The day I signed up for Mirrors, I knew it was time to make a change in my life. I had heard that Mirrors focused on helping young people become better focused, by exposing them to various workshops and improving oneself and participating in teambuilding exercises. I wanted to be a part of this experience, as I had heard of how others felt after completing it.
After I signed up, I realized that there was more to it than that. Shortly after I got there, I was sent to The Bermuda Regiment for a 6 – day Residential on November 6-11. I was faced with learning how to become more responsible, how to make better choices, opening myself to more possibilities, and having to make commitments.
I began my day at 8:00 a.m. with breakfast, clean up, course room, lunch, free activity, course room, clean up, and then in bed by 12:00 a.m. This was my schedule for 6 days, that also included my birthday, November 8th. I appreciate the encouragement that everyone gave me on that day, including the cake and the birthday card. This birthday was a life-changing experience for me.
The last evening of Residential was hard because all of the cohorts had to gather for a bonfire and everyone was encouraged to share their inner most feelings, those things that were bothering us deep, down inside.
We also had a nine month follow through, which was included working with a coach to help us to continue being committed to what we had signed up for. They met us once per week face to face and called us once or twice a week as well. Then we had monthly meetings which involved teamwork and teambuilding games and activities and opportunities to deepen the conversations that we had at residential.
In conclusion, I would like to say that it was hard for me because I was going through a change in my life and this helped me to deal with it. Most of the course room lessons were the hardest. Course room was where we all got together in one room and talked about challenges we were facing and ways not to fall back to the way things used to be. Also, everything that we did and said in that course room, was a 100% commitment and this was hard for me.
Overall today I Shanday Tannock, now stand before you and say that I am a confident young adult who will not let anyone’s problems, nor mine get in the way of my happiness. I will also give other people a chance to be in my life.
