with the idea that she hopes to keep “a clear positive state of mind, a mentally… clean place.” We all struggle with staying positive and or happy when under a lot of stress, especially since life is unpredictable.