Emotional Intelligence is crucial for everyone but especially in us teens. It impacts our social interactions, relationships and our overall well-being. EQ helps teens understand and manage their emotions, build empathy and navigate all social situations effectively.

Some key components of EQ include:

EQ is recognized  as needed for success in the human nature, often also recognized as more important than traditional intellectual ability (IQ).

 In relationships, it allows us to connect with someone on a deeper level, understand their perspectives, and communicate effectively. It enhances our communication so we're able to be aware of our own emotions at the same time as understanding others. Leads us to smart decision making by allowing us to stop, pause, and think. Gives us a better conflict resolution by letting us know what the most effective and mature way to solve it is. It provides us with an overall well-being by giving us all these skills to achieve a fulfilled, happier life.

While this might be what were all trying to achieve it is a set of skills we develop or learn over time, its not something were born with. A lack of emotional intelligence can lead to a very challenging day-to-day life that'll give you limited social skills, lack of empathy, poor coping skills, Anger issues, difficulty adapting and many more issues that'll affect you in the future.

Most tend to think that all you need to do good in school is to be smart, which ties to your IQ, but they're completely wrong. EQ plays a big role in our academic performance, maybe not by giving us the intellectual abilities but by giving us that motivation and engagement piece that allows us to be more aware of our interests, goals, and maintain a growth mindset. We are also packed with skills like stress management, resilience, and problem-solving, which we need to get through high school. We benefit from our deep knowledge in certain subjects, for example, at Wilton High we have: English, Art, 21st century voices of change, Mindfulness, Psychology, child development, and my example, sociology.

Personally, my EQ has helped me develop meaningful, deep essays or any writing piece that, at the end of the day, has gotten more recognition and meaning out of it than that one math test I did well in. 

Sociology goes hand in hand with emotional intelligence. Through every course, lesson, and project that we do and study, we end up with the ability to interpret others' actions, therefore gaining a greater EQ as well as shaping our empathetic understanding.

According to Liza Starnino, A social worker here at Wilton High School,
High EI is a far superior tool to the skills measured in an IQ test. EI is the ability to perceive, use, understand, and manage one's own emotions as well as to influence the emotions of others. While that may sound a little like the negative connotations associated with the word manipulation, I would argue that high EI and even manipulation are not about getting one over on someone else but rather about using one's skills to manage life's diverse challenges. It's an intuitive grasp of human nature and social dynamics that makes you a stronger player in the game of life. Students with high EI can be more effective at navigating the social world. They tend to have well-developed senses of empathy and self-awareness. They are adaptable in different social situations and resilient when faced with setbacks. Because the students I work with are adolescents whose brains are still developing, their ability to harness these skills is not as predictable and or smooth as what we might observe in adults with high EI. Something very important to me is also understanding the lack of EI.. The first thing I think of is rigidity, black and white thinking, and difficulty coping with stress. There are lots of misunderstandings, miscommunication, and a real struggle to clearly express how they are feeling and what they need. In adolescents, I often observe an almost delusional belief that life's supposed to be fair and if they follow the rules and or rubric, then they should get the perfect results. Personal growth can be very challenging if one has very low emotional intelligence because personal growth requires vulnerability, and vulnerability often feels antithetical to reason.

Now that we understand the importance of emotional intelligence, I believe everyone should strive to practice and learn these skills. Not only does it help us teenagers get through the challenges of our teenage years, and prepares us for the future. After high school, we all go our separate ways, meeting new people, having to build relationships, finding a job, adapting to a new workspace, and facing new, bigger challenges. Our interpersonal skills, especially our conflict management and communication, are crucial in the workplace. If we can self-regulate ourselves and our emotions, we can avoid those impulsive decisions. As well as operating with empathy and understanding is key for effective teamwork. Being self-aware and carrying all these skills throughout your life will make you an effective leader and human being.