"There is no more noble occupation in the world than to assist another human being--to help someone succeed" -Alan Loy McGinnis
Reflection: Part 2
I thought that this project is definitely a good way to improve our leadership skills. From my experience, it is very hard trying to be somebody’s mentor whom you have no clue about and have little or nothing in common. As a mentor, I was always trying to maintain contact with Cami and I made sure that she knew that she could approach me for help either in one of her classes, in the major, or in life. I learned that as a leader, I am enthusiastic, trustworthy, confidant, and committed to excellence. One thing that I have to improve is on always keeping my goals and end results in mind. There were many times throughout the semester where I found myself straying away from my goals for this project and seeing Cami as a friend rather than a mentee. I stayed in contact with her throughout the semester through e-mails, text, and Facebook, but I think that a few more face-to-face meetings would have created a much stronger relationship.
Being a mentor of someone who is just about your age is somewhat difficult. Sometimes having one or two additional years of experience in college and life does not necessarily mean that a mentor is more prepared than its mentee. I think that it is also a temptation to form a friendship rather than a mentor/mentee relationship. When I was a counselor for my community’s youth group, I remember that the leader of my section was exactly the same age as me. We rarely used to ask him for help or advice on anything because even though he was our mentor and leader, at the end of the day, he had the same experience and knowledge as we did. It was extremely difficult for him to lead a group of counselors who were the same age as him because they saw him as their equal. Thankfully, this situation did not occur with Cami and me. Every time we met she asked me about my experience and what steps to take in order to have a successful educational experience.
I thought that this project is definitely a good way to improve our leadership skills. From my experience, it is very hard trying to be somebody’s mentor whom you have no clue about and have little or nothing in common. As a mentor, I was always trying to maintain contact with Cami and I made sure that she knew that she could approach me for help either in one of her classes, in the major, or in life. I learned that as a leader, I am enthusiastic, trustworthy, confidant, and committed to excellence. One thing that I have to improve is on always keeping my goals and end results in mind. There were many times throughout the semester where I found myself straying away from my goals for this project and seeing Cami as a friend rather than a mentee. I stayed in contact with her throughout the semester through e-mails, text, and Facebook, but I think that a few more face-to-face meetings would have created a much stronger relationship.
Being a mentor of someone who is just about your age is somewhat difficult. Sometimes having one or two additional years of experience in college and life does not necessarily mean that a mentor is more prepared than its mentee. I think that it is also a temptation to form a friendship rather than a mentor/mentee relationship. When I was a counselor for my community’s youth group, I remember that the leader of my section was exactly the same age as me. We rarely used to ask him for help or advice on anything because even though he was our mentor and leader, at the end of the day, he had the same experience and knowledge as we did. It was extremely difficult for him to lead a group of counselors who were the same age as him because they saw him as their equal. Thankfully, this situation did not occur with Cami and me. Every time we met she asked me about my experience and what steps to take in order to have a successful educational experience. 