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Meeting people from different cultures: what I do and how I behave

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Meeting people from different cultures: what I do and how I behave

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Whenever I happen to meet people from different cultures I put more thought behind my words and actions. I think that to have a productive and civil conversation across cultures, you need to be genuinely respectful of the differences that exist between people, between our cultures and backgrounds. Moreover, I always try to look inward and dismantle any stereotypes that I might have subconsciously been holding onto, while keeping a positive attitude and an open mind, accepting the possibility of having been wrong about my own personal beliefs. I also actively try to recollect as much information as I can about that particular culture or the place of origin of the person I am talking to, and based on what I know, I do my best to avoid possibly sensitive topics. Understanding that the other person’s reaction and the way they talk to me are in some ways influenced by their culture is fundamental: I could have made some sort of “mistake” during our interaction that is completely normal to me, but could be offensive and distasteful according to their cultural norms, possibly eliciting a reaction that I don’t understand. For this reason it’s important not to take things too personally and stay positive. The solution to awkwardness and misunderstandings is asking a lot of questions, and sharing about my own culture as well, so we can find differences and similarities to find out what we have in common and keep the conversation positive.

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In the video, psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg illustrates different ways in which parents and teachers can improve the wellbeing and learning of young people. He suggests an approach that comes from positive psychology. According to positive psychology happiness leads to more successful work and relationship outcomes, such as increased social support, income, creativity, quality of work, self regulation, and it even improves physical health and life span. we create the space for happiness by enhancing wellbeing and alleviating mental illness. He proceeds to say that both parents and teachers should do that by promoting 8 key strategies: counting your blessings; practicing acts of kindness; savouring life’s joys: investing time and energy in family and friends; developing strategies to cope with stress and hardships; thanking a mentor; taking care of your body; practicing acts of forgiveness. Personally I think this is great advice that everyone should put into practice, and I think it’s necessary for it to be implemented by teachers and parents. On the other hand, I believe that it is not enough to alleviate mental illness in certain cases. I feel like encouraging positive techniques is an incomplete approach to the problem without also presenting therapy as an option. I think it would be best to encourage and normalize therapy alongside these 8 strategies, because while they are certainy useful and bring positive results, I believe they could be hard to practice consistently without support from a professional, especially for young people who already struggle to find happiness in life, or someone with a serious case of any sort of mental illness, who would probably greatly benefit from a diagnosis and a more tailored approach to improving their mental health. With that said, I think these are great strategies and I’ve already implemented some of this advice in my own personal life, which has made a really positive impact.

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Where is your happy place? Why is it your happy place?

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Where is your happy place? Why is it your happy place?

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If I had to pick a happy place I would honestly pick the apartment I live in right now here in Padua. I moved here in 2021 to study sociology. It was my first time living on my own, without my parents, in another region, in a city I had never been to before, where I didn’t know anyone. It was the start to a new chapter of my life, and I was so excited to explore a place that didn’t have any ties to me yet. I need movement and change in my life to be happy, and while living alone was (and sometimes still is) very challenging, I’ve been able to experience a glimpse of adult life and independency that I needed to feel accomplished. Moreover, because I am renting a room in an apartment full of students, I was able to make so many new friends and meet so many new people, starting from my roommates. In the (almost) two years I’ve lived here I’ve made so many memories, learned new things, been to new places. And when i go through a rough patch the new responsibilities I have keep me going, and the new life experiences I accumulated give me a different perspective on the situation. This city made me grow a lot and gave me a lot of freedom to discover who I am and be myself throughout this process.

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The features of a research article - Mental map

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The features of a research article - Mental map

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Friendship in my life: what I do to cultivate the relationships I care about and the role they play in keeping me happy

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Friendship in my life: what I do to cultivate the relationships I care about and the role they play in keeping me happy

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When it comes to friendship, I try to make sure that the relationship is as healthy as possible for both parties from the start. That means setting boundaries early on and communicating openly and clearly to meet each other’s needs. This is important to avoid unnecessary conflict. Being comfortable with another person’s presence is the foundation of friendship, and that is impossible to achieve if we never face any potential issues head-on. Friendships also need to be cultivated over time, and that can mean different things to different people. I personally cultivate friendships by trying to make time for my friends and see each other often. Understanding the other person’s likes and dislikes helps me think of different activities to do together that we both enjoy. Friendships are extremely important in my life, having people I can trust and care for makes me feel fulfilled, it gives me purpose and perspective. I tend to feel lonely really easily, even though I need my space, so it’s a constant balancing act between my alone time and my friends. My friends are a crucial part of who I am, I believe that that kind of closeness between people helps all of us grow in ways that we probably don’t even notice.

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How to study: this is what I do now and what I used to do in the past

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How to study: this is what I do now and what I used to do in the past

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My study method is a constant work in progress. Before high school I didn’t know what having a study method even meant. In elementary and middle school I always got good grades without having to put in much effort, so trying to find my own study method hadn’t even crossed my mind. Then halfway through high school I realized that I couldn’t really get the same grades that I used to: as classes got more challenging my study “method” hadn’t changed, so I couldn’t keep up. This is when I started making mental maps and summaries to study from, before this moment I used to read from the textbook over and over and that was it. So I kept on making summaries and maps, even though I still struggled to make my studying more constant, in fact I kept finding myself the week before a test having to cram every piece of information I could with so little time. Despite this I graduated with good grades, and I was able to enjoy my last years of high school with little to no problems. When I got to university I realized that my previous method didn’t let me achieve the results I wanted, so my main focus became my organization. The way I approach a subject varies, depending on deadlines, readings etc., but usually to memorize something I need to read all the material and understand it, then summarise it. When I have my summary ready, I print it, highlight what I need to know and then I just repeat everything trying to find the logical connections between topics. This is all done according to a schedule I make in advance for every class I take. What helps me a lot during the process is studying with friends or going to a library to study because studying with people around motivates me so much more.