My educational institutions had and still have a huge impact on my personal networks. Through discussion with my fellow classmates I realized I was not the only member greatly influenced by their previous and current educational institutions. Although educational institutions play the greatest part in our personal network formations, as the group concluded, we also discussed the influence of our family as an institution. The institution of the family has a significant power to affect our norms, values, and cultures as members of this society.
Outside of my close friend groups I have a very close relationship with all of my immediate family members. These close net relationships I share with my family were very much a result of my bringing up. Throughout my childhood I was taught to empower family values, trust, and rely on my family members. This ties into C. Wright Mills sociological imagination concept where history affects our biography. In this case, I was taught to keep a close tie between my family members and I; therefore, I have a great appreciation for our relationship.
When I moved to Canada from Israel at a relatively young age making new relationships was very difficult due to the language barrier. Right after the move, I attended a Jewish elementary school where we studied Hebrew as well as English. This allowed me to connect and relate to other Jewish students with whom I shared most of the same beliefs, norms, and values. Through these similarities between the people surrounding me, making new relationships was natural and a lot easier.
After graduating from elementary school I attended a public high school where I developed other diverse relationships; however, the relationships I made with those who related most to me in elementary school remained my closest networks through out high school. This led me to the conclusion that my personal networks are extremely homophilic.
After high school my personal networks completely changed. I still had the majority amount of personal networks remaining from high school, and a new amount of networks created in university. I chose to maintain my friendships with those who I still shared common aspirations with after high school, and create new networks with others who are similar and relatable to me in university. As most of my group members aside from two students had a significantly larger amount of networks remaining from high school, we concluded that not only did the physical institution affect our networks, but as did the geography and proximity of where we attended high school and then later on attended university also affected our networks.
As all of my personal networks were based in Vancouver, the transition from high school to university didn’t have a drastic effect on my relationships. However, not all networks transferred with me from high school to university. My relationships and networks in university are also very homophilic as I connect with others who are in the same age group, faculty, and socio-economic group as I am.
These relationships validate the fact that I am unconsciously drawn to others who share common interests and aspirations as me.