Blog Post #1- Listening

     In the world we live in today, we are surrounded by millions of little distractions ranging from street traffic to screaming children. There's a significant difference between hearing and the art of active listening. Hearing something is the physical act of the sound waves hitting your ear drum. Listening is the mental act of processing the information being thrown at you. Listening is one of the hardest skills to teach yourself but one of the most important skills you'll ever learn. There's a quote from our textbook that states, "The function of our different modes of listening is to shape the way we might develop our relationships to and with others as listeners." (Warren and Fassett).

     Last semester, I was assigned to make an appointment with my Interpersonal Communications professor out of class to just get to know each other one-on-one. I thought about the best places to sit and talk and the first place that popped in my head was Starbucks. Starbucks is a very popular studying and meeting place. Without realizing it, it was one of the most distracting places to meet. The constant loud interruptions of the expresso machine, blender, and other customers made it extremely hard to truly listen to what he had to say. I feel that our relationship could've developed differently if we were able to listen to each other better and respond more effectively. If you truly think about it, several different relationships in your life could have developed differently if more active listening was involved.

     Almost every single one of us have been caught in a conversation that we didn't want to have. In some situations, smiling and nodding is all you do while the other party is talking to you. Then, they ask you a question about what they were talking about and you are more lost than Chuck Nolan on Cast Away. These situations can be avoided by realizing that every individual you talk to can influence your life in some way. Whether it be they inspire you, hurt you, or introduce you to a new hobby. A great way to practice this is to prepare your mind before entering your next class. Empty it of all internal distraction including stress, hunger, thirst, or pain. Eat a snack, drink your coffee, and bring that bottle of water with you. When you enter the classroom, sit in the seat that is closest to the front of the class. Being close to the front allows you to free yourself of several different distractions that other students can make. Next, don't just copt down whats on the slide, take a picture of the slide and listen to what your professor has to say about it. You can write down what was on the slide later. 

     There are several other tips and tricks to help you become a better listener and a great place to start would be to look at this article. This article will help you identify key factors on when you probably aren't listening and how to catch yourself in the act. It will also provide many great ways to practice active listening skills.