A month and a half ago, in mid–April 2022, the preparatory stage of one of the largest projects of KSMU – a summer adaptation camp for first-year students – started. Until the moment when future students will be able to become part of a new chapter in the history of LALA, there is a long and painstaking process of preparing the organizers of the shift. This year, more than a hundred students of KSMU have become members of our large and friendly team, having undergone special training of tutors and psychologists.
The opening of the School of Volunteer Tutors and Psychologists of the Summer Adaptation Camp took place on April 20, 2022. Every week, the guys were trained in everything that a future mentor for freshmen should know and be able to do.
This year, the organizing staff changed the approach to the School and approached the preparatory stage from a slightly different angle. Tutors and psychologists were divided into separate subgroups by faculty, each of which was assigned a coordinator from the organizers. Thus, conditions were created for closer and more productive communication of the guys both with each other and with a person who will help them in any situation during the camp. Tutors and psychologists attended five theoretical classes prepared by the staff of the social center – Natalia Alexandrovna Ketova, the head of the social center, and Daria Sergeevna Alyushina, a specialist in social work. Each of the theoretical blocks was aimed at forming ideas not only about the necessary competencies of the tutor, but also about the basics of interpersonal interaction.
After completing the theoretical course, the students parted with their coordinators for trainings implemented by psychologists of the Summer Adaptation Camp.
“The tutor school gave me a lot of new impressions. This is not only important knowledge and skills, but also new acquaintances and amazing people. Each lesson was filled with its own energy and love from our mentors. Thanks to the involvement in the work of everyone involved in the project, we will eventually be able to come to a good result. First of all, the Tutor School has become an important experience for me. I am very glad that I joined the tutors of LALA 2022,” says Yulia Vorobyova, a 2nd-year student of the Faculty of Medicine.
During the interviews, the organizers got acquainted with a large number of bright and interesting guys. Each of them was worthy to become a tutor, but, unfortunately, the number of places is limited. It should be noted that some students were able to take the role of substitute tutors and responsibly completed the entire course of the School.
“The adaptation camp has become a new experience for me. I want to contribute to the successful adaptation of first-year students to the student life of our university. The tutor school is about new opportunities and acquaintances. This year, the tutor school was held in a new format. At our first meeting, we were given a great opportunity to get to know our working group better, and interaction in our troika is an integral part of further work in the adaptation camp,” Ayshan Azmammedova, a 3rd-year student of the Faculty of Medicine, told about her personal experience.
It is impossible not to note the importance of the participation of psychologists in the preparation of the Summer Adaptation Camp. Some of them have become real mentors for their team. It was psychologists who conducted trainings to work out the studied material, contributed to the team-building process and created a comfortable atmosphere for all team members.
“For me, as a psychologist, it was very important to achieve the goals and objectives that were set by the School of Tutors, one of which is to become a team, and in the future – an example for freshmen. I, like many tutors, was looking forward to Wednesday in order to meet again and spend time together not only interesting, but also productive.
This year, the format of the School of Volunteer Tutors and Psychologists has been somewhat changed and improved, which makes it special. Due to the removal of covid restrictions, it was held in full-time format, which is undoubtedly a big plus for the most effective work. Such an innovation as conducting trainings and lectures has had a positive impact on improving team cohesion, improving team interaction, improving interpersonal communication skills, as well as increasing the motivation for work and emotional involvement of tutors, creating a trusting environment in a mini-group,” the psychologist of the Summer Adaptation Camp Valeria Shurygina shares her emotions.
The final meeting within the framework of the School of Volunteer Tutors and Psychologists LALA2022 took place on May 25, 2022. The uniqueness of the format, the warm atmosphere, sincere smiles and vivid impressions are all what made this period unforgettable.
Very soon the doors of KSMU will open for new people. We are looking forward to meeting with our first-year students in order to pass on our experience to them and share everything that a student of Kursk State Medical University needs to know about!
See you in August!
Ivan Vladimirovich Frishko,
5th year student of the Pediatric Faculty