Name: Megan Ihde
Age: 21
Year: Senior
Hometown: Upland, CA
Major: Nursing
Minor: Child and family development and international studies
Favorite Food: Mexican
Favorite Movie: Forrest Gump and Mean Girls
Favorite Song: “Lose Yourself” by Eminem
Favorite Artist: Taylor Swift
Her Campus (HC): What made you want to become a nurse?
Megan Ihde (MI): “When I was a senior in high school, the plan was to go to UCSD in hopes of becoming an English teacher. Then I went with my friend to the premature unit in order to visit with her baby. Visiting with him changed the way I looked at nurses. If he had never been born then I wouldn’t have been a nurse. I thought it would be really rewarding to send them home healthy with their moms and help them grow. So I decided to come to San Diego State because it was the only school I applied to that had a nursing program.”
HC: Describe your experience in Thailand this past month.
MI: “I decided to go to Thailand cause I wanted to go on a study abroad program that would show me how healthcare, or lack their of, is in other countries. I backpacked across all of Thailand with four of my closest nursing friends and it really gave me an appreciation of how beautiful the world is. I volunteered in elephants world Kanchanaburi where I was able to feed, bathe, and play with elephants. Those elephants were rescued from being tourist attractions. I also went to Chiang Rai Krabi, Laos, Bangkok, Sangkhlaburi, and China. After we backpacked, we started our medical journey in the rural part of Thailand where it is very underdeveloped. Each day we would drive to a new village that was about an hour away from our main camp. We cared for monks from the temple and people of the village who had no water. It was incredible to improve on my communication as well as my nursing skills. It made me really grateful for what I have and made me want to go on more trips to help others all over the world.”
HC: What do you hope to accomplish in life?
MI: “A neonatal intensive care unit nurse so I can help give all babies the best chance at life, as well as help support and educate mothers in the process. My goal is to someday get my masters degree in nursing so I can someday work at a high level Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. I just want to give back as much as possible and educate people on how to have healthy lives. I want to be happy and I feel like I will be my happiest helping others.”
HC: What’s your favorite thing about state?
MI: “My favorite things about San Diego are the weather and the people. The people here have made my school experience memorable.”
HC: Favorite place in SD?
MI: “Coronado because it’s very relaxed, I like to sit on the beach and ride my bike. I also enjoy visiting with my grandma who lives close by.”
HC: Favorite thing to do in free time?
MI: “I like to dance. I go out on the weekends to dance and spend time with my friends.”
What’s something about yourself that not many people know?
MI: “I like to preform and I have done a lot of shows and singing in high school.”