What does growing up mean to you? Have you ever accidentally washed your debit card...or created your own budget for a grocery trip by yourself? How do you build new relationships in an environment that is entirely new to you? Are you friends with yourself?
The pandemic has certainly changed the way we see many areas of our lives. Human connection is needed more than ever before...but how can we achieve a level of authenticity in the virtual spaces we interact with daily? Without the convenience of a hallway or living in the same state, creating real friendships has been a challenge for students this school year. In this episode, Deborah continues her reflection on her first semester in terms of making friends, navigating COVID restrictions, and learning more about independence. She plays a lightning round of her favorite game, We're Not Really Strangers, and answers the question, "What lesson took you the longest to unlearn?" She also dives deeper into the social scene on campus and how the lack of collective responsibility has affected the Philadelphia community. She also talks about the importance of building a strong friendship with yourself or "self-friendship" in order to fully understand how to create authentic connections with others.
If you have also been struggling to make friends or build community this semester, know that you are not alone. If you're looking for ways to start building strong friendships that have a real foundation as well as one with yourself, then this is the episode for you!! We're more powerful when we're in community with each other. Let's disrupt together now!
Resources mentioned:
Book - We Should Get Together: The Secret to Cultivating Better Friendships by Kat Vellos
Conversational Game/"Market Research": We're Not Really Strangers by Koreen
Connect with Deborah Olatunji on Instagram ~ @deb_olatunji