This first interview comes from my sister, Katie!

Katie is the most selfless, loving person, I know. She would rather spend her time and money taking care of other people, before ever doing anything for herself. The world is lucky to have her as a future nurse practitioner come this December, and I am lucky to have her a sister and best friend.

What matters the most to you in life, and why?

Family is what matters the most to me in life. I love spending time with family, who have seen you grow and change and who are there in the best and the worst of times. I love having different generations of family together, because we always create special moments, doing fun activities or listening to stories from children or older adults. I think family is the perfect setting for this, because unlike other group meetings, one does not need to be together for any reason (ex. to talk about religion, politics, education). Your shared family bond creates an unconditional love for each other, which frees you from needing to be together for any reason other than just being.

Tell me about what you want to do with your career, and why? 

I want to care for older adults. It is always an adventure being with senior citizens. They usually have wonderful life stories, which makes caring for them interesting. My goal is to improve the care they receive personally, and perhaps in the future, to do research or to develop policies that support care needs of elderly adults. I like older adults, because they have cared for this world while my generation grew up, and now, it is our turn to take care of them.

How do you think about saving vs spending money? 

I think it is important to save money most of the time. Coupon shopping, looking at the sale rack first, and not eating out frequently are typically my go-to money saving tips. But I think it is important to splurge every once in a while, because “variety is the spice of life”. Trying new things excites my brain, drives me to think differently and creates new personal goals by learning something new, whether it be a different type of food or a cultural experience. Mostly, I like splurging on experiences and not material things, unless they can give me a new understanding.

Thanks Katie for your words of wisdom, and stay tuned for more “People with Purpose” in the coming weeks!