Hi! I’m Charlotte Shingleton and I am a second-year student studying International Management and Modern Languages in Spanish at the University of Bath here to tell you a bit about being a peer mentor.
What is a Peer Mentor?
All first years are allocated a peer mentor - a friendly face to help first year students settle into university life. As peer mentors, we mainly answer questions about what to bring to university, useful tips we learnt about our course in first year, how to make the most of university, how to get involved in university life and places to visit in Bath.
Why I chose to be a peer mentor
Having spent the last 11 years in the South of France, moving to the University of Bath and being away from my family for the first time was a massive change that I was looking forward to, but also at times made me feel completely lost. I had amazing housemates in first year but still felt far from home, so being able to reach out to my peer mentor in first year and ask them about their experiences and tips on how to feel more at home put me much more at ease. Having gone through this myself made me want to make sure any new first year wouldn’t feel the same.
What does being a peer mentor involve?
Being a peer mentor is an excellent way to not only help first year students to settle into university but is also a valuable way to gain experience and interpersonal skills through an academic environment that you will be able to apply to a corporate environment! It’s not a time-consuming role at all- being a second-year student with a busy schedule I can attest to this! There are a few welcome events to attend to meet your mentees; this is also a great way to expand your own network by meeting many different university staff members. In addition to that, there are four check-in points throughout the year to communicate with your mentees. However, it’s up to you to choose how you engage with your mentees and address their needs!
Tips and tricks on being a peer mentor
The key to a successful mentor-mentee relationship is communication. Mentees may not always respond to your emails or group messages as first year is a busy period in university but the most important thing is to let them know that you are there for them if they need anything! This could be tips on student friendly meals, how to balance lectures or seminars with social life, how to take notes and more!
Highlight of my time as a peer mentor
I would say that my most memorable experience in this position was when I encourage one of my first-year mentees to stay on her course. This mentee contacted me saying that she found the language aspect of her International Management and Spanish course too much of a challenge, which was exactly what I struggled with during my first few weeks in the same course. We met for coffee on campus, and I told her about how hard I found it and shared tips of how I coped with the language. The next time we met for coffee she had a whole new view on her course and was more motivated than ever to continue!
If you are considering becoming a peer mentor or have any questions about the role, you can read more on the SU website or email peersupport@bath.ac.uk.