If there was one thing that I took away from this Interpersonal Communications class at RVCC, it was that everyone has something that they can teach you, whether it is their perspective, knowledge, or experience. Through self-disclosure projects, I was able to learn more about myself and those who sat next to me in class three days a week.
The blonde girl who held the door for me every morning was grieving the loss of her father who committed suicide the week prior to our first class together. The boy across the room could tell you everything and anything about the latest celebrity news or YouTuber gossip. My quiet seat neighbor just moved from India a few months ago and was busy enhancing her English and acclimating while helping her parents (who did not speak English) complete all the bills and paperwork at home. The bubbly girl who would always strike up conversations about her award-winning radio channel at Susquehanna was dealing with addiction and alcoholism and attending AA meetings. The girl that was absent for a week is a single mother who had to stay home and take care of her sick baby boy. The boy who sat in the back of the room and would always speak carefully – taking his time to choosing his words – wanted to discover another dimension and learn how to control space and time when he was older. The person who always sat in the front of class yet rarely raised her hand and considered herself “not as smart” as others had us all fooled. Each person in the classroom had an interesting background, story, or dream. I learned something from each of them, and I am grateful for that.
