With my first semester of college coming to a close, I find our last theme, Community, to be very appropriate. To truly reflect on your time spent is to appreciate the people and connections around you. We've already gone over how to do well in school and discover your true self, so now it's only proper to take a step back and realize just how far you've gone, through the people you've met and the relationships you've formed.
To get a sense of what "community" could truly mean, I consulted Professor Google who defines it as "a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals." In my own words, community is basically the connections that string throughout the people you meet as well as the sense of relatedness you feel when you find commonalities between yourself and others. Not everyone has to be the same gender or age or ethnicity or even have to have the same beliefs in order to be a community. One person can be a part of a multitude of communities throughout their life as well.
Although it's quite small at the moment, my community at college is still growing. With each new opportunity, I will meet new people and my community will continue to build upon itself. My community is there to help me, especially when I need it to advance my agenda. Just like how I stated before, "I think of my classes as investments as well as tools to gain success..." (Personal Reflection, November 16th). With these semester almost over, I can now look forward to my classes for next semester along with all of the new peers and professors I am bound to meet.
For example, since I have expressed interest in the major of Graphic Design and have already planned to take more design classes next semester, I know I will meet new professors who may provide great guidance for me in the future, with my schoolwork as well as my career. They may also be able to help with any intellectual concerns I might have, such as questions about the major and its related career opportunities or even just simple questions about design in general. When it comes to learning how to succeed in my classes, there are also the peers who sit alongside me as well. Sometimes, the perspective and experiences of a student and professor are far two different, so it's necessary to have connections on both sides to truly understand something fully. In fact, certain professors have even told me to consult my classmates first before directing any questions to them.
Even the professors know how important it is to network with your fellow students. Anyone could see that students have more in common with their fellow students than they would with their professors. Classmates can become friends and partners and coworkers, so you must treat every first meeting as a new opportunity. Always make sure to "be aware of the people around you, and get to know those who are particularly interesting" (Sears, p. 33). Meeting classmates and making friends is also important when it comes to feeling comfortable at college, especially if you are away from home. According to the Loneliness article, "a college student's circle of friends plays a key role in keeping the young person integrated into the social environment" (Newman and Newman, p. 73). Making sure you have people to talk to and friends to rely on keeps you from feeling lonely and makes the process of "fitting in" a lot easier. This will keep both your emotional and physical self happy and healthy as well.
When it comes to building your community, the aspect of effective communication is extremely important. We know a community needs people to survive, but without communication, how would we ever get the people in the first place? A large part of first impressions is the conversation that's held. People will often get an insight to the kind of person you are through the way you carry yourself with words. According to author Fox-Hines, "it's up to you to communicate your needs specifically, clearly, and with respect for yourself and the other person" (Fox-Hines, p. 20). To get people on your side, you need to understand that they have the same rights as you, no matter how different your opinions may be. To talk to someone properly and get your message across to them without causing harsh feelings, the factor of respect will play a key role. Without communication, there is no community. Not many people in this world are mind readers, so make sure to use your own effort and words to get others to understand your feelings. After all, the people you meet and the connections you build will all be essential in building your community and advancing your agenda.
To get a sense of what "community" could truly mean, I consulted Professor Google who defines it as "a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals." In my own words, community is basically the connections that string throughout the people you meet as well as the sense of relatedness you feel when you find commonalities between yourself and others. Not everyone has to be the same gender or age or ethnicity or even have to have the same beliefs in order to be a community. One person can be a part of a multitude of communities throughout their life as well.
Although it's quite small at the moment, my community at college is still growing. With each new opportunity, I will meet new people and my community will continue to build upon itself. My community is there to help me, especially when I need it to advance my agenda. Just like how I stated before, "I think of my classes as investments as well as tools to gain success..." (Personal Reflection, November 16th). With these semester almost over, I can now look forward to my classes for next semester along with all of the new peers and professors I am bound to meet.
For example, since I have expressed interest in the major of Graphic Design and have already planned to take more design classes next semester, I know I will meet new professors who may provide great guidance for me in the future, with my schoolwork as well as my career. They may also be able to help with any intellectual concerns I might have, such as questions about the major and its related career opportunities or even just simple questions about design in general. When it comes to learning how to succeed in my classes, there are also the peers who sit alongside me as well. Sometimes, the perspective and experiences of a student and professor are far two different, so it's necessary to have connections on both sides to truly understand something fully. In fact, certain professors have even told me to consult my classmates first before directing any questions to them.
Even the professors know how important it is to network with your fellow students. Anyone could see that students have more in common with their fellow students than they would with their professors. Classmates can become friends and partners and coworkers, so you must treat every first meeting as a new opportunity. Always make sure to "be aware of the people around you, and get to know those who are particularly interesting" (Sears, p. 33). Meeting classmates and making friends is also important when it comes to feeling comfortable at college, especially if you are away from home. According to the Loneliness article, "a college student's circle of friends plays a key role in keeping the young person integrated into the social environment" (Newman and Newman, p. 73). Making sure you have people to talk to and friends to rely on keeps you from feeling lonely and makes the process of "fitting in" a lot easier. This will keep both your emotional and physical self happy and healthy as well.
When it comes to building your community, the aspect of effective communication is extremely important. We know a community needs people to survive, but without communication, how would we ever get the people in the first place? A large part of first impressions is the conversation that's held. People will often get an insight to the kind of person you are through the way you carry yourself with words. According to author Fox-Hines, "it's up to you to communicate your needs specifically, clearly, and with respect for yourself and the other person" (Fox-Hines, p. 20). To get people on your side, you need to understand that they have the same rights as you, no matter how different your opinions may be. To talk to someone properly and get your message across to them without causing harsh feelings, the factor of respect will play a key role. Without communication, there is no community. Not many people in this world are mind readers, so make sure to use your own effort and words to get others to understand your feelings. After all, the people you meet and the connections you build will all be essential in building your community and advancing your agenda.