Mentor Quotation:
“If you choose to do something, you will become better, but if you choose to do nothing, you will remain the same. You have to remember that everything you do matters,” said Mr. Farinas, my programming teacher. He taught me more in one year than any other teacher or professor had in my entire academic career.
During my senior year of high school in December 2021, I was struggling with my grades in certain classes. I had always been a straight-A student, but suddenly found myself struggling to keep up with coursework and feeling like I didn’t belong. In particular, I was having a hard time in my math class, which had always been a strong suit for me in the past.
One day, while I was sitting in the library trying to work through a particularly difficult math problem, my guidance counselor summoned me to his office. In his quiet and comfortable space, he informed me that my math grades were insufficient compared to the second marking period, and that I needed to take more classes if I wanted to graduate on time with my friends. After our discussion, my mind started to race with thoughts like, “Why am I even trying? I’m not smart enough for this. Maybe I don’t belong in this class, or even in this school.” The feeling of being an impostor washed over me, and I felt like everyone around me was secretly judging me for not being good enough.
When I attended my programming class, which had previously been a source of motivation for me, I was no longer feeling excited about it. I sat in the back of the class, lost in my thoughts of self-doubt and imposter syndrome. My gaze was distant, and I didn’t make eye contact with anyone. I felt like I was in my own world, detached from the reality around me. I wasn’t engaging in the class discussion or paying attention to the teacher’s lectures. I started to feel like I wasn’t cut out for college or for any kind of academic success, and even considered dropping out of school altogether.
After class, Mr. Farinas, my teacher, noticed that something was off about me and approached me. He asked me what was wrong, and I hesitated before telling him that I was thinking about dropping out of school to focus on work. I didn’t see the point of being in school anymore and felt like I was wasting my time.
Mr. Farinas listened attentively and then said, “Wendbenedo, it’s not too late. You can always get help with anything you need. There’s tutoring available, you can ask your friends for help, and you can come to me or any other teacher for support.” I replied, “I don’t feel like coming to school anymore. I only wanted to be able to write a red in English, but it feels pointless now.”
Mr. Farinas looked at me seriously and said, “If you choose to do something, you will become better, but if you choose to do nothing, you will remain the same. You have to remember that everything you do matters.” He also encouraged me to be mentally strong and to always be prepared for challenges in life.
After that initial conversation with Mr. Farinas, I found myself staying after class more often to talk to him about various topics. Other students would sometimes join in on the conversations, and we would have lively discussions about everything from current events to our personal lives.
Mr. Farinas’s classroom became somewhat of a community space for us, where we could share our thoughts and feelings in a safe and supportive environment. Sometimes we would even bring snacks and drinks to share while we talked.
On one occasion, we had a debate about the role of technology in our lives, and Mr. Farinas challenged us to put away our phones and have a face-to-face conversation with each other. It was a bit awkward at first, but we quickly became familiar with it and had a meaningful conversation about our dreams and aspirations.
As time went on, I found myself looking forward to these after-school conversations with Mr. Farinas and my peers. They gave me a sense of belonging and connection that I had never felt before in school. And most importantly, they motivated me to continue working hard and pursuing my goals, knowing that I had a support system behind me.
His words resonated with me, and I felt a growing sense of energy and motivation. I realized that I didn’t have to give up on my education and that there were resources available to help me succeed. Thanks to Mr. Farinas’ encouragement, I decided to continue attending school and working towards my goals.
Having a supportive community of peers and mentors who believe in one’s abilities and provide guidance is crucial in overcoming self-doubt and impostor syndrome. Accepting support from others, being vulnerable, and sharing struggles can lead to stronger relationships, greater connection, increased confidence, and resilience in challenging situations.
Good work! Now going forward with this piece if you choose to develop it further, you need to develop some scenes that create the theatre of the mind for your reader.
Start as you do with the quote. So —
“If you choose to do something, you will become better, but if you choose to do nothing, you will remain the same. You have to remember that everything you do matters.”
Mr [NAME HIM], my programming teacher, taught me more in one year than any other teacher or professor had in my entire academic career.
In December 2021, before my graduation, I was [a senior] struggling in certain classes at my high school which had a negative impact on my confidence and capacity to succeed. [HOW bad was it? DETAILS of your poor grades — or feeling of low motivation — or of your missing HWs — or skipping class – WHATEVER, I don’t know, but you do, so SHOW me details.] This also led to feelings of self-doubt and impostor syndrome. [I began to think, “Maybe I don’t belong here. Maybe I won’t go to college…” WHAT were you thinking that shows imposter and self doubt? SHOW ME! Reach into your memory and show me a scene when you were having imposter syndrome. Where? What class? What happened? What were you thinking? What did you say do?]
[I was in the guidance counselor’s office, Mr. X. He said, “—-WHAT was he saying?]. Following a long discussion with my guidance counselor regarding the credits I needed to graduate, I was feeling ashamed of my struggles in a subject [WHAT class?] that I had previously considered easy and of little value in my educational journey.
I then attended my programming class, which had previously been a source of motivation for me, but I was no longer feeling excited about it. [SHOW me a scene in the programming class. Name your high school. When – senior year? junior? What was the topic of the class that day? What activity were you doing? What un-exciting thoughts /or self-doubt thoughts were you thinking?]
After the class, my teacher [NAME] approached me and asked what was wrong [give his exact words – show me the conversation here – What did he say? What did you say? Make a new paragraph each time there is a new speaker.]
I confided in him saying, “I feel uncertain about graduating. I am considering dropping out of school to focus on work.”
He then said to me, “If you choose to do something, you will become better, but if you choose to do nothing, you will remain the same. You have to remember that everything you do matters.” He also advised me to be mentally strong and always prepared for challenges in life [can you remember what he said? Can you recreate the dialogue here?
This conversation filled me with a sense of energy and motivation [Show the back and forth between you and this teacher so that the reader feels your growing sense of energy/motivation as you say. WHERE was this conversation?…SHOW me, don’t just tell me.]
I felt like myself again, Wendbenedo Aymard Kevin Ouedraogo, the meaning of my name [which is?].
Since that day, after each class, my teacher [NAME} and I would engage in discussions about mental growth, geopolitics, economy, religion, and life in general. [DETAILS: did you stay after school and hang out in his room? Were other students there? Did you find a community? What did you and the other students do after school? SHOW me the after-school hangingout in Mr. X’s classroom.]
[How did you do things differently after this important conversation with Mr. Programming Teacher? Dont’ just tell me — SHOW me some details of the changed you and how you “felt like myself again.”]
I have since learned that surrounding oneself with a supportive community of peers and mentors, who believe in one’s abilities and provide encouragement and guidance, is essential in overcoming self-doubt and impostor syndrome. I have come to appreciate the value of seeking and accepting support from others and the strength that can be gained through community and connection. Furthermore, I have realized that it is acceptable to be vulnerable and to share one’s struggles, which has helped me to build stronger relationships and a greater sense of connection with those around me. As a result, I am able to approach my education with increased confidence and resilience, even in the face of challenging circumstances. [Good, I like this paragraph– This could work as a conclusion ending paragraph. ]