Adults often assume that the young people in their lives hear news as background noise and are not paying much attention. As mentors, we know that kids absorb not only things they hear, but also the energy in their environments. So, it will come as no surprise that many of us might be noticing that our mentees are displaying signs of anxiety or worry about current events and/or the safety of themselves and their loved ones.

How can you reassure your mentee about circumstances that are outside of your control? While it might be hard for us as caring mentors to recognize that we cannot remove the source of our mentee’s stress, there is a lot of power in simply showing empathy and sitting with your mentee in their feelings. The most important thing you can do is let your mentee know you are there for them and ready to listen if and when they want to talk. 

It is important to adhere to the guiding ethics we learned in our mentor training, and promise only what we can deliver. The best way to do that is to stick to our role as trusted, nonjudgmental listeners. If your mentee expresses concern about a loved one, acknowledge and explore those feelings with them. They could need a safe person to vent their worries to; in which case remembering the 70/30 rule (as a Seedling mentor, you should listen at least 70% of the time, and speak no more than 30% of the time) will serve you well.

Check out this list of activities we’ve compiled that may help reduce stress. If your mentee is exhibiting signs of anxiety or worry beyond what small conversations in your mentoring visits and the coping strategies in our list are capable of supporting, reach out to your Mentor Director. They can also help you find other resources available on campus for your mentee.