As you get to know yourself, you might find that engaging in deep personal reflection makes you feel vulnerable. But as you reflect more on your own attitudes and behavior and learn why you have the emotions that you do, you’ll improve your emotional intelligence. Living on your own, studying unfamiliar subjects, and interacting with new and diverse people all challenge your EI skills and force you to step outside of your comfort zone. Your first year of college is especially critical and affords you a significant opportunity to grow as a person.