Getting All Emotional

You've just gotten your English essay back and--boy--are you mad!  Not only did your professor not like your writing very much, he seems (in your opinion) to have completely missed the point of your paper. 

One part of you says you should march right up after class and demand to know how he could have given such a crummy grade to such an awesome piece of writing.  But another part says maybe it's best not to bring this up while you're so angry and to wait until you've calmed down before talking to him about your grade.

Which voice will you listen to?

Depends on how emotionally intelligent you are.

Though definitions vary, emotional intelligence (EI for short) refers to the ability to control and manage feelings at critical moments.  Emotionally smart people, researchers say, are able to handle a range of important human tasks--calming themselves down, controlling their impulses, managing their anger, and sensing others' feelings.  They're also able to be at ease socially, a skill that serves them well in school and elsewhere.

People who aren't so emotionally intelligent often let their feelings get the better of them.  They botch friendships, antagonize professors and bosses, and blunder badly in social situations.  They often have a tough time managing anger and impulses--like the desire to quarrel publicly with their English professor about a grade--and are forever (or so it seems) digging themselves out of awkward situations.  
For those who'd like to handle things better, the good news is that emotional intelligence skills can be learned and improved, even while students are in college.  Just as people can learn to be better readers of textbooks, for example, they can also become better readers of themselves and those around them. 

Which brings us to this Wednesday's workshop, "The S Factor: Social and Emotional IQ and Your College Success" (Oct. 2, 9:30 a.m., Cluster F, Rm. 237).  It will offer a thoughtful look at Emotional IQ and suggest ways that students can strengthen their EI skills.  

When we talk about intelligence, we often think of it in traditional ways--as reading, problem solving, and so on.  These are obviously critical skills, but no more so than the ability to be emotionally smart. If you think you could use some practice in this department, find a seat at Wednesday's workshop and see what emotional intelligence is all about.