Team talk
You’ve probably heard of TED, an organisation devoted to sharing ideas through short, powerful talks, and perhaps you’ve attended a locally run TEDx event. Project Manager Emelie Adenlof and Assistant Coordinator Xavier Weiss tell us what brings the TEDx University of Glasgow community together.
Why did you get involved with TEDx?
Emelie: It’s the idea of openness and sharing. For that you don’t need a specific background or knowledge, you can just come and listen and be yourself.
Are you a social team?
Xavier: We get along really well. We have wonderful potluck meals together and I bring pancakes. To test out the e-voting for the open auditions, I created a survey and asked the team what they enjoyed most about TEDx. I put things like spreading ideas and the team’s professionalism. But people said that it was the friendships and the bonds they’d made that they enjoyed the most. It’s the community itself that’s the most stimulating part of the experience.
How does socialising help?
Xavier: It makes the community about more than just the TED talks. It is also about the conversations. After a couple of our events we went across to the pub. You’ve heard all these ideas and can then discuss what we all think. It strikes up conversations that are far richer than what you might normally have at the pub.
What does the TEDx community mean to you?
Emelie: It’s about belonging and having people around you that you can lean on, people you can chat to and have lunch with. Whether it’s discussing something new you learned from the talk or going to a bar after an event, it doesn’t really matter. As an international student [from Sweden], having this network makes a big difference.
- TEDx University of Glasgow is run by a team of 30 students from a wide range of academic disciplines. This year’s conference theme was “press pause to begin” looking at why we need to take a pause in today’s world of rapid advancement.
Share your stories
We’d love to hear about the clubs, societies and groups you joined as a student here. Tell us about the people you met, the things you did and the memories you have. We’re hoping that if enough of you respond, we could share your experiences in a future Avenue feature.
Email your story to us, along with a picture if you have one.
