Further Discussion

A concept that I feel needs further discussion is the development of friendship. The stages of friendship are role-limited interaction, friendly relations, moving towards friendship, nascent friendship, stabilized friendship and waning friendship. When I went over this topic before, I mentioned how surprised I was by how easily a friendship can reach the waning stage and fall apart. I didn’t realize that not spending less time with someone could lead to the end of a relationship. I also said that I planned on using what I learned in this chapter to try and be a better friend. It has been a few weeks since then and I can say that I have done what I said I would do and, as a result, have become a better friend. Friendship that I had thought were in the waning stage have now gone back to being stabilized because I’ve made a conscious effort to spend more time with those who I had previously neglected.

Question 2 (What I've learned)

Before taking this class, I wasn’t a big fan of communication. I was the sort of person who liked to keep certain thoughts and feelings to himself. Through our assignments and discussions, I’ve come to understand the value of communication and how it can strengthen any relationship. I learned a lot in this class. I learned more about my romantic relationships and how I should be treating my partner. The mistakes I made in past relationships were made clear to me in chapter 11. Through acknowledging these mistakes, I’ve learned how to be a more patient and open partner. My understanding of friendships and how they are formed was broadened by chapter 10. I was able to take away a few techniques that I think have helped me to become a better friend. However I think that, above all else, this class has helped me to learn more about myself and who I am as a person.

Question 1 (Class)

I think what I liked most about this class is how it made it easy for me to speak my mind and express my opinions on certain matters. I don’t talk all that much in my regular classes. Furthermore, there aren’t many opportunities for me to get know my classmates that well either. I usually just talk to the people who sit next to me and it is never about anything that important. This class was different. I not only got to talk with my fellow classmates on a weekly basis, I also got to hear what they had to say about my thoughts and opinions on the subject matter. This was my first experience with an online class and I can honestly say that I enjoyed it. I don’t think I would want to change anything about this class. It seemed to work great just the way it was.