What Has Helped Prepare Me For The Next Step In Life

Things that happen to us in the beginning of our lives, during childhood, very often have a great impact on our entire existence in this world. In my early teenage years, I began wondering and pondering on what my future would hold and how I would achieve a career that I would love. It wasn’t until I was sixteen years old, my sophomore year of high school, that I got a job as a waitress at a small mom and pop restaurant called Lizzie’s Grill-n-Chill and I began volunteering in my community that my life would begin to come together. However, I would not realize this till a few years later, that this small, part-time job would change my personality altogether.

Starting my first job was intimidating, mainly because I was shy and not very social. Over a period of time I overcame my obstacles. At the beginning I started noticing small changes in myself. I got better with time management, leadership, work ethic and communication which led to better cordial skills and hospitality skills. Now that I have been there for over four years I realize that the skills I was learning was only helping to prepare me for my career in dental hygiene.

My sophomore year was also when I begin to do some volunteer work around my community. I helped with blood drives at my high school, volunteered at events at my church, packaged food for third world countries with Rise Against Hunger, shadowed at my dentist and observed at Missions of Mercy & Fayetteville Care Clinic. All of these extra activities helped shape the person I am today. It led me to want to help people, especially those in need. I believe this will also help me in the dental hygiene career field because I will be able to lead people in the right directions of better oral hygiene.

Influential things in our early lives is what helps us choose our paths later in life. Many kids and teenagers do not have a revelation on what their future holds. For me, I had two things that helped shape me and lead me on my current path as a dental hygienist. These job skills and attributes have helped prepare me for the next step in life. I feel that choosing me as a student in the fall 2019 dental hygiene program will be a win-win for UNC and me.