Reflections 2021

Mentor Reflections per Topic as Reported by the Mentors of Lydia

Do you think you were successful in providing newcomers / mentees with support and assistance in the adjustment and transition in their new university environment?

Yes. Last year was a very challenging year for the newcomers and this year although we thought it was going to be a bit more certain was also very uncertain. I do think that being back on campus helping the mentees adjust in the new environment by being physically by their side was successful.

What has been the most challenging part of being a mentor? What will you do differently? What will you advise prospective mentors?

Most challenging was definitely managing social distancing and at the same time building trust relationships. For almost the whole welcoming period we had our masks on when we were interacting with the newcomers and it was difficult to see all the social ques. If I can do something differently I would like to communicate with the mentees before the newcomers come to campus just to get to know them and to answer all of their questions. I know at that point we do not know in which mentor groups they will be but if we can have a mentor-mentee communication channel where they can ask general questions that would really improve the mentor-mentee relationships. I would advise prospective mentors to be yourself and not force a relationship. Some relationships will take more time to form and you should not feel guilty about that.

How do you think you think you refined and strengthened your "communication" skills during your term as a mentor? Please elaborate.

Having to wear masks all the time I as a mentor could not rely on facial ques anymore. You had to really listen to your mentee to get an understanding of what the issue was. I definitely think this strengthened my communication shills because I learned to listen more and only respond once the person was done talking. This also allowed me to respond to the problem and not just the persons emotions.

How do you think you think you refined and strengthened your "collaboration" skills during your term as a mentor? Please elaborate.

I really enjoyed working with my mentor team. Everyone had something they brought to the table and it was nice to hear al the different ideas and solutions to problems. We really worked together on ensuring that all our mentees were having a good time while staying safe.

How do you think you think you refined and strengthened your "critical thinking" skills during your term as a mentor? Please elaborate.

With covid we had to think outside the box. This really challenged my critical thinking skills because I could not just do what has been done in the past. I had to find new and creative ways to communicate with my mentees. I also had to consider factors this year which was not even present last year and I really had to critically analyze the current situation to make sure that I had meaningful relationships with my mentees.

How do you think you think you refined and strengthened your "creativity" skills during your term as a mentor? Please elaborate.

Because of social distancing we could not do what we did in the past. Our mentor sessions and social gatherings had to be in a different format than in previous years. I really tried to find creative ways to do these gatherings with my mentees but still create a space where they could open up to me and feel safe. I definitely enjoyed being more creative and I do think that the different and unusual circumstances of this year did not prevent solid mentor-mentee relationships being formed.