The month of May brings Memorial Day, a time to reflect on and remember those who have given their lives in military service to the United States. It also happens to be Military Appreciation Month, and Penn State World Campus would like to honor the many students and alumni who dedicate their lives to service…
Student Voices
I’m Sonya Woods, an accessibility consultant for Penn State’s World Campus Learning Design. Part of my job is working with instructional designers and instructional production specialists to help them design course content that works well for students with disabilities, including blindness. Since I work with design staff and our students are at a distance, I…
Given my four years in the United States Navy, taking online classes over the course of two deployments, and working toward my bachelor’s degree since 2013, I realize that I notice things a little differently than others. This became especially evident when I recently considered my loyalty to a popular television series. My military service…
Did you know that your mindset predicts how well you will achieve things? When you have strong beliefs about yourself, they can influence real-life outcomes. Research indicates a strong correlation between how intelligent we believe ourselves to be and how it affects our abilities. Have you always thought of yourself as mediocre mathematician, a slow…
“The difference between the right word and the almost-right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.” — Mark Twain Human connection is communication. Effective communication is required of us in school, work, and family life. We need it to write our ideas, express our wisdom, and maintain and build relationships. In fact,…
Sleeping can affect the way you think, how you act, and how you perform physically. The easiest way to increase your vitality, happiness, and success is to sleep more. It not only improves cognitive functioning, it also increases our physical capabilities. What happens with sleep deprivation? When you do not get enough sleep, your prefrontal…
Hallo! Wie geht’s? That’s German for “Hello! What’s up?” I studied the German language for three semesters at Penn State and decided to explore the language because of that country’s growing economy. Upon further investigation of languages, I stumbled across information pertaining to how learning a new language can affect the brain. What Happens When…
“Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.” —Thomas Jefferson If you are struggling with reaching your personal goals, you may want to read more about how mindfulness can play a huge part in helping you set…
Do you have friends or family members who cannot put a book down, no matter what? Well, all I have to say is: Good. The Pew Research Center reported earlier this year that close to a quarter of American adults had not read a single book in the past year. This number has tripled since 1978. And all…
“We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.” —Dalai Lama Mindfulness can help students focus and reduce stress, and help create new neuronal pathways in the brain. As an advocate of meditation, I use mindfulness because it is relaxing and the benefits are extremely rewarding. Read below to…