Jacob and Ryan
As a recent newcomer to the San Mateo area, Jacob wanted to find a way to get involved with his community. He is the oldest of four brothers and has always liked sharing his insights and helping others learn from his mistakes. He felt mentoring was the perfect way to do just that.
Jacob was matched with his mentee Ryan in January 2021, when they were already well-entrenched in COVID restrictions limiting face-to-face interaction. Through a series of Zoom calls, the two quickly kindled a friendship through a discovery of common interests, particularly Asian cuisine and online gaming.
When summer brought a brief respite from isolation, Ryan and Jacob were able to meet in person for the first time and enjoy some of their favorite outside walks and food options in the San Mateo area. Ryan even invited Jacob and his fiancée to his ‘Sweet 16’ party that he hosted with his immediate family and friends.
Jacob believes positive relationships like mentoring, that fall outside of the day-to-day family/friend structure, are a healthy part of life. “Regardless of your age and experience, a fresh perspective on life can be uplifting and motivating, and I believe Ryan and I have achieved that through our mentee/mentor pairing,” Jacob says.
Jacob feels they’ve been able to authentically create a friendship by not taking things too seriously. He says, “Meeting with Ryan on a weekly basis has brought a joy and familial-aspect that was hard to get being so far from my family [who are in Illinois]. I think Ryan feels similarly, especially as he doesn’t have an older brother.”
As Ryan and Jacob approach their one-year mark with Friends for Youth in 2022, they have stepped up their conversations to include Ryan’s job search, college applications, and apartment planning. Both are excited to see what the future has in store!
“Regardless of your age and experience, a fresh perspective on life can be uplifting and motivating, and I believe Ryan and I have achieved that through our mentee/mentor pairing.”