Mentoring

Dear Shelby Arnold,

Being your mentor was a great honor. Yet, it was an AMAZING experience to meet you. I know I tell you all the time what you mean to me and how this helps me but I will say it again. Being a mentor isn’t honestly a job it’s a role I took upon myself. Especially when it came to being your mentor I chose you. It wasn’t because of your grades or your past. It was what you needed. You asked for a leader to be there for you and help when ever possible. You asked for someone that can be friendly and kind. You asked for someone that could care about you. I believed that I could deliver all that and more. When it came to mentoring there wasn’t a lot to mentor honestly. You were on TOP OF THE GAME. It was impressive! I assumed I would need to help more than I had. Little did I know it was because you were self reliant and a straight forward person. There was never a time where you needed me as a mentor because you had it in yourself. This reflects back to if I was doing my job correctly. I was! A mentor in the LI isn’t suppose to be a hovering figure they don’t see you as a baby with no clear goals or ideas. They see you equally as a leader. We are there in case you struggle because that is what everyone is for. We want nothing but the best for you. Does this mean I am off my guard? Heck no! I want to be involved still in your life and continue to text or call or come over because I love you as a person. There was no daily chore for me. I gave you all the space you needed and I learned exactly what to ask you or talk to you about. You were always kind and caring and always expressed interesting in talking and telling me what’s up in your life. I feel like mentoring has this big idea to it that you need to teach all the skills but I didn’t because you had a knack at this. This is why the LI recognized you to be apart of the program because you took it upon yourself to be self sufficient and reliable. You never said no or help without trying first. You always took the steps without second thoughts. I find that admirable. Little do you know but I learned from you. It may be a cliché thing to say but it really isn’t because it’s a truth that all teachers like yourself will learn. You will never stop being an incredible person Shelby I know it. The take away from my experience mentoring is that you learn to adapt and you how to form your leadership skills to another persons and that way it’s not overbearing. I learned that people like you exist in the world and it gives me hope that I may see more. No body else though will ever compare to you and your self. Congrats on completing your first year of college. I hope sophomore year is great and continue being awesome!