The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle said it best: “humans are social
animals”. We like to be around other people. Some of us are happy with just
a few close friends while others like to have many people around all the
time, but everyone needs a circle of people around them-to have fun with,
to feel close with, and to get support from. We all need help from other
people in achieving some of our goals. Being able to communicate well
improves our relationships as well as makes us more successful.
When you think about your social life, think about it in terms of a network
connecting you to different people in different ways. You network by
talking on the phone, talking online, and by seeing people at school and
work. All the people you know are in your networks. Below you will learn
ways to think about your social network and take steps to develop and
improve it.