Humans of UCSF: Winning Attitude

“For me, 2016 has been a year of success accompanied by huge changes. This is my first time living in a new city with new people, opportunities, and responsibilities.

Even though I have been surrounded by the positive influence of the caring and ambitious UCSF community, it’s hard to not feel a little isolated in this time of adjustment. I’ve lived in Chicago for the past 15 years; much of that time was spent living with and caring for my grandmother who passed away at the beginning of this year after a long struggle with dementia.

By caring for her and witnessing her determination, I learned that every day a person must have a decision to make, a goal to fight for, and something to look forward to. I also learned that attitude is everything.

Life is defined by variables beyond our control, but everyone has the ability to control their reaction to a situation and maintain a positive attitude in an effort to produce a triumphant outcome.

Each of these lessons has really kept me going as I adjust to the elements of a new moment in my life and continue to nurture my values and live a balanced life.”

Dana Cairns

UCSF School of Pharmacy, First Year