By Daniel E. Lozano

At the end of a semester I like to sit back and look back at how my semester went. But when looking back this time I realized I saw something interesting: I saw growth. Not just in the class I worked with, but in myself as well.

I saw the group grow over the whole semester by starting with smaller interactions between each other, asking a few questions at a time and gradually break the silence in the room. At the start everyone was nervous and shy, much like I was when I started. At first, when they met me, they weren’t quite sure how to approach me. They saw me on par with the professor I was working with. It felt weird at first, but to break the ice I decided to start asking questions that freshmen ask frequently. I wanted to convey that I’m a student as well and no questions are bad questions.

As the semester went on, I saw everyone slowly warm up. They started sitting in more tightly knit groups, then eventually just started to work as an entire class. It was a great feeling seeing that happen.

Then I realized, I also grew a bit too. I was a bit nervous just like them, but I was also trying to do my best. I thought about the stories the other peer mentors have shared with me and thought about what I learned from them. Personally, standing in front of a group of students wasn’t always my forte’, which is kind of ironic that I’m a peer mentor who stands at the front helping the professor conduct class.

I learned how to work through my own personal flaw by doing something I enjoy: helping people. My first few classes with the group at the beginning of the semester were interesting because much like they were, I was nervous. But as time went on I started to become feel more comfortable. Students were approaching me after class asking questions about facilities as well as saying, “Hey!” whenever they would spot me on campus. It’s a great feeling knowing that they feel I’m someone they could approach to ask questions and chat with.

So looking back at last semester was helpful because not only did I see growth in the class, I also saw it in myself and with that I was able to take a positive attitude into this semester’s course where I have been more proactive with students and glad to have office hours in which if need be, they could visit me to discuss class or even have a friendly chat.

For that I’m glad to be a peer mentor and I look forward to seeing how this semester’s class grows as well.

Daniel E. Lozano is beginning his second semester as a Peer Mentor for the Opening Doors Learning Communities at Kingsborough Community College.