Written by: First-Year Student Lai Hong-Jie
The College Day Lecture on March 13th invited Professor Hsieh Chia-Ying, who frequently speaks and teaches at prestigious universities, to share on the topic "Creating Personal Connections – Discussing Relationship-Building Skills.
During the lecture, the teacher not only introduced strategies and techniques for learning first impressions and starting conversations through activities but also discussed self-awareness and the development of personal interpersonal styles and charisma. Additionally, through various activities, the teacher enhanced students' motivation to learn. From this lecture, I realized that while building group relationships, people also face the dilemma of being assimilated or alienated. I believe that the "birds of a feather flock together" activity led by the teacher made this issue more tangible for us. Sometimes, we sacrifice our unique characteristics to fit into a group, just like the participants who eventually chose to take off their jackets. At other times, we insist on staying true to ourselves, unaffected by external influences, just like those students who chose swimming or jogging as their interests. However, the lecturer emphasized that assimilation and fitting in should not be forced; finding a balance in relationships is far more important than losing one's true self. Everyone has a unique way of interacting, and finding a comfortable mode for both parties is key to maintaining relationships, as the lecturer said: "Similarity or difference is just the beginning; the key is to generate dialogue.
The lecturer also mentioned, "Conversation is not a lecture. Communication requires speaking, asking, and listening." When interacting with others, it's important to avoid one-sided statements, as we are not the only protagonist on the friendship stage. Learning to listen and appropriately give the spotlight to our friends helps smooth and nurture the friendship, allowing it to stay by our side.
