The significance of Communication

Humans were born communicators, bawling our hearts out for attention from the start. As we grow up (and grow old), people around us become less tolerant of the mistakes we make when conducting ourselves, e.g. jumping up and down while talking is cute for a 5-year-old child but unbecoming for an adult of 25. Thus, learning to express ourselves well is a lifelong process. At each phase of life, one gets to interact with different people hence it is necessary to adapt to different customs and attitudes. As Asians (or perhaps only in my traditional family), we tend to be quite reticent and leave things unsaid. It is thus even more important to perceive the hidden cues to avoid misunderstandings. It is also rare that fellow Asians will openly criticise your failings when communicating so it is critical to be self-aware. I hereby thank my close friends who corrected my mispronunciations and wrong use of tenses without a second thought.

I love chit-chatting, but the gregarious side of me only shows up when I am surrounded by close friends and family. I also speak without thinking often and to quote my English teacher in junior college, “I have a 5 second memory, like a goldfish”. To improve my skills, I would have to work doubly hard, especially when listening and recalling what others have told me.

To my blogging group and classmates (if you are so conscientious that you read my attempt as well), let’s have an enjoyable journey learning how to be effective communicators together.