Name: Katelyn Chandler
Hometown: Jacksonville, FL
Major: business management
Aspiring minor: leadership and entrepreneurship
Katelyn Chandler is currently a freshman at UF, but is no stranger to getting involved on campus. She is an active member of UF’s Swimming and Diving Club, a new member to MentorUF and a full-time student. Katelyn also has a passion for teaching and the quality of having patience.
Her Campus: After a long day of classes, how does it feel to step into a pool?
Katelyn Chandler: “The very moment I step inside the O’Dome pool, my mind is completely averted from any school responsibility. It is my break from reality. I get to enjoy some time with friends and release any stress from the day. There is no better feeling than the satisfaction of completing a hard swim practice!”
HC: Are there any other stress-relieving activities you do?
KC: “Definitely any sort of exercise is a great stress relief and a great distraction away from school. It helps you get your mind off things, especially if I have a big test coming up. I either choose to swim, or I go to boot camp at one of the fields provided by Southwest Recreation Center. It’s great because it’s a free activity, and they provide it every day of the week for an hour. I also just got accepted to MentorUF, which always puts me in one of my happiest moods.”
HC: What is MentorUF?
KC: “I was accepted to a group called Motiv8, and basically what I do is I one-on-one mentor/tutor a student in either middle or high school around the Gainesville area. I enjoy doing it because I have a passion for teaching.”
HC: If you have a passion for teaching, why don’t you major in it?
KC: “Before I came to UF, I was off and on about whether or not I should I should major in education to become a teacher or whether I should major in business. I ended up going with the business route, but I always will have a passion for teaching. I just love that moment when a student finally ‘gets it.’ Their face lights up and you can just tell that you made a difference in their life.”
HC: How do you avoid a student feeling down about themselves when they do not understand, and how do you advise them on not giving up?
KC: “I take this matter personally because I have an autistic brother. I know how to handle children who can be temperamental, or who lack the focus skills and can get distracted very easily. I think the No. 1 thing that is important to have is patience. If the person that you are mentoring or tutoring sees that you are being impatient and just wants to get through with it, they are going to feel like you don’t care. Honestly, that would put down anyone’s self esteem. Just the fact that you don’t care about them will discourage them instantly.”
HC: Living in this generation, patience can be hard to find. How do you find and keep your patience within yourself and with others?
KC: “Everyone in society takes life way too seriously. I feel like people do not live in the moment. If people were to just sit back, take a breath and just realize it’s not that big of a deal. At the end of the day, at the end of this line, I’m still going to get my Starbucks coffee. Whether the line is long or not, I am still going to receive what I ordered. People waste too much energy being impatient, when in reality if they just waited patiently, they could have used that energy towards something positive. What if the barista working was new and was having trouble with some of the drink orders? I always put myself in others people shoes because we can’t forget that we have all been there.”
Photo Courtesy of Katelyn Chandler