Why did you decide to join the Connect Mentor Program?

I joined because I wanted to be a part of helping new students get the most out of uni life and the diversity of the whole experience, it's not just academic based. I really wanted to share my experiences as a La Trobe student.

What is the best part about being a Mentor?

You get to play a role in one of the biggest steps in someone’s life – their transition to uni! It’s also great that you get to share your own experiences and hopefully pass on valuable information and tips to make it a little easier and more enjoyable.

What are some of the valuable skills and experiences you have gained from being a part of the Connect Mentor Program ?

Being a friendly face for someone means a lot, it's nice to know you and your knowledge is appreciated and valued. Sharing information and ways to make life easier is also great because you know you are making someone's journey a little easier.

What are your top tips for…

Connect Mentors:

• make it personalised! Use the experience to share why you love uni and hopefully you can spread some joy and happiness that way.

New Students:

• New students, make the most of every opportunity you are presented with, have fun! Get involved (sports, clubs, societies), make new friends, create some change...You only live once, so live it up.

Why did you decide to join the Connect Mentor Program?

I chose to become a Connect Mentor so that I could do my bit, to ensure that new students had a smooth and stress free transition into La Trobe.

What is the best part about being a Mentor?

The best part about being Connect Mentor is helping new students and seeing them enjoying their start at La Trobe like I did!!

What are some of the valuable skills and experiences you have gained from being a part of the Connect Mentor Program?

From the Connect Mentor Program I have gained increased confidence, a better understanding of how smooth the transition into uni can be and what amazing opportunities are on offer for new and old students alike.

What are your top tips for…

Connect Mentors:

• Have fun – you will meet some fantastic people.
• Treat it as an opportunity, not a job

New Students:

• Don’t stress, we’re here to help!
• Try everything – there’s so much on offer!

Why did you decide to join the Connect Mentor Program?

I was in my first year when I heard about the Connect Mentor Program, so I was experiencing first-hand what a different environment university was in comparison to high school. I thought that Connect Mentoring was a good chance to help or support the first year students in their university journey and to be a person they could turn to if they were unsure about anything.

What is the best part about being a Mentor?

The best part of being a Mentor is knowing that you’re there for the first year students if they are struggling and need support. It’s also knowing that you’re more involved in your university community.

What are some of the valuable skills and experiences you have gained from being a part of the Connect Mentor Program ?

I had the opportunity to share my tips and advice during the introductory session for first year Health Sciences students. Despite it being a while since I had done public speaking, it was empowering to speak to them all as someone who had been in their shoes.

Being a Connect Mentor has also helped me realise that you can give people skills, tools and information, but then you have to leave it up to them.

What are your top tips for…

Connect Mentors:

• Be happy and welcoming. Sometimes new students might feel uncomfortable approaching a stranger, so by being happy and welcoming it makes it easier for them to interact with you.
• Also, be patient - some new students may not know how to check their emails, so don’t take it personally if they don’t reply- it doesn’t mean they’re ignoring you. Another reason the mentees might not reply to your emails is that they’re fine - they may not have any questions and are feeling happy and settled.

New Students:

• Remember to check your emails and LMS every day.
• Be proactive: uni is not like high school, you need to make time for personal study.
• If you get an assessment back and you are unsure what the teacher’s feedback means, ask them or arrange to have a meeting with them. Your lecturers and tutors are here to help you.
• Email or talk to your teachers if you are struggling or feeling unsure. On a small campus they know you by name and, in my experience, make time for you if you need help. Remember, they want you to succeed.

Why did you decide to join the Connect Mentor Program?

I joined the Connect Mentor Program because I wanted to make a contribution to the La Trobe student community and help in the transition of first year students. Getting involved in programs such as the Connect Mentor program helps to build the community ethos at La Trobe and makes for a better university atmosphere.

What is the best part about being a Mentor?

The mentor program has given me an opportunity to meet new people and develop my leadership skills. Involvement in the program has helped add depth to my learning by adding to my skillset beyond the academic studies of my course.

What are some of the valuable skills and experiences you have gained from being a part of the Connect Mentor Program ?

• More confident to talk to groups of people (particularly those that I don’t know)
• I am much more familiar with my campus and its services now that I have explained them to others
• Facilitating a group of mentees helped test my organisational and communication skills
• Being able to meet a group of people for the first time and inspire conversation and interactions between them

What are your top tips for…

Connect Mentors:

• Get involved, everybody has unique experiences and knowledge to offer their mentee students.
• Put yourself in the shoes of your mentee’s, it makes it easier to give them helpful advice.

New Students:

• Get involved, it’s the best way to meet new people and enhance your learning experience.
• Organisation is the key to success, research tasks and subjects before you start and ask lots of questions! It’s the best way to learn.

Why did you decide to join the Connect Mentor Program?

In my first year I had a mentor myself, she was super helpful and it was a really good feeling knowing that she was there whenever I had a question or just needed someone to talk to. I knew that I wanted to be able to be that person for some of the first years too, and be able to share my knowledge of uni life with them.

What is the best part about being a Mentor?

The best part about being a connect mentor would have to have been being able to show them all the excitement and opportunities on offer, and just being able to be there for them when they needed any help.

What are some of the valuable skills and experiences you have gained from being a part of the Connect Mentor Program?

