Criticism

When I am criticized I feel pensive. I reflect on the feedback given to me and decide whether it was expressed with my best interest in mind or with the intention to belittle me. Most often I find that people give me criticism because they see potential in me. They know I can do better with a little advice from an outside perspective. However, I’ve experienced situations when people have pointed out my flaws to feel better about themselves.
In the life of a performer, receiving constructive criticism is second nature. Today I am very open to feedback and suggestions from others because it’s something I’ve been subjected to since I began taking voice lessons at the age of 10. Through the nitpicking of my voice teachers, I’ve excelled in my singing ability. Had they told me I was perfect all the time, I wouldn’t have learned anything. I’ve been trained to appreciate criticism, and quite honestly, I’ve learned to thrive off of criticism.

I receive criticism every day in rehearsal for the fall musical, Cabaret. I contemplate the director’s suggestions and decide how I can incorporate his ideas into the scene. While I don’t always agree with the director’s decisions, I do believe that it is good to see things from a different viewpoint. It’s important to know that there’s always room for improvement.
It was a tough transition for me and my fellow RA staff this year when a new supervisor arrived to run the freshmen residence hall. He had been hired late in the game, so he missed a large part of training. Needless to say, he didn’t know much about Rider University, nor did he understand how we conduct freshmen move-in. At first, my co-workers and I grew frustrated with our boss quickly. We understood that he was new, but we didn’t feel like he was pulling his weight.
Separate from the other returners, I started to feel sorry for our boss. He seemed really overwhelmed and definitely wasn’t getting through to all of the staff members, so I decided to confront him. I let him know my feelings about the situation, and he expressed his feelings too. I was right. He was frenzied being in a new environment and didn’t feel that everyone was giving him a fair chance. I gave him some advice on how to connect with the other staff members and he was very appreciative.
Looking back on the situation, I realize that I used the LMX theory to cultivate a positive relationship with my boss. “Both superiors and subordinates must engage in the process of perspective taking. To avoid falling into the trap of stereotyping one another, each party must be open-minded and committed to learning from the other’s perspective” (Eichhorn 318). I encouraged my staff members to give our boss another chance and to rid their minds of previous judgments. I felt really confident after this encounter because I took a step toward changing my peers’ attitudes for the better.
In the workplace, I always act as the mediator who keeps the group in balance. I’m an open-minded person by nature, so I most often see two sides of a story. I was told by my boss and my co-workers that they trust me very much with personal information and that I’m also a steady dependability on staff. I agree with their observations and I make a strong effort to bring light-heartedness and laughter to difficult situations. I wouldn’t consider all of my co-workers friends, but I do get along with everyone. I believe it’s very important to maintain a civil environment.

My Communication Style

With the help of my family and friends, I’ve created a mind map highlighting the topics I discuss most often in my everyday life. In my analysis, I’ve learned that most of my conversations fall into the informal communication style. I tend to chat in a very familiar and relaxed manner.

Day to day funny situations really encompass the majority of my daily conversations because each day allows for new scenarios. I constantly call my sisters and friends to say, “The funniest thing happened to me today!” I know they’ll appreciate the story, and I always look forward to sharing a laugh with them. Charlie Chaplin once said, “A day without laughter is a day wasted.” In my opinion, there are no truer words. Whether I’m having the worst day or the best day, I know a good laugh will enhance my mood. I’m a big goofball and, many times, my conversations center on joking around. Without constant laughter, my world would be a boring place.

Another subject I seem to talk a lot about is my campus involvement. I’m very active in the theatre department, and I’m currently playing one of the leading roles in the fall musical, Cabaret. We rehearse 6 days a week, so there’s really no avoiding this topic in daily conversation. Because I’m an RA in the freshmen building on campus, I spend time talking to my residents each day. I also have discussions with my fellow staff members about the job responsibilities. In addition, I work 8 hours a week in the Admissions Office, so I spend a lot of time talking about my tour guide position as well.
I discuss my family and friends quite frequently because I am very proud of them. I talk about their significance in my life and how grateful I am to be blessed with such extraordinary people.
As a college student, school is a very popular topic to discuss because it takes up so much time. This includes class time, homework, papers, projects, presentations, studying, and extracurricular activities. I know that I talk to my friends a lot about these tasks.
Whether single or in a relationship, I’ve found that everyone has some issues with their love life, at least my friends and family. We discuss the good things about our relationships and also give each other advice on the areas that don’t seem to be working too well.
Although I’m a busy bee, I try to find as mush leisure time as possible. I love going to the movies, listening to music, and relaxing in front of the TV. However, none of these things is as fun without the company of a few friends. Of course this leads to many conversations, debates, and laughter.
I included memories on my mind map because it gives me a warm feeling inside to reminisce with old friends and to see how much I’ve grown up since childhood. I consider myself lucky because I have many photo albums and home videos that still make me laugh to this day.
I went to Catholic school from kindergarten to 12th grade, and religion has always been a large part of my life. I don’t agree with every Church doctrine, but I do have a strong faith. It’s very comforting to me to talk about this issue with my family and friends.
Like all other college students, I am constantly reflecting on my future: my career plans, where I want to live, starting a family, etc. It’s a topic that arises frequently amongst my family, my friends, and my peers. This is such a crucial time in our lives because the world is at our fingertips. I believe that the future is an exciting place and talking about it is effective.
Last but not least, I included financial responsibilities because money is always a concern. I count on my parents and older brother for financial advice when necessary. Between school loans, car insurance, cell phone bills, and gas money, I want to use my money in an efficient manner in hopes that I will maintain good credit as I grow up.

Last week, I was very anxious to speak with a professor of mine to tell her that I would be withdrawing from her class. It was nerve-wracking because I have a good relationship with this professor, and didn’t want her to take it personally. I realized that I didn’t need this particular credit to graduate, so the class was an unnecessary stress for me. I walked into her office confidently, even though I was feeling anything but confident on the inside. I was professional in our meeting because “a more formal communication style will demonstrate respect” (Eichhorn 69). She was very understanding and supportive of my decision. I felt like a ton of bricks was lifted from my shoulders, and I knew that I had made done the right thing.