2024 - Meet Rida Lakhani

When Elgin Community College student Rida Lakhani of West Dundee entered the nursing program, she was the youngest in her class but held little fear in pursuing her passion for becoming a nurse. “Ever since I was young, I have always known I wanted to go into nursing,” said Lakhani. “I’m happy here. The program is really good.”

Lakhani got her early start in the nursing program because she completed her Associate of Arts degree while simultaneously receiving her high school diploma as a Dual Credit Program student. Lakhani completed the prerequisite courses she needed to begin the nursing program at 18 years old.

“Being in dual credit was a great opportunity for me,” Lakhani said. “It’s such a positive because either way, you’ll finish high school, so this is a way for you to get college credit that you can transfer. Also, the school pays for your classes. It’s amazing.”

Lakhani can be found almost exclusively on the nursing floor on ECC’s campus. When she’s not in class or studying in her favorite study room, she’s working as a lab tech for the nursing program. “This is another great opportunity ECC has given me because they really understand that you’re a student, too,” she said. “I’m also always able to see my teachers for what I might need, and when I set up different simulations and demonstrations for my job, it helps me stay in touch with everything.”

Lakhani is on track to graduate from ECC in the fall and intends to find a job as a nurse in a hospital that will help pay for her tuition to get her bachelor’s degree in nursing, her next educational pursuit.

Learn more about a future health care hero, Rida Lakhani.

What’s your favorite social media channel and why? I would say either Instagram or TikTok. When I’m at home and not doing anything, I sit on TikTok all day. I love Instagram because it’s a way to share your life with others if you want and keep in touch with people. There are also different accounts for different things, like clubs, so there are so many options for what you can see.

Dogs, cats, or house plants? Cats! My cat is orange and white, and she’s the cutest little baby. When she sits, she’s shaped like a pear. She’s so cute, and I love her more than anything. People think I’m crazy, but my life goal is to be that crazy cat lady. I’m not even kidding; I want like seven or eight cats. I’m not a huge dog person, and I tend to kill plants. Cats all the way.

What are you binge-watching right now, or what’s something you’d recommend? I can recommend so much. The issue with me is I re-watch shows I’ve already seen. I recently finished “Grey's Anatomy” again but didn’t watch it all through. I stop in the middle when one of the characters dies, and then I start back over. Right now, I’m watching “The Vampire Diaries.” I love that show so much. It’s not even funny. I think everyone can judge it as a book by its cover, thinking it’s a stupid romance vampire show, but it’s so good. I’m watching it for the third time. Also, I really love shows from the ‘90s, too. Like “Friends,” “That ‘70s Show,” “Becker,” “Cheers,” “Fraser,” and “Seinfeld.” They don’t make comedy like that anymore.

What’s your favorite meal to cook or eat out? I cook a lot of Pakistani Indian food. I don’t really know how to cook anything else. Eating out would probably also be Indian food. I love my culture. I also love Italian food, seafood, and fish. I’m a big salmon girl.

Shout out an ECC staff member or peer! I love the nursing faculty. I think they’re all great. It’s a group of amazing teachers.