One of the best things I started working into my daily life is watching video essays. After a long day of classes, or a brutal retail shift, I found myself only wanting to crash onto the couch with my dinner and put on YouTube – not the most productive form of self-care, but definitely still welcome.
However, that Youtube rabbit hole is real. One hour of rest while I eat my dinner turned into wasting my whole evening flicking between gaming videos that I had already seen, or random content that served no purpose other than humour. Once again, that stuff can be fun, but I could feel it killing my brain a little bit.
So, I sat down and did some scouring to find video essays that I thought would cater to my interests, or at least looked like they’d be entertaining. From there, my obsession only grew, and now I have a playlist of over 40 video essays waiting for me to consume!
Now, gentle reader, it’s your turn – here are some of my all-time favourite video essays that I think are informative, entertaining and objectively amazing.
Disclaimer: All of these videos were posted by people that are much smarter than me; I am not taking credit for any of these ideas or concepts!
you don’t need to “rebrand” – aby bee
I came across this video on the night I returned back to school after winter break, where I spent three full weeks recouping from finals in my childhood home, doing nothing but eating cheese and watching Heated Rivalry. I was desperate for a change, and in my quest to find a “2026 personal rebrand” guide on YouTube, I found this!
It changed my entire perspective on how I wanted people to perceive me, and how we equate having a brand to our own self-esteem. It touches on the pressures of individuality and being cool, which I think couldn’t be more relevant in a social climate that simultaneously demands unique personalities whilst also being strongly fuelled by trends and fitting a certain image.
Side note, her other videos on creativity are equally as informative and charming!
how to get your childhood brain back – shameless nerd
If there’s one thing you’ll gather from this video essay, it’s that our parents might actually be right; it might just be “that damn phone.”
As a child of the early 2000s, and someone who is admittedly extremely attached and addicted to my cell phone, this video hit me like a ton of bricks. The “get off your phone” rhetoric has been floating around for a number of years now, especially with the rise in desire for the analog lifestyle, but this was actually the first time that I resonated with the content without feeling like I was being preached at.
how to stop letting looks control your life – christina aaliyah
It is no secret that we live in a society that is crazily obsessed with appearances. Everything seems to be about looking cool, being chic and untouchable, or looking like you have your whole life together. Admittedly, I do fall victim to this mindset a lot of the time, especially when I feel that deliciously put-together feeling of having a whole coordinated outfit.
The point of this video was to examine how focused people really are on their own appearances and how it can affect their lives. Christina has a really good quote in this video about seeking acceptance from others, and it really resonated with me: “Don’t look for validation in the same place you lost that validation.”
The entire video is filled with good messages like that, and it is extremely refreshing to hear about different insecurities in an online space that is constantly swarmed with idealized images and content of what people “look” like.
you are not immune to propaganda – brittany broski
Having been a fan of Brittany Broski’s comedy-based content for many years, I was surprised to find out that her videos about art history are equally as appealing to me. While her jokes are still woven in, her expansive knowledge on cultural moments in art history provide an interesting and educational perspective, particularly in the context of conflict.
She speaks about the influence of violence and conflict on the artistic world, particularly during the time of WWI. While this may seem like a stale topic to some, especially if you aren’t a huge fan of history (like me), Brittany’s obvious passion toward the subject combined with her humour make the video especially engaging.
concluding thoughts
Welcoming video essays into my life has not only improved my focus and helped me avoid brain-rot on the Internet, but it has bolstered my love of learning new things. While I could only fit five of my favourites onto this list, there is a vast expanse of video essays online with a large variety of topics, making them perfect for any occasion. If you have a favourite movie, pop culture moment, or even a niche hobby, there is a huge chance that someone has covered it in a 40 minute video.
They are also helpful in creating discussions among friends! After watching a few video essays, try it out – bring up a random fact that you learned in a video, such as the Victorian language of flowers, and let the conversations run wild!