Being a peer mentor is not just about helping out new students – it can also have a big impact on yourself. Here, Nefeli discusses what she got out of being a mentor in the department of Biology and Biochemistry.
"There is nothing to lose and a lot to gain, like friendships, the pleasure to offer little but valuable help and a flashback to first year."
- Nefeli Karonis, BSc (hons) Biology with Professional Placement
What made you decide to get involved with the mentoring scheme?
Being a peer mentor sounded like a great opportunity to meet new people. It was also a way for me to re-live my first year experience through my mentees and hear about their own experience. Last but not least my own peer mentor did an amazing job with me and inspired me to become peer mentor myself.
What has been the most positive aspect of being a peer mentor?
For me the two most positive aspects of being a peer mentor are the friendships I made with my mentees, and the feeling of responsibility that I had towards them. The fact that your mentees know you are here for them brings a lot of satisfaction.
What has surprised you about the scheme/ something you were not anticipating?
What has surprised me the most is the fact that my mentees were barely contacting me, which is a great sign as it surely shows things are going well with their new life. They all seemed very positive when I was checking how everything was going.
How will being a peer mentor help you for the future?
Peer mentoring taught me to be even more reactive towards people who need any kind of help and it also showed me how to be responsible of a group of people.
Why should other students sign up to be a peer mentor?
There is nothing to lose and a lot to gain, like friendships, the pleasure to offer little but valuable help and a flashback to first year.
If you had to sum up being a peer mentor in three words, what would they be?
Enriching, fun, satisfying.
If you are interested in becoming a peer mentor, you can sign up to your department-specific training session.