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And now for a little me time
THE POWER OF ... SERIES The power of mentors by Lorna Gordon
Being the new kid on the block in a job , sport or leisure activity can be difficult . You might feel like you aren ’ t progressing or ( Monica Melton from Unsplash ) learning as fast as you could or you might have areas where you could do with someone to give you that helping hand , but don ’ t know who to ask . This is where finding a mentor comes into play .
A mentor is basically anyone who has greater knowledge and experience than you in your chosen role or activity and who is happy to help you . They can either mentor you formally , where you set times to catch up , or informally where you might reach out when you need some guidance ; they are often found in business , sports , even hobbies and group activities .
A mentor can help you to set realistic goals and work out how to achieve them . They can introduce you to other valuable people and network with others you might not get access to on your own . This can lead you to finding other mentors or coaches or potential suppliers or customers for your business . This is incredibly valuable as it ’ s often who you know that get ’ s you a step up or opens opportunities for you , so building an extended network is important .
When you are relatively new in a role , finding someone who actively wants to see you do well improves your sense of worth and self esteem as they encourage you to make steps forward .
When you do make a mistake or go in the wrong direction , they let you know where you could do better in a constructive way , so you can work on improving your skills instead of feeling like you can ’ t achieve what you are supposed to be doing .
Having a second person on board with projects can help you to look at problems and solutions in different ways , which gives you a greater insight and expands your understanding of what you are trying to achieve .
Finding a mentor isn ’ t always easy , but it can help you professionally and personally when you find someone who is willing to give up their time to help you grow and develop as a person . And you never know , maybe you could mentor someone else who needs that boost themselves !
Siena ’ s NOTEBOOK
SIENA PIGGOTT
Binge Worthy TV • Movies • Books • Reviews & News
Babel : An Arcane History
Guys , it ’ s finally happening , I ’ m reviewing a book ! I actually read this book back in January , but I haven ’ t been watching any new TV shows or movies recently ( I know , shocker ). So , I thought it was high time I talk about books since I am entering my book girlie era .
Babel : Or the Necessity of Violence : An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators ’ Revolution , written by R . F Kuang in 2022 , which probably has the longest book title in the world , is a historical fantasy novel set at Oxford University in the 1830s .
It ’ s a tour de force of historical fantasy that explores the intersections of language , power , and violence in 19th-century England and China . Set in the prestigious Royal Institute of Translation , or Babel , the novel follows the journey of Robin Swift , a young Chinese student who has been taken from his home in Canton ( or present-day Guangzhou ) to study in England . As Robin delves deeper into the world of translation and academia , he begins to uncover how language has been used as a tool of imperialism and exploitation by the British Empire . It ’ s a bit complicated to explain because the book is over 500 pages , and it has so many layers but trust me when I say it is so beautifully written the pages just fly by .
First , this book is so unique for so many reasons . The way it ’ s written is like it was woven with magic , it fully immerses you into 1830s England . It ’ s best read on a cold rainy day by candlelight with a cup of tea ( or coffee ) cuddled on the couch with a blanket … you get the vibes . At times it did feel like I was reading an actual educational text because the author puts these little footnotes that give accurate information about some historical or linguistic topic that is being referenced . Although some people didn ’ t particularly like that , I loved getting that extra bit of info . I actually felt that I learned something every time I picked up the book and I almost forgot I was reading a fiction book even though there is literal magic involved .
The characters were also so rich and well-written . I particularly liked the main character Robin and his friend Ramy because I found them relatable and Ramy was such a mood at times . Robin felt like a real person because of the impossible decisions he was forced to make throughout the book and the struggles he faced , both internal and external . Kuang wrote these characters with nuance and actual morally grey personalities ( as all ‘ real ’ characters should be ). But all the characters , even the antagonists , were just perfect .
By the end of the book , I was left in awe . There were plot twists I would never have seen coming , but the message about the implications of imperialism and racism within the British empire and by extension the world was not left unheard . I felt shame , I felt pride and I definitely felt grief while reading this . It is the most ambitious book I have ever read , and maybe also the most academic thing I have ever read ( and I literally read published psychology and history papers for my finals ).
Anyway , it ’ s safe to say that this book is the pinnacle of my dark academia aesthetic dreams .
10 / 10
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18 ISSUE 155 // APRIL 2023 theindependentmagazine . com . au THE HAWKESBURY INDEPENDENT