We are well aware of the ocean of ideas that future students have; they seek advice, encouragement and motivation before joining the university. And, nothing can be more valuable than the TED platform; it has an enormous collection of inspiring stories and discussions to empower and motivate you.
It should always be your first go-to resource. From time management and productivity to motivation and happiness – the TED talks cover all.
Here’s a curated list of the best inspirational TED talks for students that can be extremely helpful in bringing a change in your life for the better and make you college-ready.
Inside The Mind of a Master Procrastinator
Tim Urban is a blogger and one of the internet’s most popular writers with over a million unique page views on his website. In this funny TED Talk, Tim explains why procrastinators are drawn to procrastination. It is an inevitable part of being a student because there will always be at least one assignment or project that students are not crazy about, or a time in their student life when there seems to be much going around and you cannot muster up the motivation to begin. If you feel like a constant procrastinator, it can lead to increased anxiety in your life, which makes it difficult to give it all to your studies.
How To Stay Calm When You Know You Will Be Stressed: Daniel Levitin
In this Talk, Daniel Levitin, a neuroscience researcher, allows us to be mini neuroscientists and discusses avoiding catastrophes, which generally occur under extreme stress. Here, he points out that as humans, we must expect failure at times. And emphasizes that the higher the level of stress, the higher the rates of failure. He also suggests that we should put systems in place to minimize the chances of failure during times of stress, which are commonly the in times of finals or midterms, registration periods, fall start, or when they have an upcoming project or presentation.
DareToDisagree: Margaret Heffernan
In her TED Talk, the former CEO of five businesses, Margaret Hefferman, explains the importance of standing up for something you genuinely believe in or something you believe to be righteous. She emphasizes that disagreeing is not always a bad thing, and usually, there is a reason behind the proposed thought. As students, this could come about with professors or TAs, your student body government, faculty, or in-group projects. Bringing up a disagreement is integral to the success of a group as it brings to light issues that must be addressed and will make the group stronger.
How Do You Define Yourself? : LizzieVelásquez
Lizzie Velasquez is a popular motivational speaker and author who speaks and pens down about identity, beauty standards, and bullying. She was born with a rare syndrome that does not let her gain weight, which became a subject of significant bullying during her young days, and has some unique perspectives on how to define you.
In this talk, sharing her university day’s experience, she states it is the time for students to explore and define themselves as who they are as a person. Lizzies also suggests creating your own goals and making yourself uniquely you, according to whom you want to be now and whom you want to become and refrain from listening to negative comments, and in fact, use those negativities to push yourself even further to become exactly who you define yourself as.
Everyday Leadership: Drew Dudley
A leadership speaker and author, Drew Dudley, in this TED Talk, urges listeners to redefine what it means to be a leader. He explains that leadership is often seen as someone who will change the world; it is something of prestige earned. But it does not have to be — every day of our lives brings opportunities to be leaders and change others’ lives for the better.
