Hello and Happy New Year!
TEDxOhioUniversity’s blog is back and ready to tackle the new year. We hope all of you readers had great holidays, where you got to spend time with your family, go on fantastic trips, or just enjoy the time off from the endless stream of work and stress that last semester presented you with. Now is the time to jump back into things, and whether you are a resolution-er or not, we hope that we can all focus on the positives this year and continually grow as individuals ready to face any challenge or world pandemic. Get ready because we have a lot going on in Spring 2022! We’re here to bring you the best and brightest ideas Ohio State has to offer, and we hope 2022 has better things in store than the past two years combined.
BLOOM
In perfect timing with the new year, filled with growth and potential, we have some big news to announce! We are so excited to finally announce our Spring 2022 main event, Bloom!! The event is coming to Mershon Auditorium on February 26.
On the note of Bloom, we asked our members what the word “bloom” means to them, as well as what we hope to accomplish with the theme of this year’s event. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic which has affected us for almost two years now, we wanted to highlight that we are still able to rise above and overcome the negativity that has plagued our lives for so long. Varshini Chennupati, member of our Salon committee, said that Bloom “represents the idea of starting to get back on our feet after a tumultuous year with the pandemic. Even though we aren’t quite back to normal, it represents the idea that we’re slowly adapting and setting on a different path to normalcy.” Aside from the pandemic, Bloom represents the ways in which we can all grow in our everyday lives. Every day opens us up to endless possibilities, and they allow us to grow and thrive in different ways. TEDxOhioStateUniversity’s Design director, Whitney Baxter, described it perfectly when she explained that “we are all constantly learning and growing and opening our minds to new concepts and possibilities. This can all be done through the sharing and spreading of ideas,” which is exactly what we are aiming to do with this year’s event. We hope that our lineup of speakers will be able to open the door to some of these possibilities, and share their ideas in a way that will inspire all of you to bloom.
In the end, we are all trying to navigate the muddy waters that this world has brought upon us. With Bloom, we hope to offer a light in the darkness. We hope to bring to light new ideas that will blossom and inspire others to become the greatest versions of themselves, to chase ambitions, and to become optimistic for what the future holds. In the words of Outreach committee member Josh Parker, we have “the ability to change something ordinary into something beautiful.” Stay tuned for more updates about Bloom, including ticket sales and speaker reveals!
POLYMATH
More exciting news, we have another Salon event happening next week!
What does an education that cultivates polymaths look like? How can one pursue multidisciplinary degrees without losing a focal point? This event explores the possibilities of a polymath university, the importance of interdisciplinary problem-solving in our world, and shares tips and stories to equip students with the confidence and openness to cultivate leaning spaces and communities that support their passions.
Join us on Tuesday, January 18th for Polymath, a TEDxOhioStateUniversity discussion based event in which we will explore its meaning. This event will feature an introduction by Erica Hu, a TEDx talk by Dr. David J. Staley followed by a Q&A with a panel of students engaging in dialogue. Our wonderful panelists include Erica Hu, Riya Bhilegaonkar, Napsy Isakahu, Liam Nigra, and Luke Walkush. Polymath will take place in Curl Viewpoint at 7pm!
You will not want to miss this TEDx event featuring an amazing TEDx talk and talented panelists. Polymath will also count as a STEP credit. Bring your friends and we will see you on the 18th!
Thanks for reading the first blog post of 2022! We hope you’ll stay tuned for all of our event updates, and we hope to see you at both Polymath and Bloom!
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