Sites To Make You Clever

We’ve all been there: just when you think that having reached a Week 5-6 peak, your workload is on a gradual decline, it surges up and slaps you in the face like a veritable stingray, leaving you wet, angry and feeling generally frustrated.(First years- prepare yourselves).

As an antidote to last week’s sickeningly sweet and silly sites of wonder, this week’s selection will be focussed on all things (pseudo)educational, giving you either a helping hand when you need it most, or a bit of guilt-free procrastination for an evening in.

1. Khana Academy states its goal as “changing education for the better by providing a free world-class education for anyone anywhere”. We’ll put that one to the test then. Whilst it focuses mainly on the sciences and maths, it also has course material on the humanities. I’m currently halfway through microeconomics, so wish me luck!

2. Ted.com is not just for science anymore. You can find a huge variety of videos and topics for your perusal, and since it’s TED, it kind of counts as work…right? Favourites of mine include Steve Jobs’s http://www.ted.com/talks/steve_jobs_how_to_live_before_you_die.html and Cindy Gallop’s http://blog.ted.com/2009/12/02/cindy_gallop_ma/ , the only TED talk (I think) to include the words “come on my face”.

3. Unplug The TV A great site. Although technically paradoxical, since it supplements TV programs with internet-streamed programs, Unplug the TV generates at random documentaries to replace your nightly Eastenders’ fix.

4. Planet Book Your number one place for free ebooks. Feeling a bit of Gatsby before the DVD release? Get it for free here! As you probably already know, books whose copyright has expired are generally available for free in ebook format. So go, educate yourself!

Just when you thought all I had in me was cat videos and senseless memes, I proved you wrong. (JK, I’m all about the cats still). So, fellow students, enjoy the extra benefits the internet has provided you with! No longer must you run around, books in hand, scarf flailing in Cambridge’s unfailing wind and drizzle! Enjoy your education at your delectation!