I'm thinking alot about relationships lately. Perhaps due more to the class I am currently enrolled in -- Interpersonal Communication -- (one of the many "weekend intensive" Concord, NH classes I have taken) than due to the upcoming Valentine's Day hoopla. I enrolled in the course, figuring it would be useful in my current job, as well as my future career path, but it occurs to me that this subject matter has many immediate practical applications.
Already I have picked up tips that will assist me in communicating with my husband, my kids, my boss, my dry cleaner, etc. Very useful. But as I sit in class looking around me, it strikes me how intriguing it is to get to know the others sitting there. Although some of us are taking part time classes, and some are fast tracking through accelerated studies, for the next couple of weekends this class is the equalizer, bringing us all together to work through the same material. Thinking back to any of my classes, I chuckle thinking of the first impressions I had of some of my classmates--and the resulting surprise when I began to slowly see the layers of personality "revealed."
Robin was just one of those surprises. I met Robin in a writing class, and she was quiet, serious, and expressed to the instructor her "reluctance" (I think it was loathing?) to write. As the first few weeks went by, Robin entertained us all with her witty comments, boisterous laugh, and phenomenal writing. So much for first impressions.
Another case for unexpected bonding with classmates----"stuck" on an island with 10 other strangers for four days. Sounds like a bad TV reality show, right? Yeah, I had my doubts as I looked around at these folks I would be spending day and night with. I was prepared as if for survival. Due to the age of the old, wooden hotel we were staying in, we were unable to bring with us any hair dryers, straightening irons, or any other implement requiring electricity. (Eeeeek!) And yes, that meant no laptops, or cell phone chargers. The result? We loved it! We had class most often sitting in rocking chairs on the extra-wide porch overlooking the ocean, and had actual conversations with each other.
We played cards together at night, had fresh food--family style, and face it--after 2 or 3 days with none of us showering (very rustic) there's not much room for pretense. We laughed a lot, got serious, and struggled with our work at times, and by the end of that couple of days there was an odd sense of reluctance to leave the island. Though we each brought very different situations, experience and personality to that class--we had new appreciation for each other and new friendships to take home with us.
Although not every class lends itself that nicely to forging new friendships, I have come to enjoy that first day of class as I wonder about the people sitting around me. Which ones will surprise me most? Which ones will I get to know better? Ya never know. So whether or not you take the class "Interpersonal Communication" (which I do recommend), don't overlook the relationship education going on all around you. You just might be surprised.
Already I have picked up tips that will assist me in communicating with my husband, my kids, my boss, my dry cleaner, etc. Very useful. But as I sit in class looking around me, it strikes me how intriguing it is to get to know the others sitting there. Although some of us are taking part time classes, and some are fast tracking through accelerated studies, for the next couple of weekends this class is the equalizer, bringing us all together to work through the same material. Thinking back to any of my classes, I chuckle thinking of the first impressions I had of some of my classmates--and the resulting surprise when I began to slowly see the layers of personality "revealed."
Robin was just one of those surprises. I met Robin in a writing class, and she was quiet, serious, and expressed to the instructor her "reluctance" (I think it was loathing?) to write. As the first few weeks went by, Robin entertained us all with her witty comments, boisterous laugh, and phenomenal writing. So much for first impressions.
Another case for unexpected bonding with classmates----"stuck" on an island with 10 other strangers for four days. Sounds like a bad TV reality show, right? Yeah, I had my doubts as I looked around at these folks I would be spending day and night with. I was prepared as if for survival. Due to the age of the old, wooden hotel we were staying in, we were unable to bring with us any hair dryers, straightening irons, or any other implement requiring electricity. (Eeeeek!) And yes, that meant no laptops, or cell phone chargers. The result? We loved it! We had class most often sitting in rocking chairs on the extra-wide porch overlooking the ocean, and had actual conversations with each other.
We played cards together at night, had fresh food--family style, and face it--after 2 or 3 days with none of us showering (very rustic) there's not much room for pretense. We laughed a lot, got serious, and struggled with our work at times, and by the end of that couple of days there was an odd sense of reluctance to leave the island. Though we each brought very different situations, experience and personality to that class--we had new appreciation for each other and new friendships to take home with us.
Although not every class lends itself that nicely to forging new friendships, I have come to enjoy that first day of class as I wonder about the people sitting around me. Which ones will surprise me most? Which ones will I get to know better? Ya never know. So whether or not you take the class "Interpersonal Communication" (which I do recommend), don't overlook the relationship education going on all around you. You just might be surprised.
Powered by Compendium
Comments for Relationship Education