There are many tools teachers use in the classroom that students rarely utilize in their free time. The idea of taking work outside of your normal workload can seem unenjoyable for many, but if some of these tools weren’t used in the classroom in the first place, how many people would find them helpful in their everyday lives? For example — TED talks.

TED talks are informative presentations that speakers from around the world travel to give. Many professors use these in homework assignments or lectures to educate students on specific topics.

TED talks are a great opportunity to learn an opposing side or insight on topics. No matter the talk, they offer a useful lesson.

These talks are extremely underrated in Gen Z, maybe because of our short attention spans and the habit to watch other more “enjoyable” videos to decompress. The idea of sitting through an informational video is something that’s not usually preferred.
I think these presenters have a lot to offer — to learn or just spark discussion. Taking some time to listen to one on a topic that interests you is a great way to keep yourself informed and entertained at the same time.

There are many great resources that can be used for learning purposes, but these talks are often looked at like homework. They’ve really become more of a meme — a lot of people jokingly say “thank you for coming to my TED talk” after a long rant. 

But there are endless topics and different speakers on the same topic with differing views so that there is something for everyone to watch and expand their knowledge with. 

My suggestion is to scroll through the TED talks YouTube channel, find a topic or two and watch a couple of videos. They are also great things to incorporate in your mornings or drives when music is too much or not hitting right. Anyway, thanks for coming to my TED talk.