The never ending four month summer break is nearing an end. As everyone scrambles to prepare themselves for a rigorous and academically challenging semester, they seem to forget to pre-plan for the most important aspect of college life– time-pass. It’s necessary that we schedule and organize time-pass to ensure that the time passes efficiently. How many of you have started the semester with full academic preparation but painfully unaware of which show to binge at what time? The lack of preparation in this area could be potentially fatal– one could end up starting a mind blowing show at a very critical time without any prior experience and end up botching a 20% weightage assignment because they got too caught up in cliff-hangers. So for all you binge-noobs out there, given below is a perfect show/movie recommendation guide that is mindful of all the academically critical moments of the average Ashokan Calendar. Follow this to the T to avail yourself the best academic yet spiritual experience of Monsoon 2023.
Bad Buddy: repping for Week 2
When the buzz of the new semester with O-week, baby-faced freshers and clubs and societies’ fair has died down, the average Ashokan might find themselves a little adrift and lost in the vast Ashokan Sea of limitless possibilities. When your social battery has run-out but you still have a lot of time because courses haven’t really hit their stride yet, here comes the savior, Bad Buddy! A hilarious yet weirdly deep Thai show released in 2021, this piece takes us through the love story of Pat and Pran, neighbors turned enemies to lovers. It’s basically Romeo and Juliet, but Thai and gay, with no death. With 12 episodes of 45 minute runtime each, it’s perfectly sized and deliciously fluffy to consume after exhausting yourself with socialization. A college romance directed by Aof Noppharnach (who is queer himself), this show also tries to break the harmful stereotypes surrounding gay relationships in South Asian queer media. It also has a very catchy OST sung by one of the main-actors himself, which can be added to your semester playlist, because I assure you, it will be stuck in your head. Did I create the concept for this article just to rec this show? Maybe. But seriously, WATCH IT.
To My Star: for much needed midterms serotonin
When the annoyingly scattered and irregular weeks of midterm examinations are killing your body and soul, here comes pretty little To My Star to save your brain. The show has the weirdest premise– South Korean actor Kang Seo Joon gets embroiled in a scandal and is forced to live in secrecy with a broke, emotionally constipated yet brilliant cook Han Ji Woo. The two fall in love despite their opposing personalities which results in giving the audience the funniest and sweetest love story ever. So, I know recommending a show to watch during midterms might sound bonkers to you, but this show has 9 episodes of 15 minutes each. Instead of depressing yourself by watching instagram reels during your 15 minute breaks, watch an episode of this show instead. It will rejuvenate you for your next exam/submission and provide moral support when it inevitably goes wrong.
Eternal Yesterday: for that random week after midterm break where assignments never seem to end
If you have managed to read the article till here, I know you have stuck in that time-loopish week after mid sem break where the to-do list of assignments and submissions are never over. If you have given up at this point like I have, go watch Eternal Yesterday. You know when you’re sad and aimless in life, so you go watch a sad and aimless show to feel better? This is the one. The tragic love story of Koichi and Mitsuru, where after becoming boyfriends, Koichi gets hit by a truck and turns into a zombie who has only one month left to live. I don’t want to spoil anything, but it ends sadly (surprise!). If you, like me, are a masochist in terms of the media that you consume, give this 8 episode Japanese show a shot. Each episode is only 25 minutes long, so you even have time to work on that hopeless assignment and save your grade.
Gullak: for reading week and Finals motivation
At this point, we all just want to go home. We miss ghar ka khaana, and even dhaba food tastes like sandpaper. While studying like maniacs for finals week of doom, feast yourself to Gullak, a charming Indian show about the struggles and small joys of the Mishra family. The story is told from the perspective of a gullak (clay piggy bank) residing in the middle-class Mishra household and its lung-bustingly funny. There’s a quiet, nostalgic beauty to this show; a random Indian family’s anecdotes seem like your own because the style of storytelling and the characters are deeply relatable and hilarious. This show will give you the much needed motivation to get through finals and finally go home– or it’ll just make you sad and obsessed and you’ll fail. Ok no, it’s actually amazing, trust me. Season 1 has 5 episodes of 30 minutes each– plenty to get you through finals and back home.
So that’s it for this article, cuties. Sync this recommendation list to your calendars (or just wing it) and I wish you a very happy and fruitful Monsoon!