One thing that makes me very uncomfortable is giving a speech to a large group of people. It is not that I am afraid of speaking in general, only giving a planned speech for a grade. For my CAS100 class, we are required to give three speeches. The first one about something you believe in, the second about a problem and policy, and lastly a speech of motivation. When I got the assignment, I had absolutely no idea what I would even talk about and that is what brought me to Penn State’s Learning Center.

On Wednesdays, I only have one class, so I thought this would be the perfect time to head over to the Public Speaking lab at the Learning Center. Unsure of where the building was, I looked it up and wondered over to the Sparks Building, which happens to be right next to my advising building. I walked in looking slightly confused, but the nice girl at the front desk briefly talked me through everything. I signed in and then was on my way to the Speaking Lab in the back right corner of the building.

Right away, I was greeted by two people, Lydia and Aaron. Lydia asked me a few questions about why I dropped by and what I needed. We sat down together at a desk and I talked with her about what I needed her help with. The hour I spent there running through ideas and tips for giving speeches was extremely beneficial to me.

I think the benefits of the Learning Center are the hands on help, one on one service, and the ability one has to figure any issues out with a student expert. The Learning Center is free upon arrival, it is most likely included in our tuition, but that is another story. It is convenient because they have long hours all throughout the week, which accommodates for the varying schedules of students. This is great for all students including myself because we can get help in between classes, before or after class, and on the weekends, too. As Penn State students, this is a great resource at the palm of our hands. We can receive the best help in any subject at our own convenience.

I will most definitely be using the Learning Center in the future for a multitude of things. Recently, I have been struggling in Spanish, so I think in the near future I will drop by to have help with the new unit I am learning. I have two more speeches left in the semester, so I may drop by to get consultation and help with writing/performing my speech. And if another conflict arises in another class and my professor’s office hours aren’t beneficial to me, then I will go over to the learning center for help.

The impact this resource could have on my academic career could be huge. By using the Learning Center, I am making myself a very well rounded student and showing how much I care about my Penn State education. It is also a great way to meet other students and help each other out the best way we can. And by taking an hour or two out of my day to go to the Learning Center, it may increase my understanding and success in the class I am seeking help for.