That’s me and my mentor, Jessica, chatting for the first time. We hadn’t even met yet. Usually you meet someone before you text them, not the other way around.
I was a sophomore in high school in Tuscon, AZ, and I was going through a slump in life. I wasn’t happy, I wasn’t feeling school, and I didn’t like to talk in front of other people, especially people I didn’t know. When my teacher told me I’d be getting a mentor, I couldn’t see the point. I didn’t see how a stranger could motivate me, help with my grades, or help me do things like join clubs in school.
I didn’t know what to say to a random adult I didn’t know. When I saw that she sent me a message on Conversations [iMentor’s online direct messaging tool for mentors and students to chat], I replied and we began getting to know each other. I liked that she always responded right away. It made me feel like she cared, and it was encouraging.
I feel like I’m better at making my point if I think about it and write it down, instead of having to think about it in person. So, when we first met in person, I was nervous. I felt a lot of adrenaline. But I was also curious. I wanted to meet the person I had been messaging with. And when I saw her, I really liked her. She had a huge smile, and was very welcoming, not awkward at all. It was surprisingly easy to just continue the conversation we started online. She made a good impression on me, and after that I decided to trust her and try this out.
Over time, we talked more and spent more time together at in person events. I told her about things I was dealing with, like not having much motivation in school. She took me seriously. I saw that she’s not a person who is here to judge me, she’s here to listen. At every event, we can share what we talked about in front of the group, but I don’t like to. There’s a whole bunch of kids there, and I don’t like talking in front of people. But one time, I had the confidence to say something, so I raised my hand. Jessica got so hyped, she screamed my name! It made me laugh, and I couldn’t even process what I was going to say. But I got it together, and it felt really good to share.
It’s funny to look back at my first messages with her and remember how nervous I was. Now I look forward to seeing Jessica. We still talk online too, every week. Right now we’re working on getting my grades higher, and soon we’re going to start planning for college. I want to be the first person in my family to go to college, and since Jessica works at University of Arizona, she’ll be a big help. I’m glad I got over my nerves and gave her a chance.
