Building Confidence Over Zoom
How I used Zoom to build confidence and digital skills as a Peer Mentor during my second year of University.
2020/21 has been difficult for everyone. From lives lost, times without family and a new transition to a digital world, everything has felt upside-down. Being thrust into lockdown I found myself questioning how I could use this time to develop.
In September, as a Peer Mentor, I was faced with having to run weekly sessions with 12 first-years entirely online. I had never used Zoom; I was nervous about having to be on camera and more nervous about how I was going to operate a system that I had never encountered.
Initially, my mentees were apprehensive and were concerned about how weekly Zoom sessions would be helpful rather than a waste of time. I realised that these students needed someone who could provide stability and answer their questions. Though I was nervous, I quickly embodied a ‘fake-it ’til you make-it’ mindset and adapted. Instead of just introducing myself and taking their contact details I allowed time for them to ask questions and get to know each other. I told them that I was still getting used to Zoom, but that I would like to put them into break-out rooms to get to know each other in smaller groups. They were initially apprehensive, but really enjoyed the experience.
So, What Did I Learn?
The thing is, we’re all human… my mentees weren’t expecting me to have all the answers and to know Zoom inside-out. They just wanted someone who could help, provide support and to do their best. It was okay to feel unsure initially.. My mentees and I cultivated an amazing working relationship which created a safe, non-judgemental space to build confidence through practice. Developing my own style on Zoom and playing with its features increased my digital proficiency and confidence in using the software. Eventually I ended up delivering presentations for them and teaching them how to write assignments effectively.
Now?
I’m thankful that I adapted the way I did, I provided a space for us all to work on our skills and have had amazing feedback from my mentees. I feel confident in jumping on Zoom to have calls with anyone. Playing around with the software allowed me to get used to how it worked, and to find aspects that I could use in future sessions. However, if I could do it all again, I would have explored Zoom before my first meeting to gain more confidence.
My Advice
If you take one thing from this piece, let it be that if we were confident in everything, there would be no room to grow. If you’re feeling unsure about your digital proficiency, take some time to play with software, get to know the things that you’ll be using consistently, and make yourself familiar with other, less used aspects. The best way to build confidence is to keep working on it; I’m a big believer of faking it until you make it. How would anyone know?
“If we were confident in everything, there would be no room to grow.”
