Keeping An Open Mind

Last weeks class was one to make us stop and think about how we treat all of those around us. We tend to associate ourselves with those that are most like us, and for most of us within the Peer Mentors 2010 we grew up in places that were not so diverse. Coming to Iowa State opened up our eyes to new experiences, new people and new ideas. People in college feel as though this is the time discover who you are, and try new things. I think it is so important for us to be around diversity on campus. We are fortunate to have this huge campus we do, and have many different cultures apparent on campus. It makes us understand that there is so much more out there than a small town in Iowa!

I think that we need to be aware of this in order to be there for our students next fall. I can almost guarantee that we will have a diverse group of students, and it is important for us as their peer mentors to be open and aware. We want our students to know that we are there for them. Freshman year can be a struggle for some people and it is our job to make that transition as smooth as possible.