Last semester, I started working as a tutor to earn some spending money and job experience. I knew I wanted a job that would be exciting and fulfilling, and so far, tutoring has been both. Over the past one and half semesters, I have fallen in love with my part-time job, which is not something a lot of college students can say. Tutoring has been amazing because I am able to review material I haven’t seen since my freshman or sophomore years, I am more confident, and I believe I have had a positive impact on the education of other students.
It helps to review old material.
As you move further into your college career, it can be easy to forget fundamental concepts you learned freshman year. I took college-level physics four years ago, and college-level calculus back in high school six years ago. By helping students learn concepts that I haven’t seen in years, it helps me relearn material that is foundational to advanced material that I am working on in graduate school. For example, the dynamics of a pendulum that you learn about in physics is foundational to designing a gravity-compensator for a pendulum in graduate-level control systems. Tutoring can help you brush up on fundamental material you may have forgotten and may use later in your advanced classes.
It boosts confidence and helps with imposter syndrome.
I struggled a lot with imposter syndrome during undergrad. I was unsure of myself, and it felt like my classmates were all brilliant and knew exactly what they were doing. Helping students learn concepts from their classes, however, helps me feel more confident when I’m struggling with my own classes. When I teach multiple students the same difficult concept, I can learn how to explain that concept in so many different ways that I have a deeper understanding of the material than I had when I was learning it years ago.
It feels amazing to help others with their classes.
Some of my students ask me to explain concepts from class, some come to me for help with homework, and others work through practice exams with me. In all of these cases, I can see when students walk away with a better understanding of the material than before our tutoring session. One of the best moments I’ve experienced as a tutor is when my regular students tell me they did well on their exams after coming to tutoring for a couple of weeks. When you know that you’ve had a positive impact on someone else’s education, it boosts your confidence and gives you a sense of fulfillment.
Not many college students like their part-time jobs, but my job is extremely fulfilling and rewarding. I have a better understanding of the material I haven’t seen in years, I’m more confident in my knowledge and abilities, and I feel that I have helped others pursue their goals. On top of that, I am learning how to teach and pass on knowledge to others, a skill that I will need in my engineering career when I eventually lead teams of other engineers. When you’re in college, consider what you’re getting out of your job. If you feel as fulfilled and confident as I am in your part-time job, you’re in the right place.