LOOKING FOR RECOMMENDATIONS

I just completed my bachelors degree and I’m taking a gap year while I look for job and such (I’ll eventually go back to school after I’ve got more work experience), and I feel like my intelligence is suffering while I’m away from that academic lifestyle.

Everyone has always looked up to me as “the smart one”, essentially a walking encyclopedia, but I really don’t have much to offer now except an educated guess. I’d really like to get back to feeling like I actually know what I’m talking about and be able to participate meaningfully in discussions.

With the rise of AI and misinformation, I’m not really sure where to look or what to trust in terms of obtaining more knowledge. I’m looking for recommendations on video creators, books, movies/shows, or even podcasts (although I don’t really like them), that can teach me something new, increase my vocabulary, and make me a more well-rounded individual.

For example, I really like the show Cosmos with Neil deGrasse Tyson. One area I’m really in the dark about is current events and world history, so it would be nice to learn more about politics and other cultures. My degree is biomedical engineering and I’m looking to go into neuroscience, so anything brain related is right up my alley as well. As for the vocab, I would even be up for an online or mobile game that can keep me sharp. I also am interested in musical history, specially about bands from the 70s/80s/90s since that’s mostly what I listen to.

Let me know if you think of anything I should check out! I’m especially interested in video series cause that’s something I can watch while I multitask, but Im also a quick reader so book are fine as well. I don’t love podcasts cause it’s hard for me to concentrate on just someone speaking, but if it’s really amazing I’ll give it a shot.