When I first heard of the organization Big Brothers Big Sisters, I was a freshman in high school. I knew I loved kids and figured joining would be a fun experience. I quickly learned how much of an understatement that would be. After the application and interview process was over I was matched with my first Little Sister. It didn’t take long after that for me to understand just how important being a mentor was.
Weekly visits with my Little Sister, where we would do homework, play games, and talk about life became something we would both look forward to regularly. It was then that I began to realize the kind of impact I was having on her. She expected to see me every week at our usual time and in return I began putting in the effort to make sure I was there for her. She enjoyed our time together, so I made sure I’d plan fun activities for us to do together so that she was getting the most out the hours we spent with one another. Before long, all the things that a Big Sister is, and a Little Sister is, started to come naturally to us as a pair. We became more comfortable with one another and could talk about our days, picking up right where we had left off the week before.
The Big Sister community’s mission is all about providing girls with guidance, empowerment and support while simultaneously forming meaningful friendships and sisterhood. Being a Big Sister not only requires accountability and responsibility, but a sense of compassion, understanding, communication, and encouragement which, when the match is right, will happen effortlessly. When you value a relationship the way Big Sisters and Big Brothers do, there is little to nothing that can keep you from giving your match everything you have.
Being a Big Sister for the past 5 years has been the most incredible experience. Moving away from home for college I knew immediately that I wanted to continue working with the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization wherever I went, and I was lucky enough to find the Big Sisters branch in the Boston Area. Because of this, I’ve had the pleasure of forming not just one, but two strong relationships with two amazing girls. I plan on being a Big Sister for as long as I can, wherever I may be or go. There is something so rewarding about seeing a young boy or girl grow up before your eyes, confident in their dreams and abilities, and knowing that your commitment to them and your presence, had even the tiniest bit to do with it.
It’s a truly fulfilling thing to be a Big Sister or mentor in general. To know that there is someone out there who appreciates your opinions and suggestions and sees you as both a friend and a role model, is one of the most amazing feelings. I could not advocate enough for how wonderful being a mentor is, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to make an impact in someone’s life.
