Today I fulfilled my first task as a PASS mentor and helped to organise a teambuilding session for the first year Law students at the University of Southampton. It was really good to see how the group gelled, this being the first time that they had all met each other. What really struck me was the fact that none of them seemed judgmental of each other in the slightest; this was really refreshing as stereotypes are often hard to avoid during the initial weeks of university.
Last year, when I was in the exact same position as these freshers, I can't say that I was particularly enthusiastic about any of the tasks set and the general consensus among my group was that we would much rather have had a lie-in the morning after the Freshers' Ball. Impressively, the group's enthusiasm wasn't dampened by the challenges set and they succeeded in them, if not through completing the tasks but by emerging from the experience as a stronger and better-acquainted team.
Their ability to work together in a coherent manner, listening and valuing each other's opinions and trusting in each other's ideas highlighted the importance of having confidence in one another. Other key points that were raised during the reviews of each challenge were the significance of formulating a plan and executing it; maintaining an effective balance within the group when appointing a leader for it; and showing good communication.
A representative from the sponsoring law firm who spoke to us after the event encouraged us to apply the skills learnt to everyday situations, whether it be in academic life, the workplace or social situations.
A successful day all round.
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