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Wyome

BSc (Hons) Mathematics

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Becoming a Peer Mentor is really rewarding. I think if you are interested in making people feel welcome and supported, this is a great way to give back and feel that you are actually making a real difference.

Being a Peer Mentor

Coming into my final year at university, I wanted to be involved in a volunteer project that involved connecting with students and making new friends. Having had a rough start at university myself in my first year, I didn’t have to think twice about becoming a Peer Mentor - I wanted to positively impact other first year students’ experience and ensure they felt supported and mentored, something I wish I felt more of myself when I first started.

I suggested we take part in an induction period competition for Peer Mentors and their mentees. I thought that the opportunity to collaborate with my mentees would be a great ice breaker and I was also excited to educate and challenge myself. Taking part was a really good way to get to know my mentees and their amazing ideas. Having the chance to work together on something was better than awkward initial small talk.

Benefits of being a Peer Mentor

I have definitely developed a lot more of my soft skills thanks to being a Peer Mentor. Specifically, my collaboration skills and ability to communicate more clearly and effectively. I think I’ve also developed more spectrum thinking, alongside just general knowledge of current issues affecting others. These will all undoubtedly transfer well into the workplace when I graduate, making me even better at working on big projects and communicating ideas effectively.

Becoming a Peer Mentor is really rewarding. I think if you are interested in making people feel welcome and supported, this is a great way to give back and feel that you are actually making a real difference. However, if you want to be able to give support to others, I would recommend that you are certain you’ll be able to do this at the extent your mentees deserve, which means lots of follow up emails and communication, alongside completing excellent training – all of which require a lot of time and effort. If you can’t give your time, perhaps being a Peer Mentor isn’t for you – but if you can, it is one of the most rewarding university experiences I have had yet.