TED Talk Thoughts: My experience being the emcee for a TEDX conference
I was a typical college student participating in a standard ritual: sitting in a cozy coffee shop and scrolling through Facebook to avoid studying. My mind began to wander. It was getting darker outside, and the walk home would be frigid. I should have brought a warmer jacket. That’s when something on Facebook caught my eye — What a cute dog!
And then I saw an advertisement for an interesting event. Northwestern University was having its very own TED talk conference: TEDx NorthwesternU 2017. I was immediately intrigued.
People often tell you that much of what you learn in college happens outside the classroom. While it can be incredibly easy to fall into the routine of classes, studying and student club meetings, I’ve learned that intentionally seeking experiences that push me outside my comfort zone are often the most rewarding.
Sitting in that coffee shop, the Facebook advertisement piqued my interest. I clicked on the event for more details.
This notion of intentionality has been a recurring theme in my college experience and a crucial part of my personal growth. By taking initiative to apply to a new opportunity, I ended up trying something completely new during my junior year at Northwestern: I worked as an emcee for Northwestern’s TEDx conference.
TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design, and is a nonprofit that was founded in 1984 with the intention of building a platform for “ideas worth spreading.” TED events have taken place all over the world in over 100 different languages. In this lightening-fast age of technology and excess information, TED lectures present new information in fascinating, digestible chunks. TED speakers balance explanations of complex subjects with their unique perspectives and experiences on the topics. It’s an incredible resource for curious millennials trying to keep up.
Right away the title of the conference, “The Power of Intention,” caught my attention.
The phrase was not a collection of buzzwords — its meaning rang clear.
Intentionality is something that I feel gets lost in the grind of college. When students get caught up always studying for the next test, they lose track of the learning. Living intentionally is what allows us to rise above the monotony of the “grind” of everyday life. This theme for the conference established an immediate connection for me.
I kept on reading.
The speakers varied from undergrads to decorated research professors to doctors and so much more. I kept on scrolling and found myself looking at the bottom of the webpage. There I saw the words “Apply to be the Conference Emcee!” along with a web link to the application. The application was due two days from then. Just then, the metaphoric light bulb popped up above my head and I asked myself the question that always comes right before something wild happens: Why not?
In this lightening-fast age of technology and excess information, TED lectures present new information in fascinating, digestible chunks. TED speakers balance explanations of complex subjects with their unique perspectives and experiences on the topics. It’s an incredible resource for curious millennials trying to keep up.
As a quick note, I had never been an emcee before. However, the idea of being a part of such an interesting and well-known conference pushed me to complete the application.
Once I was at the conference, every fear I had in preparation was replaced by fascination in the beauty of the event.
Each speaker was chosen not only because of their deep seeded knowledge around their specialized topic, but also because they spoke about it with such vigor and passion.
Dr. Daniel Wozniczka, a Chicago area doctor, engaged the audience in how the future of medicine will bloom forth from the efforts of the youngest generation. Dr. Omar Farha, a decorated research professor at Northwestern University, broke down the incredibly complex subject of nanotechnology into something manageable, and laid out the entire process of how his lab created a new nanoparticle that now saves lives for the U.S. Military.
Standing next to these accomplished individuals, this quirky emcee felt pretty out of place. While I would just stand up every few minutes to tell a joke and introduce a speaker, these individuals were diving into incredible content and inspiring audience members to make a difference in their communities.
Nowhere else do people engage in such a diverse set of ideas in a conference setting — I knew this was the real deal.
Looking back, I am so glad to have been part of this experience. I was able to develop myself as a professional speaker, learn the nuanced knowledge and perspectives of numerous speakers, and have a fun story to share. I smile when I think back to finding the application and listening to the “Why not?” part of my brain. This memory now perfectly fits my definition of “extracurricular learning” to the tee.
This learning that happens outside the classroom helped nudge me outside my comfort zone and challenge me in the right ways — and that is what learning should be: We should not only seek to learn passively through lectures or online courses but also actively by seeking out opportunities and experiences that can lead to growth.
So my advice for all those reading today: Be intentional about how you learn. Always keep an eye out for opportunities for extracurricular learning because those are the opportunities that lead to the best memories.
Andrew Hazen is a senior Human Communication Sciences student at Northwestern University, and a guest writer for ProMazo.
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