Reflective Journal Entry – My First Month as an RVI Ambassador

In June, I officially joined the ambassadorial group for River Valley Irregulars. On my first day, I immediately recognized some familiar faces since I had attended past RVI events before. That sense of familiarity gave me comfort, but I didn’t expect that my very first event as an ambassador would take me right back to my old school, ITE College Central.

What made it even more surprising was that the workshop was held in the very classroom I used to spend so much of my time in. It felt surreal walking back in, but this time not as a student, but as someone supporting others. I was paired with Mikaail, another ambassador, and together we assisted the main facilitators, Daryl and Alicia. Our role was to help students who got stuck during the workshop, which focused on preparing portfolios and guiding them to plan for their future.

At the start, I was nervous because I had to share my own experience with the students. I worried about stumbling or saying something awkward. Thankfully, it went smoothly, and Daryl and Alicia’s steady facilitation helped create a good flow. Mikaail and I moved around the room, talking to students and offering help wherever it was needed.

One key moment stood out to me: many of the students were preparing for their EAE aptitude test. Since I had successfully entered the Ngee Ann Polytechnic course in Immersive Media through EAE, I was able to give them some pointers and advice. It felt meaningful to share my own journey and reassure them about what lay ahead in polytechnic life.

After the event, Mikaail and I had an unexpected but heartwarming experience. Our former section head from ITE, who had once given me the chance to join her course through appeal, took us out for lunch. It was special to reconnect, express my gratitude, and reflect on how far I had come since then.

Looking back, I deeply respect the RVI team, as well as Mikaail, for helping me through my first month as an ambassador. I’ve learned that being in this role isn’t just about supporting workshops — it’s about connecting with students and guiding them from a place of shared experience. Daryl reminded me of this when he said, “The main goal of these workshops is to make connections between us and the students, to help them on a level that someone who just went through the same process.” That message has stayed with me.

Overall, this experience taught me the value of giving back, of using my story to encourage others, and of building connections that can truly make a difference.