Social Connections – where and how are they formed? What makes relationships protective and what can make them harmful?
I find myself constantly making social connections in many different aspects of my life. Whether it is between family, friends, fellow athletes, faculty/staff, or even between different clubs/organizations – I am always willing to put myself out there and meet new people. For me, it comes really easy and is something I enjoy doing, but for others it may raise different anxieties and cause an increase in stress within their everyday activities. I feel as though social connections allow me to find new interests, gather new information, and learn about different ties between larger aspects within my life. Making social connections is different for everyone and I have found that it is even different for me when looking at different aspects of my own life. Most of my social connections happen via a sports team or club/organization I am a part of. Other times I have had to find different ways to connect with new people whether that is through email, text, asking someone who may know them, or even just visiting their office; there is always a way to get in touch with someone new. Many people nowadays, connect through social media or simply just by meeting new friends throughout school/work. It is interesting to see how people go about making social connections, but I am always finding myself wanting to talk to others about a multitude of topics as that is usually where I learn the most.
