Scholar Spotlight – I feel more optimistic and I know how to overcome a lot of challenges now!

Scholar Spotlight – I feel more optimistic and I know how to overcome a lot of challenges now!

by GT Scholars

We had the pleasure of interviewing one of our scholars recently, who joined our mentoring programme last term! Cinaj talks about how the programme has helped him build the confidence to build better relationships with his teachers, parents and friends! He also talks about how he has learnt about the importance of good decision making, how to overcome challenges and difficult situations and how he’s developed a positive mindset!

Please give us a short introduction telling us a bit about yourself. You can talk about things like your likes and dislikes, hobbies, what you want to study one day etc.

Hi, my name is Cinaj. I come from Bermuda. I like dancing, music, and coding. When I grow up, I’d like to study and work in I.T.

How did you hear about GT Scholars?

From School – and my mum told me. I decided to get into the programme because I thought it would be a fun experience and help me with life.

What do you feel like you learnt from the programme?

I know it was meant to be an in-person sort of thing. But it was interesting doing it at home and doing it online. I learnt how to be a good leader and how to adapt and deal with difficult situations. I learnt about finances, how to look for a job, and that certain jobs need experience – like cooking to become a chef.

Did you notice a change in yourself during the programme?

Yeah! I noticed that I started to feel a bit more confident. Before, I didn’t think I could do a lot of things, like coding and stuff like that. And then after the program, I started to feel that I had a little bit more confidence in doing it.

Did you enjoy working with your mentor during the programme?

Yes, I did. I enjoyed it a lot. I know it was meant to be in-person, but I did enjoy working with my online mentor.

How has your mentor helped you to reach your personal goals or aspirations?

We talked about a lot of things. She didn’t teach me specifically about music. But we had the same interests and stuff like that. We did talk about it on occasions. She helped me with school work and time management. Certain things I would forget and she would help me to remember and leave notes.

Is there any feedback you’d like to share with your mentor?

I really enjoyed working with my mentor. There’s nothing really to improve on. I would say a big thank you!

What do you feel was the most important thing that you learnt during that workshop?

It was the self-confidence workshop. I was not really confident when I went into the workshop. It helped me to be confident in a lot of stuff and have a better mindset.

How will you apply what you have learnt during the programme to your future?

I plan to put it all together and just hope for the best. I’ll just go in with a good mindset and keep my head down, and do the work and just be a good person.

Do you feel like the programme helped you to gain confidence to make decisions about your future?

Yes! Because a part of the programme covered decision making, and it explained that certain decisions I make can affect my lifestyle. So if I went down the wrong path, I would end up with consequences. Or if I went down a good path, it would allow me to do more things and gain a variety of experiences.

Do you think that being on the programme helped you to develop and further improve your personal relationships (with your parents, friends and teachers)?

It improved my relationships because, before, if I didn’t understand something, I wouldn’t really ask. I would just search it on my own. Now, if I don’t understand something, I will ask my teacher, or my mum or my friends or my family. Before I wasn’t really asking anybody, I was more of a quiet person. 

With my friends, certain things I couldn’t really help with. Sometimes my friends would come up to me and ask me questions I didn’t really know how to deal with it. Now I know how to deal with it and help them.

Do you feel more confident to solve problems or overcome challenges? Why? Do you have an example of this that you’d like to share?

Yes! I feel more hopeful about certain situations. I feel more optimistic that it’s all going to turn out well and that everything is going to be fine. I think I know how to overcome a lot of challenges now. 

Has being on the programme helped you to be more self-aware? Meaning do you feel like you understand your emotions better and understand why wellbeing is so important? 

I learnt that certain things trigger me to become upset and make me annoyed and how to avoid it. Before I would just go away and not talk. Now, I’m just talking it out and seeing how I can make it better. 

Is there anything else you would like to say about the programme?

It was a good experience! Everybody was nice and cheerful and everything was really good! I hope that more people join the program because it helps with a lot of things.

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