The idea of tutoring was never something I never considered. I mean sure I get good grades and love to help people, however there was something about it that I felt I needed to stay away from. I knew that it was something I could never be good at and would never enjoy. Flashback to last year when I needed a job and some suggested that I work at my school’s Writing and Research Center. Feeling desperate I applied and got the job. While I was hesitant at first, I eventually came to love my new role as a tutoring. While it certainly comes with a new set of challenges, I have gained so much by being a tutor.

Before becoming a tutor, I did not realize how much I knew. I knew that I had good grades, but I did not realize that I had enough knowledge to help someone understand what their professor is saying. This has boosted my confidence and my intellect. I work with a wide range of students, form freshman to graduate student and even people from different countries! I have gained communication skills and learned how to adjust my methods of explaining things to best serve the client. From the countless research papers I have helped edit on a variety of topics, I have learned new perspectives and so many new things. While polymer science is something I will probably never understand, I’m proud to say I can follow along while reading a ten-page paper on the structure of wool!

It is not always super exciting and rewarding, there are some things about this job that can become incredibly draining. It is stressful enough to have your own papers to write/edit and your own tests to study for, it can be a lot of pressure to need to assist other people with these things. Having to drudge through several research papers a day can become tiring. Seeing students struggle can be draining and upsetting. However, there is substitute for the feeling when these students start to get it. The best part of being a tutor is watching students succeed. There are several students who I have worked with all throughout the year, and seeing their progress is so super exciting! Watching a struggling student get an “A” on a paper is the most rewarding thing ever!

I love what I have gained by being a tutor. The people I work with are fantastic, and helping students reach their full potential is its own reward!