Interpersonal Communication and the first retreat!

This week Coreen and Katie directed discussion about interpersonal communication. They did a great job of facilitating the discussion and allow us to explore the topics. We talked about how to communicate when someone comes to you with a problem or question. I learned that I definitely react differently when helping a friend than when helping a peer. I tend to be more personal and direct with a friend than I am with a stranger. It's important to recognize these tendencies and use them to become more effective leaders. The entire topic of interpersonal communication is extremely important for the success of our groups next Fall. You can't help someone with their questions and problems if they don't feel comfortable coming to you with them. You can't provide answers to questions that are never asked.

I really enjoyed the retreat on Sunday. I felt that we all became better friends and peers by the end of it. Each ice breaker provided a unique way for us to interact together. I also learned something about at least one other peer mentor during each game. The sucker game showed me that we are all nice human beings because no one asked me to do the Hixson intro backwards, luckily. The balloon game showed me that some of us are more competitive than others *cough Easten cough*. The deserted island game allowed us to use our creativity and think outside the box which seems to be a strength for some of us. Finally, the "Would You Rather" game let us show some of our personality and tendencies, in a fun and silly way. Overall, I had a great time and can't wait to get started on the digital story telling project. Fair warning, I plan on writing at least one Peeta and hummus joke. You've been warned.