Before SSL
I believe I have quite a strong relationship with me family. I get along quite well with my parents, although I argue with them sometimes.
I also get along well with my friends. I am a little nervous to branch out sometimes but I do have a good group of friends. My friends are usually supportive people and we have many things in common. Our similarities differ depending on which group I hang out with but we respect each other and introduce many new things to the group. Our differences help strengthen my relationships with and we always have a great time together. Apart from the leadership team, which includes people I get along with very well. The only 'group' I belong to is the group of girls that I do rhythmic gymnastics with. We all come from varying age groups however we all get along really well. Sometimes we work together in paired or group routines. As a team we are always able to support each other with encouragement and positivity. I sometimes act a little cold towards those I don't particularly like, although I do try my best to act friendly towards people who aren't my friends. I always try to get along with all of my teachers and make a good impression while still being myself. I think I have a good relationship with most of my teachers because I occasionally have good conversations with them, and they always give me positive and constructive feedback. I believe it is important to develop social relationships because having friends is one of the positive aspects of life. It allows you to share time with others, this way you can see things in people that you might not see in yourself. Friends and family have a huge influence in developing who you are, as well as helping you achieve things that you wouldn't normally think of doing. This is something a really treasure. |
Learning During SSL
Here at SRC, there are many opportunities I have had to develop my skills in building social relationships. Apart from being placed in a community of 43 other students I originally did not know too well, there have been lessons here that definitely helped me improve my understanding of others.
Our bush dance night is one of these examples. This class/activity let everyone relax a little, dress up and have fun. The different dances moved us around the room and got us to partner up with different people. This class helped make me realise that everyone here was on the same page and no one would judge me for being myself. I originally thought it would be a little awkward having to interact and dance with the guys as well, but it wasn’t any different. During the class, I definitely realised that no one is defined by their gender, appearance or any other trivial and superficial characteristics about them. All that matters is who they are inside and their personality. What they do and say is far more important than what they look like and although everyone has different sides to their personality, everyone has some good in them. The peer skills classes that we have had here such as emotional intelligence and problem solving have also been beneficial in my learning. The videos that we watched and the models that we looked at, helped build a little database in my mind of how to approach others in different situations. The Iceberg model that was shown to us taught me that sometimes peoples' actions can have a more serious root cause and to make sure that I do not judge others too quickly. These lessons got me to start thinking about how people do not realise some of the unique qualities that they have and that this can often bring our moods down. Behind each emotion a person feels and thinks different thoughts, these can come across in a positive or negative way. Fortunately, there are ways that these feelings can be made into constructive thoughts. The problem solving class was especially beneficial for my learning, as it gave me a small procedure I can follow if anyone is trusting me with a problem they are having. At times, I have felt a little useless when others have approached me with a problem and I wasn't able to help them. However, after this class I was able to remember some guidelines to help others and help them solve their problems in the best way possible. This journey has aided in my personal growth as now I can be more confident in social situations. I now have a few more strategies that I can use to help others in a few different situations. Although, at this point in time I haven't been able to use them too often, however these strategies I have obtained will eventually become subconscious. Overall, these lessons have also helped boost my self-confidence, so that I can learn to be less harsh on myself and to not worry what others think of me too much. Another aspect I have learnt here about building social relationships is how I can be a useful friend, as well as know that people around me won't judge me for being myself. |