Mikey Carrigan (‘26) is an upcoming Mead High School graduate who is ecstatic for her life after high school and ready for the great unknown.
Going to the University of Northern Colorado, Mikey plans on majoring her first two years in nutrition and the last two years in nursing, Mikey feels she’s found where the next chapter of her life will be held. After college, Mikey hopes to work for the American Red Cross to help those, especially children, who are in need of medical assistance. After working for the American Red Cross, Mikey wants to shift her focus onto pediatrics because of her love for children. Mikey feels that she is satisfying her inner child by achieving her childhood dream of going into the medical field and helping those in need.
Mikey has always been passionate about showing people compassion and empathy and has been told by many she has empathetic traits. Mikey describes herself as extroverted and good with children, so she feels she fits the criteria for being a nurse. Mikey has a soft spot for children, especially those who are in pain, and she has always wanted to help them. Mikey wants to make her future patients feel that they have someone on their side and there to support them.
Mikey walked into freshman year with a “I don’t give a crap” attitude and is proud of her growth since then. Mikey has grown from someone who doesn’t care about much at all into someone who jumps at any opportunities with ambition and motivation to achieve her goals for the future. Mikey cherishes her memories around her friend group consisting of Bekah Dennis (‘26), Isla Jackson (‘26), Patric Wallis (‘26), and Olive Koslovsky (‘26), and feels that she’s always had someone to fall back on and provide her with the support in tough times.
Mikey expresses her gratitude for Anatomy, her favorite class, and mentions how she always has fun and will remember all the memories she’s made in the class. It also pushed Mikey into realizing she really does want to be a nurse.
Mikey remembers that, while in her freshman year, she wouldn’t have motivation to get her work done. Mikey now acknowledges that in doing so it has affected her GPA and warns all freshmen that the first-year grades are important.
“It’s not worth it to do what you want at the moment because it’s severely going to impact the rest of your high school career.”
Mikey also wishes that she would’ve stood up for herself when someone she didn’t like was bothering her. “You don’t have to please everyone around you.”
With fond memories and supportive friends, Mikey feels confident in her future and looks forward to helping people the way those have helped her.
