So it begins

My first class at Fielding University, an online school in the days where there were no online schools (think 2002 – the internet stone age). The professor established the rules for this class – we could only communicate through the school’s bulletin board system online. No phone calls, no meeting in person, no communication outside the school’s system. We worked in groups setup by the instructor. As either luck, or careful planning by the teacher, would have it, one student in our group disagreed with everything. We slowly, via online posts, came to consensus for the direction of our paper, all except one. Post after post we would disagree, argue, and present facts.
Our spoken languages have so many words to describe similar ideas, but the differences in understanding can be profound. Calling someone an amateur, instead of a novice can create an emotional reaction in the listener. Without intent, reaction and conflict ensued. Soon we were in arguments never knowing how we got there. After a long and painful semester, the class ended. I hoped I’d never have this difficult student in any of my other classes. I never saw him again online leaving me more convinced than ever that he was a setup by my teacher.
The lesson however was learned. My awareness of word choices and tone, especially online, had grown. I was finding the tools I needed to wade into those inevitable conflicts in life.