College can be stressful. Whether you need advice, cheering up, or a relatable story, Ted Talks are always a click away. Here are five Ted Talks that every college student should watch. Click on the photos to watch the Ted Talks!
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Still Figuring It Out| Tavi Gevinson: In 2011, at just 14-years-old, blogger Tavi Gevinson launched the online magazine Rookie after seeing a lack of three-dimensional female characters for teens to look up to. Inspired by the confusion of the awkward teenage years, Gevinson wanted Rookie not to be a How-To guide on being a teenager, but a place to help young girls find the answers for themselves. Even as an established web publication, Rookie doesn’t claim to know it all, and like you, they are just trying to figure it out.
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High School Training Ground| Malcolm London: Don’t let the length of this video make you assume it isn’t powerful. London’s spoken-word piece points out the problems in the American education system. What should be a place of learning and growing is a place of breaking kids down and putting them into boxes. It’s a vicious cycle where teachers are barely given enough to be the support system their students need, and the students feel there is no point in trying when their story is already written for them.
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Confessions of a Bad Feminist| Roxane Gay: Inspired by her essay “Bad Feminist” and book of the same title, Roxane Gay talks about herself coming to terms with becoming a feminist. She reminds us of all the misconceptions of what feminism is and how it shouldn’t be considered a dirty word. Gay also reminds us that it’s okay to not be perfect. You can be a feminist and like rap music or fashion magazines. When we hear someone is a feminist, we should appreciate their willingness to come forward instead of questioning the validity of their statement. At the end of the day, it’s okay to be a bad feminist as long as you don’t stop making strides toward equality.
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My Philosophy for a Happy Life| Sam Berns: Foxborough, Mass. native Sam Berns gives us his keys to a happy life, despite living with a rare medical condition called Progeria. With a few simple steps, Berns inspires the viewer to focus on the positives, always find ways to make them work despite whatever obstacles we may face, and always have time to celebrate. Unfortunately, Berns passed away a year later due to complications from his illness, but his Ted Talk does a great job at capturing his optimistic nature.
- If I Should Have a Daughter| Sarah Kay: Sarah Kay opens her Ted Talk with a spoken-word poem filled with bits of advice she would give her daughter one day. Life can be hard, but it is also exciting. You can’t give up after you fall, you have to stand back up and remember how great it feels to be on your feet. Kay then continues telling the audience about her start in spoken word and how she loves that it is something that’s active and not just written on paper. Even though there seems to be a lot of things Kay doesn’t understand, spoken word helps her figure them out.