Learning to Listen by Hannah

Learning to Listen by Hannah - August 2026 Scholarship Essay

One of the biggest lessons I have learned about personal growth came from a class I thought I was already doing well in. I took Public Speaking at South Piedmont Community College and completed an honors project that required me to prepare and deliver a twelve minute speech. I felt confident in my speech. My mentor agreed that it was good, but she still gave me feedback every week.

At first, some of her suggestions felt so small that I questioned whether they really mattered. She would point out certain words I could change, places where I was speaking too quickly, or moments where I could make an idea clearer. Since the overall speech was already strong, I sometimes wondered why I needed to keep changing things. I eventually realized that feedback is not only for fixing something that is wrong. It can also take something good and make it better.

I started taking her suggestions seriously. When she told me to slow down, I began timing myself every time I practiced. I paid attention to the exact words I was using and changed some of them when they did not communicate my point as clearly as they could have. I practiced until I could consistently finish within the required time limit without rushing through the ending. These changes seemed small individually, but together they made me a much more confident speaker.

When I finally delivered my speech in front of faculty, I felt prepared because I had taken the time to listen to the feedback I had been given. The faculty enjoyed my presentation, and I successfully passed my honors project. Months later, I was surprised to receive the Best Public Speaking award at SPCC. That recognition was meaningful to me, but the most valuable part of the experience was what I learned before I ever received it.

Even after I passed my speech, the faculty continued to give me kind and constructive feedback. They pointed out things I could have added, removed, or approached differently. One person even suggested that I consider dressing more professionally next time instead of wearing jeans and a blouse. I could have taken those comments personally, especially after already succeeding, but instead I began to see feedback differently.

I learned that there is almost always another way to improve. The people giving me feedback were not telling me that I had failed. They cared enough about my growth to help me become better. Now, I try to listen to feedback without immediately becoming defensive or deciding that something is too small to matter. I have learned that personal growth does not end when I succeed. Sometimes the most useful feedback comes after you have already done well.

This experience changed the way I approach learning. I no longer see feedback as a judgment of what I did wrong. I see it as an opportunity to notice things I cannot always see for myself. I want to continue surrounding myself with people who will be honest with me, challenge me, and encourage me to improve. Feedback is not something I want only when I need to fix a problem. It is something I want throughout my life because there will always be room to grow.