ESSAY: FIXING A FIGHT You've had a disagreement in your life at least once, right? Maybe you call it an argument, a heated discussion, a debate, or an out-and-out fight. No matter what you call it, disagreements happen. But how you react to them separates discussions from fights and determines whether you are able to effectively resolve the problem.

OBJECTIVES
Analyze a past fight and consider ways it could have been handled differently.
Directions
Think back to a time when you had a fight with a friend, family member, classmate, or coworker and it didn't end well. What was the fight about? Sometimes it is hard to remember exactly what the argument was about; rather we remember feeling that we were treated unjustly during the argument or that we weren't being listened to. But guess what? During fights, the other person most likely feels the same way, too. So once you've thought back to a fight you've had, you are going to write about how this fight could have been different.

Consider tips you've learned about handling conflict—such as acknowledging aloud the other person's concerns or not blaming the other person. If you had to relive that situation all over again, how would you fix the fight or keep it from turning into one?

Think about the following questions and then write several paragraphs in response:

When did the fight occur, and what was it about?
Who was at fault—you, the other person, or both of you?
Why do you think it ended poorly?
In general, what would you have done differently?
What could you have said differently that would have let the other person know you were listening?
If you could take back something you said during the fight, what would it be?
What do you wish you would have said during that fight?
Did the fight result in your not being friends or not getting along with that person anymore?
Would you want repair your relationship with this person again? If so, what are some possible ways to fix the damage?
Using several paragraphs, write an essay that addresses all the questions above.