I’m trying, okay?

If you’re anything like me — proper communication is just not easy for you. Whether this takes form in professional dialogue, casual chatter amongst coworkers, or with that kid from you’re trying to befriend in your MGG 303 class, simply put, you just suck. BUT, this most certainly does not mean you cannot improve! Far from it.

Although I would love to argue otherwise, we as humans are not born knowing how to communicate efficiently. Like most other things, it is simply a skill one can come to inherit through their upbringing, or learn through their experiences. However, again, if you’re like me, you somehow managed to spend twenty years progressing through life and making friends, yet somehow garner no form of self-confidence when it comes to personal communication. Oh… Self-confidence, my long-lost friend.

Now let me start by stating that I acknowledge the fact that my skillset could be much worse, and that I deeply enjoy interacting with new people, but when I say it scares the living h*ck out of me, I am not exaggerating. Finding the correct thing to say, how to say it, and worse, how to keep the conversation going, with someone I yet to feel comfortable around is a large fear of mine, and I attribute this to my weak communication skills. It is because of this that I am dedicating not only this progression and research blog, but this entire Fall Semester, to this particular skillset.

We are currently four weeks into our Fall Semester here at the University at Buffalo, and I have already willingly introduced myself to three new students — already one more than last! Acknowledging the fact that taking the time to acquaint yourself with new people is not a burden on them, nor yourself, is the first step to making yourself more familiarized with the concepts of self-confidence and communication, as well as broadening your social horizon. This applies not only on a basic school-companion level, but can also coordinate how you feel about raising your voice and opinions in a professional field as well. If you’re comfortable being heard and making yourself known casually, that will translate into how you function as both an innovator and worker on the job.