I have learnt some great leadership skills from being involved in the program. I’ve also met so many new people that I wouldn't have ever even seen around campus otherwise. Finally, I had the opportunity to give back to a uni that has given me so much.

What are your top tips for…

Connect Mentors:

• Remember you are someone who your group will look up to, so make sure you're representing the uni in a good light.
• Your students will more than likely lose touch with you in the first few weeks, but we have to maintain that contact with them via email so that if something does happen and they need to talk to someone, they'll remember that we're there for them.

New Students:

• Uni is a brilliant experience, in academic aspects, as well as socially. It gives you the opportunity to follow your passion and make a life out of what you love.
• Lectures may not be compulsory, but being present at them gives you a greater advantage over those who don't attend. You have the chance to speak to your lecturers if you don't understand something, and simply being in the presence of someone who loves a subject so much they made it their life's work, motivates you and assists in your own learning and development.

Why did you decide to join the Connect Mentor Program?

I'm not going to lie…initially I did it for the La Trobe Award but after getting to know the students and being involved in the program, I'm really glad I did it. It's a great program, you meet some really fun people not only first years but also other mentors. It's also kind of nice imparting some wisdom on younger students after being at La Trobe for so long!

What is the best part about being a Mentor?

Getting to know new people and feeling like you are making a difference. Knowing how hard it is to transition into uni it was nice knowing that I was making a difference for a group of new students.

What are some of the valuable skills and experiences you have gained from being a part of the Connect Mentor Program?

Meeting all the new people, learning how to explain things and understanding La Trobe more clearly, and lastly meeting all the new students and other mentors really improved my own communication skills.

What are your top tips for…

Connect Mentors:

• Facebook is so much easier than emails, no one reads emails!
• Coffee vouchers are good bribes when it feels like you're mentees don't want to see you (but don’t let it get you down!)

New Students:

• Ask questions! Almost every lecturer I have met at La Trobe really wants to talk to students, they love it when you care enough to ask questions, so do.
• Keep on top of your studies! My best choice this year was organizing a study group where everyone had to learn one section and then teach everyone else. It meant you were accountable to someone other than you.

Why did you decide to join the Connect Mentor Program?

I knew there were at least opportunities within my faculty for students to be placed with a mentor in my first year, however at the time most people didn't even consider this option. With the Connect Mentor program being quasi-compulsory for new students however, I saw it as a great opportunity to support students transition by making them more aware of the options that are offered. Furthermore I thought that as a mentor I could give a fresh perspective to new students in my course, aside from what is offered by academic staff in O-week and the beginning of semester.

What is the best part about being a Mentor?

It is always positive bumping into your mentees around La Trobe but my favourite part would have to be the initial guided tour. As most new students have never diverted off the beaten track, it is a great opportunity to give them a unique take on the uni we have all grown to know and love. Some highlights include letting people find the best route to the Schnitzel bld (Szental), critiquing the Agora cafes, and teaching of the dangers of duck syphilis for those thinking of taking a dive into the moat.

What are some of the valuable skills and experiences you have gained from being a part of the Connect Mentor Program?

• Thinking realistically: Having been in the program before I have noticed just how easy it is to expect unrealistic responses from mentees. For example it is easy to get bogged down by a lack of response to emails within the first two weeks without even considering that students may not even check their emails within the first two weeks.
• Showing vs telling: Being a Connect Mentor is all about being a resource but not about being a teacher. I found that Connect Mentor's seemed to accomplish much more (especially in regards to the tour) when they stayed with their group and stopped to show them parts of the uni and provide useful info, instead of merely racing to get through their tour and tell students every piece of info that they could read from their sheet.
• Expecting anarchy: All mentors want to know is how many mentees they have got and what their names are. But students might not show up, mentors might not show up (God forbid!), timings may need to be amended from delays, and then suddenly a student may join your group half-way through your tour whilst two have already decided to go off to explore the campus on their own. All in all it is a great lesson of keeping track; both of names and numbers during orientation and beyond. And more importantly, keeping track of personalities.

What are your top tips for…

Connect Mentors:

Based on my past experiences there are a couple main tips which spring to mind.

• One is to work out how you are going to keep in touch with mentees (the more ways the better) and the other is on how you should act. Quite simply 'you are a mentor', remember that. You have limited responsibilities, but a responsibility to be a positive influence if nothing else. And your mentees have zero responsibilities. As such you cannot treat one and the same because they will all respond differently.
• I recommend tag-teaming with other mentors. Whether that be through Facebook or email it should then be much easier to have a larger group, which will make it easier to organise a catchup and disperse information.
• And as already alluded to, if all else fails, always stay honest and positive. I love positive negativity for example. How great is it to connect with someone through the common love of something that you both hate! Your experiences with your course (good and bad) will always be valuable as long as they are delivered in the right way.

New Students:

• Form a network. Then form at least one more. For instance it is always a good idea to invlove yourself in a club/society as well as making friends within your faculty. This way you will have a better perspective and as such, be more aware of opportunities that are available. And undoubtedly you will also have more fun of course!
• Set a goal. Whether that be for a D average, for the necessary marks for an exchange preference, or just to submit all assessments in on time without rushing to complete them. If you're asking me, exchange is where it's at!