Having a show is like having a long-distance digital friend. No, the characters in the show are not physically present with you; however, with a click of a button, they can appear on your device, ready to tug at your heartstrings and invite you into their lives. It’s painfully easy to get wrapped up in the stresses of the day: classes, work, deadlines. This can manifest as feelings of apathy toward the world — seeing the world through gray-colored glasses. In times like these, a show becomes more than just entertainment. It serves as escapism, a breakthrough from a monotonous life.
With the arrival of spring, a deep craving for love, warmth, and belonging floods in. Whether you are in a happy relationship or entering this season single, we as humans desire to feel, no matter if that emotion is joy, sadness, or longing. At our core, we suspire for excitement, melancholy, and anticipation. Through this spoiler-free compilation of shows, books, and movies, I have made lifelong digital friends — stories I return to when I need something steady to rely on. Characters I resonate with and worlds I look forward to re-entering. These characters and their unique stories have helped me to feel again, lighting a fire within my heart. If you’re feeling detached from the world, indifferent to the things that used to set your heart ablaze, one of these stories might just be the missing puzzle piece you need.
1. The love hypothesis
Science meets romance in Ali Hazelwood’s breakout novel, The Love Hypothesis. It’s impossible to read any of Hazelwood’s works and not be absolutely enthralled. From works such as Love on the Brain, Check & Mate, and Love, Theoretically, Hazelwood proves to be a romance writing powerhouse.
The Love Hypothesis is a non-negotiable yearly re-read for me. I first picked it up during my junior year of high school — a time when you begin to feel your childhood quietly coming to a close. College applications loom, and that stress-inducing question, What do you want to be when you’re older?, is no longer a faraway figment of your imagination. What once felt like a dream too big to conceptualize becomes a query that needs answering as soon as possible.
As workloads piled, and time flew by, I knew I needed grounding. The main characters, Olive Smith and Adam Carlsen, took me under their wing. Olive’s words, thoughts, and beliefs made me slow down. I felt the yearning Adam held for Olive in my chest. With every word I read and page I flipped, my zest for life grew stronger and bolder. Olive and Adam’s love story will have your feet kicking in the air, a current of giddiness will overtake you, and it might just make your life not feel as heavy.
2. baby daddy
If there were a contest for the best, yet most underrated, 2010’s sitcom, Baby Daddy would win in a landslide. Baby Daddy is the ultimate comfort show. Whenever I’m feeling burned out or like my life is missing warmth, this series serves as a mug of hot cocoa. There is nothing like winding down after a long day and cozying up with the most lovable, heart-warming characters.
The standout component of this series is the slow burn, will-they-won’t-they romance between childhood best friends, Riley Perrin and Danny Wheeler. From their deep appreciation for one another to the longing glances they share, their connection feels intimate and earned. The way they understand one another in a way no one else ever could makes you appreciate the world around you — and believe, again, in the love within it.
3. Love, Rosie
The first time I watched Love, Rosie is a flashbulb memory in my mind. It was seventh grade, and I was stuck. I would wake up, go to school, and come back home. I was anchored in the repetitive routine of middle school life. I knew I needed to feel something. So, what was my solution? I scoured the internet, on the hunt for a story that would breathe new life into me.
Rosie Dunne and Alex Stewart found me at a time when I needed support. They took me along on their 30-year love story, overflowing with heartbreak, grief, tension, and angst. I watched them grow up as they messily wove into and out of each other’s lives.
The rollercoaster of their relationship will have you weeping, screaming at your screen, throwing your laptop across the room, all of it. If your life has felt stagnant, the whirlwind that is Love, Rosie will surely send things into motion.
This spring, it’s time to reignite your torch and see the world in bright, bewitching color. So sit back, feel your heart warm, and allow these stories to awaken your soul.