[Jeff Waegelin]

When I graduated from HS (back in 2003), I went through much the same decision process you're going through now. I really wanted to stay involved with FIRST, because it was something I really enjoyed, but I also was concerned about having enough time, classes, and the like. Initially, I decided I was going to take a year off, volunteer, and not be involved with a team.

As the season rolled around, though, I couldn't stay away. I decided to go back to my high school team, and help them out. They were in a transition year, with lots of new people in leadership roles, and I figured I could lend some experience to the new organization. In the end, it wasn't really such a good idea. Going back to work as a mentor with the same students who had been my peers the season before was a challenge. We also had a new teacher, and that posed some conflict - I wanted to have the responsibilities as an adult mentor, but she saw me as this 18 year old kid who was in high school less than a year previously. Needless to say, it wasn't the best situation, and I really wasn't ready to handle the responsibilities of being a mentor.

On top of this, I had been spending all my weekends back home in Rochester, and sometimes skipping class and homework assignments so I could leave early for a meeting (it was an hour drive home). I still was doing okay in school, but not as well as I had the semester before.

At that point, I seriously considered quitting FIRST entirely. I hadn't had much fun, I was burned out, and came close to calling it quits. Fortunately, a friend of mine knew some of the people involved with a team in Ann Arbor (where I went to college), and got me in contact with them. That turned out to be one of the best decisions I've made in FIRST. The new team was much closer (5 minutes from my dorm), they were structured to allow the college mentors specific roles in the team, and I had a chance to build a proper mentor-student relationship from the ground up. My year mentoring my old team had also given me new perspective on how to run a team, and how to be a mentor. With some help from other experienced mentors, I was able to have a great season, and eventually became the design manager, and then the team leader. I got to see some of the students that were freshmen and sophomores become upperclassmen and leaders... it really was a truly rewarding experience. The best thing was at IRI (my last event with the team) when the mother of one of those original freshmen came and told me how I had been a role model and inspiration for her son. It made me feel like I had really made a difference to those kids.

So, the main things I got from this experience:
- Trying to mentor your old high school team is not always a good idea... it's better to get a fresh start in a new place.
- College freshmen are not always ready to be mentors... they can learn, but it usually takes a season or so to really develop into a good mentor.
- If you do mentor in college, find a team that's close! Your free time and grades will thank you.
- Mentoring can be a great experience if you approach it right, and there's nothing better than being able to help give another student the same experience that inspired you.