09 Nov 2015

My Unexpected Transition: From Passive Observer to Active Attendee

News No Comments

By Tania Doblado Speck on November 9, 2015

When I was younger, my father would spend hours watching TED talks. I never understood why he loved it so much until this past summer. In my free time, I found myself eagerly looking up as many TED talk videos as I could, getting inspired by what other people had accomplished. After becoming a loyal fan of the talks, I knew that one day I had to be in the audience of this innovative event. However, I never expected to physically contemplate and listen to more than 20 TED talks in Dallas for free that same year.

Starting at the reception, all the volunteers were very helpful and polite, and throughout the event breakfast, lunch, and snacks were included! In the lobby, I was captivated by the thoughtful questions seen on the big white boards; which encouraged us to write our opinions and ideas, setting a creative atmosphere in the room.

Inside the auditorium, being amidst the speakers was breathtaking. To hear all those amazing humans share their stories, their passions, and their inventions was an experience I’ll never forget. All of them had something unique to share, something unexpected. However, they were all driven by an idea, a thought that had turned into a lifestyle, a project, a challenge, and a change. Some had incredible opportunities, others saw injustice or experienced tragic events, yet all of them had decided to raise their voices and take action. It was inspiring and motivational. I can just imagine the power of having that microphone in hand; your words, what you say, they become solid and they ring through the auditorium. I hope to one day hold that microphone and relay my experiences to a crowd of students to inspire them to change the world, just as I had felt sitting in the audience.

TEDxSMU was a surreal experience for me. I was starstruck to be in the presence of such world changers, something that I hope to do in the future. I’m immensely thankful for this opportunity, and I would highly recommend that every person should experience a TEDxSMU event.

No Responses to “My Unexpected Transition: From Passive Observer to Active Attendee”

Leave a Reply