荔枝视频

It鈥檚 another Flex Friday! Mayra Gonzalez is a second-year direct entry student originally from Bogota, Colombia. She was involved in the Year One Nursing Council (YONC) and currently volunteers at Foothills Medical Centre (FMC). Meet Mayra!

Why nursing?
鈥淚t was a hard decision for me,鈥� Mayra said. After taking a gap year following high school, she had undergone a lot of personal growth and reflection. 鈥淚 think I wanted to be a doctor for the wrong reasons. I grew up with this idea that if I wanted to help people, I had to be a doctor.鈥� She also remembered considering lots of diverse careers. 鈥淎t first, I thought I wanted a biomedical degree or engineering. I went in all the directions you could have thought of.

鈥淚 chose nursing because I still felt like I wanted to be in the health area. I looked into the program and I just went for it,鈥� she continues. She shadowed a doctor to learn more about whether she wanted to pursue medicine which was very eye-opening.

Especially coming from different countries, some people think you need to be either an engineer or a doctor to be something. I started to rethink what I actually wanted to do and why. I think the why is so important.

How did you end up in 荔枝视频?
Mayra and her family have been living in Canada for eight years ever and had relatives living here before she immigrated. 鈥淚 think my mom always wanted to leave home. Our family always wanted a better future for us. It鈥檚 different here than back home.鈥�

When asked about the transition, Mayra explained: 鈥淚t鈥檚 still hard sometimes. I think the culture is so different. Back home, you feel more connected to people.鈥� Adding that North American culture often feels more isolated, she continues, 鈥淚鈥檓 an introvert too so it鈥檚 not easy for me to talk to people or go into big social situations. I also just miss my family and the food.

鈥淏ack home there鈥檚 also just a lot of contact with people. For example, when you say hi, you give each other a hug, even if you don鈥檛 know each other. It鈥檚 different here because I think people don鈥檛 like to be in others鈥� personal space.鈥�

How has your university experience been?
When asked about her first year in the nursing program, Mayra said she enjoyed having many electives. 鈥淕oing right into nursing 鈥� I think I would have been more nervous about that. They give us the opportunity to explore. If you鈥檙e not sure about nursing, you get to take other classes.鈥� Mayra described specifically enjoying her classes in sociology and Latin, although she still wished there was an opportunity to explore more nursing content in Year 1.

During her kinesiology courses, Mayra also remembered feeling very anxious about working with the cadavers. 鈥淚t was hard for me to get over the idea of touching them. For me, it was almost disrespectful,鈥� she said. Although Mayra described not quite feeling scared during her labs, she explained 鈥淚 kept thinking, 鈥業t鈥檚 a person. It was a person.鈥欌��

Mayra also described experiencing lots of stress during this time. 鈥淵ou have a minute per question and there鈥檚 so many people: it鈥檚 so warm and it鈥檚 a really stressful environment.鈥� She admitted that it wasn鈥檛 the best test-taking environment at the time. Regardless, Mayra did enjoy learning about human anatomy. 鈥淧hysiology was my favourite part because I do like the cellular and molecular stuff鈥ow the body works.鈥�

In terms of her other courses, statistics and academic writing courses were particularly challenging. 鈥淭he writing, the ideas, the flow 鈥� all of that is super hard for me. I struggle with writing and getting my ideas on paper. Changing from Spanish to English. The other hard thing is the punctuation.鈥�

What volunteering or work opportunities have enhanced your nursing education?
Mayra has been working for a second-hand store called Once Upon a Child since October 2019. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been hard,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 working through my shyness because it鈥檚 not easy for me.鈥� Working at the till for the first time was also a big challenge for her. 鈥淚鈥檓 not good at making conversation and connecting, but it has helped me talk to people. Give them the information they need and be kind to them in the process.鈥�

Mayra added that she鈥檚 also developed a lot of leadership skills in this role which are critical to a career in nursing.

Being the supervisor or the leader on shifts has really helped me. I have to be able to talk to the customers and the team around me. It has helped me grow as a leader and how to tell people how to do things, but also be kind and understanding. I鈥檓 really grateful for this job because it has just helped me grow.

Mayra is also currently volunteering at the gift shop at FMC where she hopes to gain more direct exposure to the health-care field.

How was your experience in YONC? 
鈥淚t was weird because it was online. I do feel bad because I didn鈥檛 feel like I contributed much,鈥� Mayra admitted. 鈥淚 was still learning to manage my time with classes and everything, and I always want to do my best.鈥�

Despite the circumstances, Mayra said being part of YONC was helpful. 鈥淚t was good. It helped me know a few people. I would recognize their faces, but I feel like it鈥檚 hard to know somebody and actually be friends with them.鈥�

What type of nursing is in your future?
鈥淚 think I have to look more into it,鈥� Mayra said. 鈥淏ut right now I would like something to do with kids. I鈥檝e also thought of the idea of being a travel nurse. I know there鈥檚 a lot of options and it鈥檚 hard to know.鈥�

Following her second year, she looks forward to becoming a Health Care Aide and exploring other opportunities within health care to learn about her interests.

Rapid fire!

Best place to study on campus? 鈥淢y first year, I was in the First Year Scholars Lounge. It was pretty quiet. If I really had to focus, then fourth floor TFDL.鈥�

Self-care or hobbies? 鈥淚鈥檓 Christian, so everyday I try to do my devotions. Reading the Bible, going to church. I like fiction and faith-based books.鈥� Mayra specifically recommends any book by C.S. Lewis.

Biggest role models? 鈥淢y mom. She鈥檚 really strong and doesn鈥檛 give up!鈥�

Thanks so much Mayra!