As much as we value academic success, we need to also understand the value of emotional intelligence, particularly in regards to education. But, will it help me get better grades? Or get me into the school or course of my choosing? You may well ask this.
Emotional intelligence is not disassociated with academic success. In fact, it is one of the key factors in determining the outcome of your challenges.
What is Emotional Intelligence?
It can be defined as the way you handle yourself and your work, to put it as succinctly as possible.
It is about having complete control of yourself and being purely confident in your decision-making and work. People who are emotionally intelligent are well-adjusted, get along swimmingly well with others, and rarely have tantrums.
Understanding Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognise, understand, manage, and effectively utilise emotions in oneself and in regards to others. It encompasses skills such as empathy, self-awareness, self-regulation, and interpersonal relationships.
Unlike academic intelligence, which primarily focuses on cognitive abilities, emotional intelligence deals with the human side of learning. It empowers students to handle stress, build healthy relationships, and make responsible decisions.
In our fast-paced society in Singapore, everything depends on merit. Getting those high grades seems to be the only way of proving yourself to be worthy when you are a student. With that said, take a step back and consider my point. If you do not have the emotional stability to handle stress, how are you going to make it?
Having emotional intelligence is vital. Thus, I will outline several ways in which emotional intelligence can be of help to you in your academic path.
1. It improves the way you communicate
Students who have emotional intelligence will be able to empathise with others and comprehend what they are trying to say.
If you are sitting for an English Oral examination, understanding what the teacher is asking you is of utmost importance. Knowing the subtle nuances and inflections in the teacher’s tone will point you in the right direction of knowing what your answer should be.
In other areas of your life, emotional intelligence will help you to identify the right time to say the right thing. You will be able to make the right choices in your social life, as well as in school and your personal life.
2. Managing your stress
All students complain about stress. Addressing stress is about having the capacity to handle matters competently without breaking down. If your emotional intelligence is high, then you will have no problems making decisions that will help you to manage your work.
With emotional intelligence, you will know how much work to handle and how to properly manage your deadlines. Once you can clock in your times and dates to complete your tasks, you will have no issues finishing everything up according to your plans. Your stress would have been reduced considerably.
3. Better relationships with others
Having emotional intelligence means that you will have better relationships with friends and family. You will be mature in your understanding of their needs, and know how to talk to them.
Maturity in conversation reveals a high level of emotional intelligence. When you talk to people in a mature way, there will be immediate respect and appreciation. Imagine having kinder and more understanding people around you. Your school life will be easier to handle, and every day will be more tolerable and manageable.
In short, this blog article highlights the importance of having emotional intelligence, especially as a student. It is very under-valued and many people believe that it does not deserve any importance. In contrary, it can in fact add great value to both your academic and personal life.