When we were kids, we didn’t think about building relationships, we just built them– first at home, then at school, and beyond with the people that were around us.  We had experiences that helped us or deterred us from building communication skills. We made friends with people who liked the same things , laughed at the same things, or just lived nearby.  Relationships happen, whether we talk about them or not.

Now, we’re people, and we are living in a time where communication is essential to success.  Building relationships isn’t as simple as it used to be, and we don’t always do it for the same reasons.  While it may still be done out of love and care for others in some cases, there are also cases when we use relationship building as a tool to move forward in our own paths.  This issue was created in order to learn more about relationships: the different types, how they are formed and maintained, and how to navigate different types of relationships as you grow.  We did this by talking to people about their experiences, and in some cases, sharing our own. This issue is meant to help people bridge the gap between awkward and intimate as they move forward in their lives.  Whether you’re a freshman learning how to navigate campus socially, or a senior reflecting on your undergraduate years as you prepare for the next chapter in your life, we can all learn something from someone else.

This issue covers four types of relationships: professional relationships, friendships, romantic relationships and environmental relationships. But none of these relationships types can sincerely thrive without a solid relationship with oneself.  This is such a personal journey, and I don’t think that Hilltop Views, or any publication, is capable of covering it in a way that does it justice for each person. But I will leave you with this– I would encourage you, at any stage in your life, to ask yourself how to find a home within yourself.  College is an immaculate time to consider what makes your home feel like home, and learn how provide that home feeling for yourself independently.

Thank you for reading our stories.