Dear Journal,

This has been one exciting week... I still find myself eager to sit in on my mentees' FYS course; the First Year Kickoff was a success; and my coaching sessions began!

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This past week's lecture in the FYS course focused on "doing gender" and how our culture has sexualized women in advertisements, etc. This was fascinating for me because as a freshman my FYS course was Gender and Activism, which also covered these topics, and I was interested in hearing my students' thoughts. Before the first class began, the professor asked me how much time I would need for my announcements; this definitely helped both of us manage our time throughout the rest of the period. Also before the first class began, I overheard some students talking about the First Year Kickoff! (I did see a few of them at the event!) My cheerfulness simmered down as the class proceeded however; it was replaced with a bit of frustration. Throughout the class, the professor needed to stop lecturing numerous times due to mulitple side conversations among students. This has proved itself to be a reoccurring issue, so I decided to email the professor about what we can both do to limit and hopefully stop these distracting exchanges. Toward the end of class, the professor did encourage more group work, which aided in promoting more relevant discussions.

In my email exchange with the professor later that day, I noted that I really liked her class dynamic in which her lectures invite a lot of discussion; however, I expressed that the first class doesn't seem to feed off of that approach. We both agreed that having smaller group discussions about certain issues first and then regrouping as a whole to debrief on the various ideas discussed might be a better strategy in encouraging class discussion, as well as preventing inappropriate side chatter. The professor concluded that if those discussions seem fruitful, then she will continue to ask them to talk to their neighbors or pair them up.

As the professor began role-call for the second class, she and I both noticed a substanial amount of students missing. According to students present, there was a problem with one of the elevators. The professor and I started laughing, and then she proceeded to say, "Take the stairs. They don't bite. I take them everyday because sometimes those elevators can be a real pain... [made a face]." When the other students finally arrived (they didn't take too long), they came in, said good morning to me, and were ready to go within two minutes of sitting down. The lecture proceeded smoothly. When my time came to make announcements, the students seemed really excited about the upcoming Kickoff!

At the end of class, the professor approached me and expressed concern regarding the upcoming research project and showcase. Our main point of conversation entailed the workload on the students; that is, we didn't want certain members of groups fulfilling a greater workload than others. I suggested a strategic method in grouping students, mentioning that my idea stemmed from what my FYS course professor did. In order to prevent some students from not contributing as much as they should, I recommended surveying the students on what topic they would like to research (topics being listed by the professor), and thus grouping them based on similar interests. She seeemd to really like the idea and said she would consider it.

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On Wednesday, as the day was winding down, I prepared myself to complete my video roleplay in CSL 210. Though a much more detailed reflection of my thoughts and feelings pertaining to that roleplay will be submitted later on this semester, I can say I thought I did well. I just wish my phone storage didn't run out of space after the first minute or so of recording.

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The First Year Kickoff that was held on Wednesday was a success! Many of my mentees came to the event. I saw lots of smiles from all of the students present. I was stationed at the SASP table, facilitating the game that my freshmen team came up with at one of our weekly meetings. Our game was "Heads Up" - but a more educational, academic journey-based version. The cards featured on the game reflected different departments and resources found on campus, as well as key words that the students should be familiar with, such as "bachelor's degree," or "Blackboard." For the terms or departments that participating students did not guess, we explained what the answer was and how it can be beneficial to them as they continue on their academic journey. Many of the students who came to play the game really enjoyed it; some even got really competitive which was exciting to watch! I can't wait to see my students back in class this week so I can ask them directly what they thought of the event.

(Please see photo gallery!)

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I also started peer success coaching sessions this past week! Without an incentive, the students I work with still signed up. I had 5 sessions last week, and they all went really well in my opinion. One of my students wishes to transfer to a different CUNY school, and after talking with him I understand why. He's interested in computer science, and though John Jay has that choice as a major, my student found a school that can offer him more opportunities - class and internship wise - in the field. So, I expressed how happy I was that he is ready to go after what he wants and reassured him that I will continue to support him. In my other sessions, my students told me how they already were interested in programs such as BA/MA; and how they took the initiative to set up appointments with other resources on campus, such as the PreLaw Institute, to ensure their success. The majority of them also shared that they joined some clubs! I'm so excited for them, and I'm looking forward to hearing about how everything is going. All of them also expressed interest in the calendar/scheduling idea that Nancy shared with the SASP team earlier last week. I will be checking in with them to see how it's proven to either be beneficial or not.

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Conclusively, I'm ready to start this new week...now with added responsibilities, but I know I can do it!

Until next time,

Samantha