By Anonymous Freshmen

Peer mentoring. A scheduled activity for freshman that occurs every time their D bell drops. So, what is it exactly? Peer mentoring is when two seniors, typically one male and one female, lead a class with freshman, teaching them values, telling stories, and giving advice on how to get through the tougher times of high school. The main idea of peer mentoring is to disassemble the myth of a hostile relationship between freshman and seniors, and to establish friendships and mentorships between students, creating a more positive environment.  But is peer mentoring really as fun and beneficial as it seems? Let’s dig deeper.

When it comes to peer mentoring, the opinions of the freshman vary. When asked what they thought of peer mentoring one student said “All of my friends seem to love their peer mentoring groups, but I am not having a lot of fun. I haven’t really connected with my peer mentors, and it’s hard to have fun when none of your friends are around.” When we asked another student their answer was “peer mentoring is a fun time set apart for letting students have an extra piece of time to relax and bond with their peers. I personally really enjoy it. It allows us to get to know our peers much better, and our peer mentors provide us with great advice” and that “I think that peer mentoring is fun. It’s a nice break from school.”

One student replied, that they liked peer mentoring, but not all of the activities were interesting. Another student added “I thought that we would talk about high school and our feelings, but it’s [not].” Although the students’ opinions of peer mentoring itself vary, one thing all of the students can agree that they like about it is the food promised by the mentors. One student described their peer mentoring group as “sad” because no food was provided.

A major factor in the students’ opinions on peer mentoring are the mentors themselves. Although every peer mentor is different, the students have noticed that some peer mentors try harder than others. One student said, “I don’t really feel that (Peer Mentor’s name) contributes as much as (Peer Mentor’s name).” The way a peer mentor acts also affects the opinions of the students. One student explained how their view on their mentors has changed, “I have good peer mentors in my opinion. They’re fun, but they know the right times to be serious as well. I like my peer mentors, and I’m glad I didn’t get to choose them, because if I were to choose it would have been different and I like the way it is right now.”

When we asked what they would change about peer mentoring if they could, the students’ opinions were (once again) contradictory. One student thought that it could improve “by conducting it in larger groups because it sometimes feels a bit limited, we also could diversify the activities.” On the other hand, when another student was asked the same question they replied, “I really would not want to change anything about it. It’s really fun getting together and talking or doing team building games, and I also like the food.”

What we can learn from this article is that peer mentoring really depends on your fellow students, your peer mentors, and your attitude. If you want peer mentoring to be fun, then get more involved in your groups, and try to connect with your peers. On the other hand, it us understandable that it is difficult for shyer students to open up in a new environment, and it can be pretty intimidating. In the end, peer mentoring is what you make of it, and it’s pretty nice to get two classes off and just chill out for a while.