In the context of Anthropology, exchange and reciprocity refers to the giving and taking of goods, services or symbols between individuals or groups, which is essential for the formation and maintenance of social bonds, solidarity, and cooperation within communities. In the form of exchange and reciprocity, capital refers to resources that can be transferred and exchanged within social interactions. These capital forms include social capital, economic capital, and cultural capital. I exist within the social networks of friends, family, lecturers and students.

My friends and I exchange social capital because they have introduced me to a wide range of their acquaintances who are not part of our friendship circle. I also exchange social capital with my lecturers as they have access to and connections with a variety of people in positions of authority that may one day be useful to me. 

Together with my mother and my older sister, I engage in an exchange of economic capital whereby we give or borrow money to one another without expecting it to be returned. We repay the capital by performing other acts of service, such as helping one another with chores, running errands for each other, or providing other support that can lessen each other's pressures and obligations. For instance, the other day my sister did not have money for petrol so I offered to pay for the petrol and in return she would accompany me to the mall to go buy groceries and clothes. In this way, our way of exchanging is through generalized reciprocity as we give, receive and return without keeping track of all the things we do for one another. When it comes to buying and paying for each other's meals, transportation costs, and other luxuries, my friends and I exchange economic capital. We give, receive, and return goods of equal worth as part of a balanced reciprocity exchange. That means that if I purchased my friend a perfume and some Ferrero Rocher chocolate for her birthday, she would have to buy me a gift of the same value for my birthday. 

Everything I know has been taught to me by my mother and my older sister. They have taught me how to cook exceptional food, how to clean, wash, and generally take care of myself and other people, thus we exchange cultural capital. I also exchange cultural capital with my lecturers as they impart me with the knowledge and skills that is necessary for me to obtain great marks and to ultimately receive my degree.