During my First-Year Mentor (FYM) training, Tarra Morgan, the Assistant Director, said there are two main reasons a student becomes an FYM: They either had a not-so-great FYM or an amazing one. Luckily, I applied because of the latter reason. As an international student, my Orientation Week (O-Week) experience was so fulfilling because I had an incredible mentor who guided me through this foreign environment and never failed to be enthusiastic in her support. As I went through my first Orientation as an FYM, I sought to pay forward the mentorship my FYM had provided me.
On the first night of Orientation, I met my mentees for the first time in AMR I (one of the residence halls for first-year students) after walking through a massive rainstorm. This O-Week was already different from what I experienced a year ago. One shift has been making FYM groups based on residence halls rather the random assignments from years before. Although there are pros and cons to this decision, I have found in my group it has allowed closer relationships between roommates and neighbors in the same hallway. It was gratifying to see the connections form before me.
My favorite part of being an FYM has been learning the stories of my mentees and what brought them to Hopkins. I loved getting to know about different prom traditions, stories behind their names, and insights into their hometowns. Throughout the week, I got to have conversations about all aspects of student life from academics to clubs. I remember having so many questions about Hopkins that could only be answered by a current student.
Other highlights of the week were leading discussions on student organizations, academic success, and well-being. These conversations were where I felt FYMs had the most to contribute. As a peer, I was able to give personal, detailed, and honest anecdotes. I wanted to pass down knowledge I wish I had learned earlier, like what to do when you become sick at college. Since I’m a fellow student, I could tell the first-years were open about their concerns.
Even though people naturally have fewer questions for their FYM as the semester goes on, they remain key contacts. During the weeks after Orientation, I’ve enjoyed catching up with my mentees in the dining hall lines, on the way to class, and at the Student Involvement Fair. I get a small dose of serotonin every time I bump into them on campus. As they all grow into their lives at Hopkins, I’m happy to have guided them for that first week. I find this role so special because students never forget their first mentor, and I love being a part of the ever-expanding network of these Hopkins first-years. This is my favorite part of the role; I love making connections with my peers and how we can all learn from one another.
