Communication is part of life, be it in an informal setting or a formal setting. Most people believe that they are good communications. However, in the real sense, they do not communicate. Instead, they just deploy words. For this reason, the interpersonal communication course was designed to enhance our interpersonal communication skills. In this digital age, interpersonal communication has been replaced by communication through digital gadgets such as phones, computers, and tablets. As such, the only communication we have with our friends and family members is through text messages, video calls, and social media messages. While digital platforms are a convenient means of communication, they have also contributed to killing out interpersonal communication skills. In particular, I find it easy to converse with a friend via Whatsapp than when we are face to face. Whenever we meet, I feel awkward because I run out of words. In most cases, I reach out for my phone to check new messages and to read new stories on the various social media platforms when I am supposed to be engaging in a constructive conversation. Therefore, I believe that this course will help me be more interactive, develop the use of interpersonal language, develop listening and feedback skills, improve the accuracy of self-/other-perception, and develop listening and feedback skills.
My first goal when studying interpersonal communication is to be able to master self-disclosure in my relationships. I was brought up in a pious family that did not tolerate “worldly” behaviors. As such, I used to keep to myself. I would not express my emotions or trust anyone with my inner feelings. It, therefore, takes a lot of effort for a friend or a person who is close to me to get to know my inner feelings. While I am good a giving advice to others, I always come across as the invincible one because most of my friends presume that I do not have personal problems. I would like to share, but I do not trust people with my personal information. Moreover, I believe that disclosing my personal information will expose me to harsh judgments from my friends and family members. It is, therefore, encouraging to know that by the end of the interpersonal communication course, I will learn how to deliberately disclose issues concerning my private life without worrying about being judged.
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I believe that the interpersonal communication course will enhance my listening and feedback skills. I admit that I am a mindless listener. I often react to other messages automatically and routinely without putting much thought into what they may be saying. For this reason, I listen superficially without necessarily contemplating or pondering over what is being said. This bad habit has landed me into a lot of trouble with most of my friends. Whenever they disclose personal information and all I can do is nod my head or simply stay silent, believe that I am disinterested in what they are saying, or do not care. In other cases, I can provide a response that is totally out of topic. This can be frustrating to most of my friends who trust me with their personal lives. I, therefore, purpose to learn the art of mindful listening. I want to be able to give thoughtful attention to the messages I receive and be attentive to what my friends say.
The other goal that I want to accomplish is managing my perceptions. I tend to judge myself in the most generous terms possible. Hence, when a friend or a colleague suffers, I blame the problem on their personal qualities. However, when I am the one suffering, I often blame it on external forces. I can, therefore, come across as a selfish and self-serving individual. What is more, I am used to labeling people according to my first impressions. I can, therefore, perceive a person to be trustworthy or sincere based on first impressions. However, when the labels I attach to the person are inaccurate, I get disappointed. Therefore, I want to learn how to manage my perceptions to avoid being blindsided by individuals’ first impressions. The interpersonal communication course will equip me with the necessary skills to keep an open mind and to be flexible with my opinion as events unfold.
Lastly, I purpose to learn how to be empathetic and to read non-verbal cues. Empathy involves taking the perspective of the other person and getting closer to experiencing other people’s feelings. I do not know how to empathize, and in most cases, I become judgmental when I am supposed to be supportive. For these reasons, I am perceived to be a cold person who does not care about other people’s emotions. Furthermore, I am poor at reading people’s non-verbal cues, such as body language and gestures. As such, studying interpersonal communication will help me with the necessary skills to observe and interpret changes in people’s behavior such as posture, gestures, facial expressions, tone variation, and so on. I am determined to be an effective interpersonal communicator with the necessary skills and ability to form lasting mutually-beneficial relationships. As they say, a journey of a thousand miles starts with one step. I, therefore, purpose of accomplishing one goal at a time. With the study material's help and the presence of people to interact with, I believe I will achieve my goals.
