Reflections 2021

Mentor Reflections per Topic as Reported by the Mentors of Serruria

What was your experience of Welcoming?

It was very exhausting but also very exciting. It was so nice to meet all of the newcomers and the other girls in res. There was some stressful situations that we had to handle during welcoming but we as mentors worked well together as a team. My overall experience wasn't always great and I was quite stressed but as welcoming came to an end I enjoyed it very much.

I thought Welcoming was an amazing experience to be apart of. To help the newcomers adjust and watch how they start to feel at home in a residence was really wonderful. Along with building a friendship and bond with fellow mentors really made the whole experience. It was a tiring period but it was really rewarding to be apart of.

Welcoming was a difficult period in that we were having issues with leadership. I started off a mentor in welcoming and welcoming ended with me being head mentor.

Welcoming was very busy but also alot of fun! There were some stresfull times and difficult situations we had to handle during welcoming week. But i learned alot about myself and others. It was alot of fun meeting all of the newcomers and bonding with the people in res.

It was an incredible period I enjoyed myself and enjoyed meeting my section and academic mentees. It was a period of stepping out of our comfort zones opening up to new experiences and getting to know people. It was a positive experience for all of my section mentees and my academic mentees felt informed and encouraged to start their journey in their faculties. Welcoming week was a period of growth for myself I felt like it really pushed me to embrace my individuality and to inspire my mentees to do it as well. It was so wonderful seeing my mentees and myself connect with all our different personalities and feel love and genuine interest not judgement. I'm very grateful for the experience of welcoming week it was an unforgettable time and I made memories that will last me a life time formed new friendships and learnt so much about myself and made myself proud for the hard work and all the time I put into my role as a mentor.

It was definitely a mixed experience. As a mentor team we had to have many discussions with our head mentor to sort out some issues however in the end it was all sorted out. I think this became very draining as we had to have many long meetings. On the flip side it was amazing to be able to help the newcomers and see them adapting to Residence life. I really enjoyed helping them and getting to know them. It was also a wonderful experience working with my mentor team and the HK. It was a busy time but it was amazing to experience welcoming in a different perspective and still have it even though it was different due to Covid.

In your opinion, what was the most helpful aspect of being a mentor to your mentees - how did you add value to their university experience?

I helped them to unpack after each day and also to sort out admin things that might contribute to more stress. We had sessions about how they were feeling and their wellness and practical things to do when dealing with stress.

I think trying to answer all of their questions so that they can feel they have the information they need to feel like they are getting piece of mind about adjusting to university. Just being an ear to listen and checking up that they are doing okay whilst still giving them distance to find friends or make their way around Stellenbosch was very important. Not to be over bearing and being there every second but making them know that they have the freedom to do as they need and want. However if there is a problem/ need to chat there is someone there for them. This truly gave them an understanding of what university is having the freedom and far greater potential to live their lives but always knowing that there is someone who they can count on when they need or want someone. In terms of academic mentees I think just giving them confidence that they can get through the work and reassurance that it is possible to do well was very important. So that they have the right mindset going into their studies. This will enable them to try their best and work according to what they are capable of.

Some of my mentees were struggling mentally and I was able to help with serious issues in this regard. I'm proud for how significant my role was. If you see them now you would never know how they were during welcoming.The helping out with small things such as keeping my fridge open to them meant so much too. I think small gestures like that went a long way.

I helped them with questions and uncertainties they had. We had lots of conversations about wellness and I helped them to realise how important it is to look after you health and mental health. I also told them about all the available support structures in the university. Academically i helped my mentees to gain perspective about the year ahead and helped them transition mentally from high school to university

There are so many helpful aspects about being a mentor to my mentees but one that stands out the most is being a big sister and a friend with experience to guide my mentees through their university experience. It also taught me to have patience patience and understanding working with ladies who are fearful over whelmed and stressed helps you place yourself in their shoes and gain an understanding of their feelings. This ties in with problem solving I had to learn to think on my feet when a situation arose and to remain calm think rationally and practically about the next step to take. I do think this helped me see what type of leader I want to be for my mentees and how I want to take up the responsibility that comes with being a leader. It taught me to look at the group (mentees) and see what style of leadership will be most effective for the group and how to define my role as a facilitator within our mentor/mentee talks and encourage conversation between the ladies. I think by me being observant and empathetic towards my mentees helped them develop a meaningful relationship with me as their mentor which they value and I do too. By us having comfortable conversations it makes it easy for my mentees to reach out for guidance/help when they need me; and I think this specific aspect plays the most significant role from my side as their mentor because they know I'm dependable and always available.

The most helpful thing was answering any question they had. Be it about Residence. Academics or life in general. I think it really gave them a bit of relief if they had their questions answered. Another useful aspect was the sessions we had where we addressed wellness and the importance of wellness. Especially in COVID times mental health is very important and a simple reminder to go for a walk really made a difference. That little bit of interaction also help the newcomers make friends and learn from everyone. Adding to this I think just checking on them also made a huge difference because they actually stopped for a second and considered how they were feeling. I think that this helped them realise their emotions and address them. I think in the beginning also sharing my experience helped them know that they are able to adapt and make the most of university life where they might have never had the opportunity to speak to someone who has gone through the first year already. Listening to them and encouraging was the best thing I could do for them because they were able to let go of their feelings and know someone is there for them.