The peer mentoring program is an offer for first-semester students. It should help to keep the beginning of your studies as easy as possible and to take away as much of the "shebang" as possible.
The first few weeks of university are always very time-consuming. So that the new students don't have to familiarize themselves with university politics, BAföG, study regulations, Python, LaTeX etc., we want to take on these topics and present them in blocks of 90 minutes once a week. "We" are mostly students from the third semester who still know exactly how being in university started and can therefore usually help better than many other people at the university. In groups of less than 20 first-semester students (Erstis), led by two students from a higher semester, these topics are then discussed. Contacts are also made with each other, which will make studying easier in the long term. Guests can also be invited for special topics; this is also intended to promote networking between first-year students and those in higher semesters.
The older students also act as mentors, i.e. they are also available as contact persons outside of the appointments. It is possible to get to know the mentors during the first semester trip (winter) or during the orientation course (summer).
Possible topics:
- Lectures on the course of study and the structure of the university, university policy, study regulations, etc.
- Introduction to important computer programs such as LaTeX, Mathematica, Python...
- Preparation for the basic practical training: error calculation, etc.
- "Meet your prof": A professor comes by and chats.
- Small excursions to non-university research institutions in Adlershof
- Semester abroad
- Workshops to raise awareness of sexism and cross-border behavior, gender equality, etc.
- Tips & tools such as VPN, email encryption, library
When something doesn't go the way it should
If you have general questions, praise, criticism, suggestions or, unexpectedly, problems with a mentor, you can contact pmp@physik.hu-berlin.de at any time.
I also want to become a mentor
Of course there are also some incentives to become active as a !mentor. As a mentor, you get five points in the ÜWP area for your studies. You will also receive a first-class didactic workshop. And of course it's also fun to help the next generation of physicists over the hurdles that you've had trouble with yourself.
Do you want to support us with our peer mentoring program and care about a few freshmans Then fill in our application form right away (Please download because that Form is not displayed in the browser) and send it to pmp@physik.hu-berlin.de .