Journal #1: Communication Goals

     Regardless of what direction my life may take in the future, communicating with other people is an inevitability. However, no two conversations are exactly alike, and the best plan of action during a conversation can change based on the recipient, environmental conditions, and body language. Reducing the rate in which miscommunications occur in my daily life is one of my major hopes in enrolling in this course. Although this class is online and may not always mimic real-life in that I am always communicating face-to-face with other people, I am interested in the difference between communicating online and offline and how effective my skills are depending on these factors.   

    Admittedly, an in-person communication class would undoubtedly have helped in overcoming some of my social anxiety, but I still see benefits in an online format and have already found differences in my communication style during this first week while speaking with my peers. 

    When communicating offline, I find that I do not often appear engaged in discussions due to my body language and hope that a higher exposure to stressful situations (for example, giving speeches or listening to others do so) will help me learn to better communicate with others in ways that are not solely with words. Aspects like eye contact, sitting up straight, and appearing relaxed are not skills I take note of when I am listening or speaking with others, and they play a large role in how I am perceived by others. More practice on these physical ways of communicating will ultimately allow me to appear less anxious and reserved to others, opening up more opportunities to communicate rather than warding possible conversation partners away by appearing uninterested.

    Despite my social anxiety, I do believe I possess a few strengths while communicating. I am very attentive when it comes to listening to others, and my note-taking ability allows me to ask follow-up questions rather well. Online especially, I take careful note of my grammar and word choice while holding a conversation, especially considering I have adequate time to formulate responses to prompts.

    Considering my strengths and weaknesses as a communicator, my main goal this semester is to enhance my ability to communicate verbally through speeches and learn different techniques to appear more inviting and engaged while speaking. As I mentioned earlier in my journal entry, there is no way to avoid communicating, and face-to-face communication envelops a lot of social experiences that people encounter on a daily basis. The format of this class as a mix of recorded speeches and the online commenting system are a perfect blend of different communication methods that will hopefully test my skills and allow me to grow as a communicator.