Social Changes: My First Year in College

Social Changes A lot has happened since I joined campus. In addition to reaching a different level of intellectual and physical maturity, I have also had an opportunity to meet new people, make new friends, and engage in numerous other activities. Before joining campus, I had only two regular friends with whom I routinely consulted and hanged out with. Now, I have more than six friends I regard close -- three are in my class while the others are pursuing different specializations.

Unlike was the case a few years ago, prior to joining campus, I now spend a lot of my time with friends. Most of these friends have the same interests as I do and it is for this reason that we routinely engage in similar activities -- just to enjoy ourselves. Some of the activities we have engaged in together, in the recent past, include, but they are not limited to, attending sporting events, dining together (occasionally), volunteering in social events, visiting art galleries, etc.

We also swim together most times. It is important to note that today; almost a year since joining campus, the social activities I engage in are also substantially different. For instance, two years ago, visiting an art gallery was out of question for me. The discussions we used to hold with my peers were also largely different from the discussions my colleagues and I now engage in from time to time.

Prior to joining campus, discussions with peers would most times revolve around music (with regard to the latest music videos, etc.), celebrity gossip, etc. Now, I would say that social chats are more engaging, mature, and more rational. In addition to engaging in discussions regarding our futures, we do discuss politics and business from time to time. I would also say that I have become more sociable. By this, I mean that I find it easier to engage in and sustain conversations.

Unlike was the case before, I even find it relatively easy to start and sustain conversations with complete strangers -- people I have never met before. This I could partly attribute to a self-help book I read a few months ago. The book in question is called Understanding Interpersonal Communication: Making Choices in Changing Times, by Richard West and Lynn Turner. In the book, the authors point out that excellence in "interpersonal communication is a process" (West and Turner, 2010). I expect to be a more effective communicator.