School sucks.
You study till 4am, attend class all day, work a part-time job in the evening, oh and don’t forget to call your mom, all just to get a piece of paper? The worst. Sometimes you need someone to tell you it’s all worthwhile to get you through the day.
Here are some of the best Ted Talks for those hard-hitting moments when you really need some inspiration.
1. Whether it’s a class presentation or asking someone out, being heard is important. Unfortunately a lot of us don’t know how to speak clearly, confidently, and articulately so that people can not only hear us but also understand our meaning. Julian Treasure: How To Speak So That People Will Want To Listen shares some useful exercises to help you be heard.
2. Sex. It’s gonna happen. Are you ready? Based on current sex ed curriculum, probably not. So while you’re waiting for the perfect someone to come along maybe brush up on some basics and learn a thing or two about what exactly is going to happen… down there. Mary Roach: 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Orgasm teaches some hilarious facts about the big finish.
3. There’s this common misconception that independence means doing absolutely everything on your own. Not at all! It’s so useful to ask for help, whether it be having a friend proofread an essay or asking your parents how a budget actually works. In Amanda Palmer: The Art of Asking, Amanda shows how reaching out to those around you can have a huge pay-off.
4. For those days when you just hate school. It feels like a waste of time, that you’re just giving piles of money to study things you don’t really care about to get a job that you don’t even know you want. Will I just be a mindless drone when I graduate who can spew out nonsense facts? We’ve all been there and for once, science is behind us. Ken Robinson: Do Schools Kill Creativity asks those same questions.
5. You can do it. I promise you can. Even when the going gets tough and it looks like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel, you can do it. Academically, socially, emotionally, mentally, school can be stressful and sometimes it’s easier to just give up. Diana Nyad: Never, ever give up shows the rewards of perseverance at any age.