COMMUNICATE! Intimate relationships are crucial for your overall well-being. You can help keep friendships strong by offering your friends support when they share feelings such as anger, disappointment, and frustration. The next time a friend shares a problem with you, listen closely and empathize with her or his feelings. Offer supportive statements and, if appropriate, your help. For example, "I understand your frustration; you've been working very hard on that project. Is there anything I can do to help?"
COMMUNICATE! A key strategy for effective communication is to use "I" statements that describe how you feel rather than "you" statements to describe how you think another person is acting or feeling. Try thinking of three "you" statements that you would like to make to someone you know, and then translate each one into an "I" statement. For example, "You never do anything to clean up the apartment" could be changed to "I get irritated when I realize that I've been doing most of the housework around the apartment. I'd like to talk about setting up a schedule for sharing the chores." Once you become familiar with "I" statements, try substituting them for "you" statements.
COMMUNICATE! College offers many opportunities to expand your social network. If you're shy about meeting new people, work out in advance what you will say. The next time you want to strike up a conversation with a new acquaintance, try starting out by introducing yourself. Mention the physical context of the conversation, such as the location, weather, or ongoing event. Ask questions that will engage the other person, such as "Is this the first art history class you've taken?" or "Have you been to a lot of basketball games this season?"
