Being a leader

When I first read the topic of this blog I panicked a little bit, I really did not think that there was a time when I was an actual leader. However, when I put the question into perspective, I realized that I have been a leader in several distinct ways.

One great memory I have a being a leader in the more literal sense, was in high school. I was a volunteer tutor at St. Rose/St. Francis School in New Haven and I was asked to tutor groups of students instead of one-on-one work. I have always been quiet, a quality that has been both a blessing and a burden, and having to be in charge of others seemed to be a daunting task. Instead of going into panic mode I decided to embrace the challenge and this was the final push I needed that showed me I was going to be a great teacher.

I had a group of seven fifth grade students: five boys and two girls. They seemed a little afraid of me at first, but once I was able to get on their level, while still maintaining authority, they began to both respect me and like me! I made doing school work fun and still showed them the importance of learning and education. I loved being a leader and a role model for these great kids! It was not long before every student in the tutoring program wanted to work with me! It was an honor and I was so happy that I had taken on the challenge!!!

In the end, I ultimately feel that being a leader means you are not being a follower. By being a leader you set a standard for yourself and you are confident in making your own choices; in essence you do not let peer pressure influence you. I feel that I am also a leader by standing closely by my morals and values. Many of my friends drink and they have often asked me to join, but I have always held my ground and simply said no. That definitely is not my scene, and thankfully they respect my always unchanging no! To me this makes me a leader, being able to stand up for what I believe in regardless of what others think. Today we have to be strong minded individuals if we want to succeed in college and in life!