In 10 years, this incredibly hard-working millennial could be your kid's pediatrician.
She works four jobs and goes to school full-time. If it gets her closer to her dream, it's all worth it.
How hard would you work to get the education that will help you reach your dreams? Ricarda Urso knows her answer: as hard as she can.
In 10 years, this incredibly hardworking millennial could be your kid's pediatrician.
Posted by Upworthy on Thursday, October 20, 2016
Working a job while going to school isn't out of the ordinary for a lot of college and university students. Working 60 hours a week at four different jobs is — but Ricarda does it with a smile.
Ricarda Urso is like a lot of young, optimistic, idealistic students. She's passionate, bubbly, and focused — committed to doing whatever it takes to get closer to her dream of going to medical school. In her case, that means working four different jobs to help pay for her education and support her family.
Every week, Ricarda works a minimum of 20 hours at a local Taco Bell, along with 20 hours at a video resource center and 10 hours as a lab assistant at the University of Oklahoma. She also babysits for about 10 hours a week. All of this is on top of her full-time, 15 credit hours of coursework at the University of Oklahoma, where she’s doing an undergraduate degree in preparation for going to medical school.
"It gets crazy," she says "but I'm way determined to complete my path and make my dreams come true."
Ricarda hasn't walked an easy path to get this far. In her young life, she's overcome many challenges — some even grown-ups shouldn't have to face.
Ricarda and her brothers smile for the camera in this old family snapshot. All images via Taco Bell/YouTube.
When Ricarda's family came to America from Germany during her childhood, they never planned on staying long. That all changed when her biological father abandoned Ricarda, her mother, and her two brothers after encountering difficulties with his visa. He fled home, leaving them in Oklahoma to start a new life on their own.
Growing up the daughter of a single mother is tough enough, but Ricarda also had other challenges.
She was born with cerebral palsy, a movement disorder that affects her muscles along her entire right side.
Ricarda's cerebral palsy used to limit her ability to put her right foot on the ground. Regular stretching helps her prevent that from recurring.
Every summer during her childhood, she'd spend time at St. Louis Shriner's Hospital, where doctors and specialists would help her try to convince her muscles to move as they should. Even now, keeping her disorder from progressing requires painful stretching exercises and physical therapy. "It does hurt, and there's been those limits to where I'm crying," she said, "but there’s something inside me that says 'You can't stop.'"
Living with cerebral palsy and spending so much time in care as a child sparked a dream for Ricarda. She's laser-focused on becoming a pediatrician.
"When I was younger I got to see a lot of the medical atmosphere, and I got to see it with my own eyes," she said. "Kids, they're filled with joy, and I love that about them."
Ricarda knows she has a long road ahead. She also knows she can do anything she sets her mind to.
"I start the day early and end the day late at night — and this is just my undergrad years, I still have my graduate years and medical school. It is a long road ahead but I've always had this driven power to show others that I can do it."
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12 non-threatening leadership strategies for women
We mustn't hurt a man's feelings.
Men and the feels.
Note: This an excerpt is from Sarah Cooper's book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings.
In this fast-paced business world, female leaders need to make sure they're not perceived as pushy, aggressive, or competent.
One way to do that is to alter your leadership style to account for the fragile male ego.
Should men accept powerful women and not feel threatened by them? Yes. Is that asking too much?
IS IT?
Sorry, I didn't mean to get aggressive there. Anyhoo, here are twelve non-threatening leadership strategies for women.
Encourage.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When setting a deadline, ask your coworker what he thinks of doing something, instead of just asking him to get it done. This makes him feel less like you're telling him what to do and more like you care about his opinions.
Sharing ideas.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When sharing your ideas, overconfidence is a killer. You don't want your male coworkers to think you're getting all uppity. Instead, downplay your ideas as just "thinking out loud," "throwing something out there," or sharing something "dumb," "random," or "crazy."
Email requests.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pepper your emails with exclamation marks and emojis so you don't come across as too clear or direct. Your lack of efficient communication will make you seem more approachable.
Idea sharing.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
If a male coworker steals your idea in a meeting, thank him for it. Give him kudos for how he explained your idea so clearly. And let's face it, no one might've ever heard it if he hadn't repeated it.
Sexism.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you hear a sexist comment, the awkward laugh is key. Practice your awkward laugh at home, with your friends and family, and in the mirror. Make sure you sound truly delighted even as your soul is dying inside.
Mansplain.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Men love explaining things. But when he's explaining something and you already know that, it might be tempting to say, "I already know that." Instead, have him explain it to you over and over again. It will make him feel useful and will give you some time to think about how to avoid him in the future.
Mistakes.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pointing out a mistake is always risky so it's important to always apologize for noticing the mistake and then make sure that no one thinks you're too sure about it. People will appreciate your "hey what do I know?!" sensibilities.
Promotions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Asking your manager for a promotion could make you seem power- hungry, opportunistic, and transparent. Instead, ask a male coworker to vouch for you. Have your coworker tell your manager you'd be great for the role even though you don't really want it. This will make you more likely to actually get that promotion.
Rude.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Sometimes not everyone is properly introduced at the start of a meeting. Don't take it personally even if it happens to you all the time, and certainly don't stop the meeting from moving forward to introduce yourself. Sending a quick note afterward is the best way to introduce yourself without seeming too self-important.
Interruptions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you get interrupted, you might be tempted to just continue talking or even ask if you can finish what you were saying. This is treacherous territory. Instead, simply stop talking. The path of least resistance is silence.
Collaboration.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When collaborating with a man, type using only one finger. Skill and speed are very off-putting.
Disagreements.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When all else fails, wear a mustache so everyone sees you as more man-like. This will cancel out any need to change your leadership style. In fact, you may even get a quick promotion!
In conclusion...
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Many women have discovered the secret power of non-threatening leadership. We call it a "secret power" because no one else actually knows about it. We keep our power hidden within ourselves so that it doesn't frighten and intimidate others. That's what makes us the true unsung heroes of the corporate world.
About the Author: Sarah Cooper
Sarah Cooper is a writer, comedian, and author of 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings. Her new book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings, is out now.
The comedic book cover.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
A satirical take on what it's like to be a woman in the workplace, Cooper draws from her experience as a former executive in the world of tech (she's a former Googler and Yahooer). You can get the book here.
This article was originally published on March 25, 2019.