Self-Awareness

This week in class we went through the chapter Understanding Self Awareness. I thought Anthony and Beth did and awesome job leading the class. I liked the way everyone responded to the question asked at the beginning of the class. They asked us what level of self-awareness we thought was the most important and why. It was very interesting to listen to everyone as they went around the room describing which level of awareness they thought was most important. I, myself chose social awareness. When I first arrived at Iowa State my freshmen year their were many new experiences that I had to get used to. On the first day of classes their were many expectations for us that I didn't realize would be so important. I eventually became comfortable with these expectations and understood that they would help me to become a better person. Being comfortable around new people was also a very new for me after coming from a small high school. I ultimately adjusted to these new situations and developed long lasting relationships with these new people in that new environment. After we finished answering, we moved onto a new question involving our past experiences and how they helped us to become more self-aware. Ever since I was a young lad and old enough to help out on the farm, I was constantly working. It never seemed like we had a break, it was always work, work, and more work. In the end I realized it has made me not only to become an independent, hardworking kid but that once I put my mind to something I stay focused. Also, while growing up in a small knit farming community, I noticed how we all watched out for each other. When a few of our neighbors become critically ill, we didn't ask if they needed help, it was just something you did because you cared about them. Situations like that have made me realize that there are people their for you when you need help. It has helped me appreciate the heartfelt things people do for each other. It has had a huge impact on my life after leaving home.
My role in helping students to become self-aware is to influence them in some way to take a look at themselves and help them understand their thoughts, feelings, and actions. I want to help them realize who they really are as a person and to help find their own identity. Becoming a new student at a large university is a very critical issue. They can decide what kind of identity they want to develop or ask if they should just be themselves. I think I can accomplish this by getting to really know these students and being their for them as someone they can trust, being someone who they can come to in times of trouble.
Improving self-awareness is something I never really have thought of as being a issue of discussion for me. After Beth and Anthony were finished leading the class, I looked back and thought to myself that this is a really deep subject. I look back at my life and think about the past and appreciate all the things people have done for me that I really haven't given back enough. It makes me think about what I can do for other people and for myself. Just becoming aware of the other people around me more often can help to understand their background and who they really are as a person. I want to improve my emotional awareness as well. Am I really content with myself and even others around me? Realizing the circumstances of some situations will help me to improve my awareness.