As an active member of your campus, you serve as a representative to the college dean's advisory council. You also volunteer as a peer mentor, helping first-year students adjust to college. Given your popularity as a peer mentor, Dr. Dawkinsthe deanasks you to present a session called "Academic Survival Skills for Your First Semester" during new-student orientation.

Though you are honored, you are also nervous. You tell your friend Jack, "I'm freaking out. How will I keep the students interested? Dr. Dawkins wants me to present for 15 to 20 minutes."

"Just tell them what worked for you in your first semester," Jack says.

"I can't do that," you reply. "My first semester was a disaster! I was accused of plagiarizing a paper in my psych class. I didn't give proper credit for my sources... I didn't know how to do it."

"So, did you fail the class?" Jack asks.

"No. I got an F on the paper. But I definitely learned to ask for help. The professor took me under her wing. I ended up passing the course, and I actually changed my major to psychology." "Wow! That's a powerful lesson. Why don't you tell the students that story?" Jack suggests.

You're not sure. Dr. Dawkins will be there, and you don't want him to know about your embarrassing mistake. You also feel responsible to teach the first-year students how to avoid that kind of academic trouble.

How might the new students benefit from your personal story?