By Seungkyung Baek   |Staff Writer|

Building better relationships by understanding personality – a workshop offered to help people reflect a their own personality and communicate with others in relationships.

It was held at the Lower Commons, Panorama Room, on Nov. 2, from noon to 1:30 p.m.

“The event was a workshop where we talked only education but also practice with the information. We talked about people’s personality,” Heather Webster-Henry, outreach coordinator of counseling and psychological service.

The event covered relationships and focused on how important it is to know individual personalities.

“So the students began by taking personality inventory. Then, once students knew about themselves, they will learn about in deeper understanding of their relationship,” said Webster-Henry.

The characteristics between people is too vast so knowing one’s self is critical to establish a promising relationship.

Relationships are an even playing field and knowing each other deeply, allows for both to grow like vines on a tree.

“I explained about how different personality types can help to interact with others and what are strengthens or challenges when you have the similarities and differences with people who are with your relationship,” continued Webster-Henry.

This workshop focused on the romantic relationships rather than personal relationships.

“In the workshop, I emphasized that communication is very important part of your relationships and especially romantic relationship,” said Webster Henry.

They had personal traits inventory activity to reflect upon themselves.

“We did some activities. It was so fun and excited for students,” said Webster-Henry “They didn’t know each other but there were group based on their personality traits with similarity and difference. Then, they talked about and shared with other group.”

The main purpose of this event was to inform college students on how to keep good relationships.

“College is when students start to date with others and pursue in romantic relationships, so they need to know their own partners’ personality better to work together and know the way to maintain good relationship,” said Webster-Henry.

Students took the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator tests and answered questions about their psychological preferences to determine their personality types.

“It was so helpful to me. The event basically talked aboupersonality type and broad perspective to understand other people,” said student participant, Greg Singes.

ESFP for Extraversion, Sensate, Feeling, Perceptive – is one of many similar abbreviations indicating variations in personality types based on the traits such as outgoing, friendly, practical, responsible, or decisive.

“This event was interesting and had many surprising topics,” said Monica Amendola, student. She was surprised to find out that different personality types can significantly influence work communication and long-term personal relationships.

“In my opinion, this event was informative and active learning of personality traits and matching differences,” added student Francisco Rodriguez.

Some students also indicated that the event was helpful in providing ideas about handling or preventing conflicts by understanding others’ personality traits.

“I think that everyone processes information differently and understanding the spectrum of different psychological preferences helps navigate better in tense social settings,” said student David Cabaldon.

The event provided students with personality perferences and types to informed how personality important in relationships.