Maryam
Most of the Telegram channels I follow are in Russian and most of them are news! But I won't bore you with those details. I have managed to come across a few other channels that are somewhat inspiring.
The first is @quote, which offers an inspiring quote each day, sometimes with an image. An example would be "If you have made mistakes, there is always another chance for you. You may have a fresh start any moment you choose." Always nice to get some daily words of wisdom.
On the other end of the spectrum is a channel I follow called @onlyfood, which literally posts regular pictures of food. No words, just food! Sometimes I'd really like to get a recipe or a name of the dish, but that's not the objective – it seems just enjoying images of food is the main point. Why not?
And finally, I'd like to mention an extremely useful bot. It's so much better than a real estate agent. HomeBro is a tool that pulls information from all the popular Russian websites where people advertise potential apartment sales or renting opportunities. Before you get a chance to type in "avito.ru" you've already received the latest updates of possible living options based on your chosen parameters. I think it's the most efficient and accurate way to find the apartment of your dreams. And it works in St. Petersburg, Moscow and over a dozen other Russian cities.
Elizaveta
Like most Telegram users around me, I’m here to catch up on the latest news and blow off steam with entertaining content. From my end, I’d recommend two channels that you may find as pleasant as those posting funny cats. The first one is @chtozakartina, where you can learn everything about famous artworks in the easiest way possible. Written by an art history student, its posts are full of cool insights and lovely puns.
Credit: Andrew Neel (@andrewtneel) via Unsplash
The second one, @brokoledu, is a channel on Russian language and literacy. New info here is preсeeded by a quiz to test your knowledge on the topic. As a native Russian speaker, I constantly feel ashamed when choosing the wrong answer, but it shows me there's always room for growth. Live and learn!
Marina
Truth is, I’m not a huge fan of using Telegram for anything rather than reading news and messaging my friends, but even so I happened to find a channel that I like not so long ago. This is @privateart.
This channel gives you exactly what its name says: a daily dose of art. Every day, you get a few pieces of art, be it paintings, sculptures, or anything else, along with their descriptions, short and sweet. This one is great for starters when you’re just testing the platform out and want something to follow in the universal language of art.
Catherine
Apart from keeping me up-to-date on everything news-wise, I want my Telegram feed to also be inspirational. That’s why one of the channels I follow is Paradigm Daily. It posts regular reviews of the latest publications in robotics, neuroscience, space science, and more. Sometimes when I read their messages, I feel I am in a sci-fi novel – how come people have invented these things! – and it inspires me both as a scientist and as a fan of the genre.
Another bit of inspiration is learning about all the local events, coffeeshops, and cafes on Кофе и билеты (в Петербурге) (Coffee and tickets in St. Pete); I can’t tell you how many times this channel led me to incredible discoveries in various parts of the city. Finally, fairly recently I started following a Russian brand, Macrocosm, primarily for the pictures they post daily – so colorful, light-hearted, and fun. Just the thing you need on a chilly day in the city.
Kseniia
Among my recent favorites are a couple of channels related to history, although in very different ways. Obratnaya Perspektiva (Reverse Perspective) is about rare old books stored at the Scientific Library of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. The total number of rarities in its collection goes beyond 60,000 and on Telegram, the employees share some of the most interesting objects and related facts.
In its turn, Paleolit Cult (Paleolithic Cult) is another peculiar channel that shares fascinating notes on the culture and beliefs of prehistoric times, long before writing was even invented.
Anna
I’m new to Telegram, so I mostly follow people that I know, like the super talented graphic artist Lydia Baranik, who posts artwork and writes about the graphic arts community in St. Petersburg.
For voyeurs curious about life in France, there's @nastya_from_paris, who takes her followers on a behind-the-scenes tour of Paris, French history and the best cafes. For St. Petersburg news, I follow @sobaka_ru, just like 20 years ago, when it was an actual paper magazine and I used to read it on the metro. Some things never change, and that can be a good thing.
ITMO is on Telegram, too! For news from the world of science, education, and culture, join our international channel! For updates on elective disciplines, new opportunities for students, and more, follow the Student Services Office’s bilingual channel ITMOLNIA.
