If you’ve ever come across a topic in your studies that you have very little knowledge about, you may have been tempted to do a quick google search to find out more about it. Except when you type the query into google, nothing relating to your subject comes up. This is when a site like reddit becomes useful.
What is Reddit?
Reddit is essentially a huge internet forum. There are over a million different reddit ‘subs’ and they can range from the strange, such as r/CatsStandingUp, to the downright disturbing, which we won’t link here.
However, there are many hundreds of very useful subs on very specific topics. And if you’re interested in a subject, it’s probably not so niche it doesn’t have its own reddit sub. There are also subs that are relatively broad but can get you answers to questions you may not find elsewhere. Some great subs to entertain and inform you are:
These threads are often strictly moderated with very specific rules about how and what to post and how to respond. The information is often useful and fascinating but remember to always fact check the answers you see on any forum if you’re going to use that information on an assignment.
How Else Can I Use Reddit?
Other interesting ways to use reddit is to keep an eye out for the r/IAmA threads. r/IAmA stands for I am a… Ask me Anything. Keep your eyes peeled for scientists, researchers and experts in specific fields. They often answer some very interesting questions relating to their expertise. We mention this thread specifically because it once hosted an IAmA for Barack Obama!
Another great use for reddit is the fact that you can sign up for an account and ask your own questions. This is where that niche subject comes into play. Are you interested in learning a language? There is probably a sub fully dedicated to that language. Are you stuck with a particular problem, say a DIY issue? The r/DIY community can probably help you out there. Can’t remember the title of that book you loved as a child? Head over to r/books and ask away! Are you fully dedicated to a TV show that only run for half a season? There is most likely a reddit thread about it.
Like any forum where people do online activities, Reddit can be full of toxicity. However, the people who run reddit are trying to make the place more inclusive and less full of vitriol. Thanks to these measures, Reddit is now becoming a place that’s more entertaining and enlightening than distressingly toxic. Reddit away fellow students and tell us what fascinating news, facts or hilarious cat photos you find!