"Someone You Loved” captures the emotional pain of losing connection with someone who made you feel safe, seen, or emotionally supported. It expresses feelings of grief, loneliness, emptiness also mirrors what depression can feel like, especially when you’re far from home and trying to carry emotional weight silently.

For me, this song reminds me of moments when I wished someone could truly understand what I was going through, without me having to explain or hide it. As an international student navigating the pressure of independence and emotional distance from loved ones, I’ve often found myself missing the kind of support that feels unconditional. The lyrics, “Now the day bleeds into nightfall / And you're not here to get me through it all,” reflect how deeply we crave connection when we feel low.

It brings forward that side of adolescent and young adult mental health that isn't always spoken about: the fear of being alone in your struggle, and the hope that someone, somewhere, might understand.

During the transition into my life here in Canada, cooking became my top hobby which is also one of my stress-coping strategies.

As a nursing student, I walk through NICUs where babies like us are still fighting. And something inside me connects deeply to those tiny patients and their families. It’s personal. I don’t just see patients, I see stories. I see possibility. I see myself.

This journey is deeply personal. And every step I take in this profession feels like a continuation of that fight I started years ago. Nursing, for me, isn’t just a career it’s a full-circle moment of purpose.

According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 13.4 million babies are born prematurely each year, and almost 1 million die due to complications of preterm birth. Even with medical advancements, the survival of a preemie especially in low-resource settings is still not guaranteed.

This artifact represents the full circle I’m living. I once lay in that same position, wrapped in wires, held by love. Today, I stand on the other side as a nurse-in-training, ready to offer care. The irony of life.

My mom has been my anchor through challenges, a source of comfort and confidence when I doubted myself. Her faith in me, especially during difficult times, taught me resilience. This image reminds me that healing and growth don’t happen in isolation they happen within relationships. I believe that health is more than medicine, it’s about human connection. Families like mine teach me that physical healing of a patient is intertwined with emotional and relational support.

This photo is meaningful because it represents not just a past or a memory, but the ongoing presence of love and strength that fuels my purpose every day. It is a reminder that I carry my mom's love into every space I enter.

In one story my friend shared, a transmasculine person avoided perinatal care due to past trauma in healthcare. As a future nurse, I want to help create a culture of safety and belonging so that LGBTQ+ patients don’t have to choose between their identity and their health.

As a student nurse, it challenged me to reflect on my own comfort level and how I might unintentionally contribute to someone feeling judged or invisible. As a future nurse, this reinforced the importance of relational presence, inclusive language, and humility. I must be someone my patients trust to see them, affirm them, and walk beside them without assumptions. This video made the emotional and ethical urgency of affirming care very real for me.

As a future nurse, I believe that policies based on outdated stereotypes, not individual risk, go against ethical and inclusive care. If we want to build trust with LGBTQ+ communities, we need to speak up when policies cause harm.

It affirmed my commitment to creating safe and inclusive spaces in health care, especially for LGBTQ+ patients from immigrant, racialized, or culturally conservative backgrounds.

This artifact reflects the intersection of culture, identity, and advocacy. Visibility as a form of healing. As I grow into my nursing role, I want to carry forward this sense of compassion, allyship, and cultural humility.

During my placement, I mostly saw families being actively involved in care, and it was inspiring to witness how much this helped the patients feel supported and cared for. Seeing families included made me realize how important it is for nurses to encourage and facilitate this involvement. This experience has taught me that caring for a patient means caring for the whole family, honoring their role in health and healing.

I am grateful that most healthcare facilities allow the family to be with their loved ones at the bedside. In my future practice in the nursing profession, I will remember the importance of family and apply this concept throughout my practice. At the same time, I will also respect the different family structures for each individual to receive more inclusive care.

Seeing addiction framed this way shifted my perspective from blame to empathy. It highlighted the importance of approaching patients struggling with addiction with compassion and respect rather than judgment. For me, this video holds the critical role nurses play in providing holistic, non-stigmatizing care that acknowledges the challenges of addiction while supporting recovery and dignity.

I am learning that my role is to accompany patients through their struggles, offering steady support, to embrace humility and compassion, walking alongside patients as they navigate their own journey toward healing. Making this painting helped me reflect on my own values and reminded me why I chose nursing: to walk with people in both joyful and difficult times.

Having grown up in a close-knit family, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful love and presence can be during both joyful and difficult times. No matter what we go through, we show up for each other especially when someone is sick or going through a hard time. In my family, illness is never faced alone. We’re always by each other’s side, offering comfort, prayers, food, laughter, or simply a quiet presence. It’s something I’ve always found amazing and grounding. That kind of constant support has shaped how I view care in nursing.

I’ve seen firsthand how much it matters to have someone there, holding your hand or just sitting close. This is why I believe so strongly in family-centered care because I know how important it is to feel seen, supported, and never alone. My family gives me strength, and they shape the kind of compassionate nurse I strive to be.

Mackie, B. R., Marshall, A., & Mitchell, M. (2021).
Title: Patient and family members' perceptions of family‐centred care in intensive care units: A qualitative meta‐synthesis

Journal of Clinical Nursing, 30(17-18), 2508–2521.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jocn.15795
This synthesis highlights that families feel empowered and supported when nurses communicate effectively and include them in care decisions

2. A 2024 systematic review of randomized clinical trials involving nursing-led interventions for substance use disorders highlights effective strategies like personalized telehealth follow-ups, care coordination, and abstinence-based incentives. http://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39038706/

2. Rainbow Health Ontario – Clinical Guidelines for Gender-Affirming Primary Care
   Published: Updated 2021
   https://www.rainbowhealthontario.ca/TransHealthGuide/
   Offers best practices and affirming approaches for nurses and providers caring for LGBTQ+ populations, especially trans and nonbinary clients.

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Ginther, J., & McNally, G. (2024, January 1). CE: Reducing bias against people with substance use disorders. American Journal of Nursing, 124(1), 28–37. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NAJ.0000998224.71157.90

Lucas‑Guerra, C., González‑Ordi, H., & Del‑Gallego‑Lastra, R. (2024). Nursing interventions in patients with substance use disorders: A systematic review. Enfermería Clínica (English Edition), 34(4), 271–292. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enfcle.2024.07.006

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Tunney, C. (2021, May 13). Gay man fights 'discriminatory' policy that bans him from donating blood. Ottawa tries to block it. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/blood-ban-health-canada-federal-court-1.6020776