Jasean Young

Dr. Brooke Mitchell

Gate 201

1 December 2023

Bulldog Guide Reflection

This year as a Bulldog Guide for the first time was definitely unexpected. I went into this

position thinking that it looked easy from the outside considering my Bulldog Guide from last

year inspired me to take this position. The summer training was fairly simple and a breeze, but

upon actually teaching the class itself, that is when I knew it would take a lot more work than I

thought it would. Though it was difficult, I did learn many valuable lessons that will help me in

my future career.

Skills that I have developed in these last three months as a guide would be: leadership,

organizational, flexibility, commitment, influence, and communication. My leadership skills

started in the summer during the orientation sessions where I had to lead potential students about

various things they would be doing as students in their first semester. In our classes I was a

leader to my students as I was their best source to what their first semester would be like. I had to

have great organizational skills with the students to ensure that every week the content they

learned was valuable and worth their time. I had to show flexibility with students many times

with their assignments and allow them to have alternatives if they found the assigned assignment

to be too difficult. I had to have good skills of commitment to this position as there were times

that I felt like not showing up to this class and reconsidering the position as a whole, but I

remembered that my Bulldog Guide truly helped me so I wanted to do the same for my students.

I had to also remember that I was an influence to these students also. There were a number of
students that asked me about how to apply for this position because they could see themselves

doing what I did. Lastly, the greatest skill of all would be communication. I had to be

communicative through my students in person, through our group messages, with my instructor,

and my other leaders. This has been an easy skill for me as I do this day to day.

The most challenging part of this would have to be the decision making in the

way that students were graded. I had to consider if students should either receive zeros on

assignments that would ultimately result in them retaking the class, or provide some sort of help

to them by allowing extra deadlines and extra-credit assignments. I chose the latter just because I

know first-hand how hard your first semester can be coming in compared to high-school. So,

with the advice and help of our class instructor, we reopened assignments and allowed them

extra time to complete them and I would say that there was an improvement in their grades. I

would do it again but I would make sure to tell them that they should still take this class as firm

as they do their others.

I am most proud of the relationships I have built with my students. Outside of the class,

whenever I see them on campus they wave, say hello, or come and converse with me about

various things. It feels nice to know that they are doing well outside of the classroom and I enjoy

hearing that from them. They have invited me to various events of theirs such as greek life, or

sports games, etc.

If I could change anything about my Bulldog Guide experience, I would prepare myself

to be more open to change considering the multiple changes that went through with the leaders of

this position. It was unpredictable but we made it work and I am grateful for the things I’ve

learned and the good influences I have had on others.