Which do you want first- the good news or the bad news? Ok, good news first! Ivies was amazing. It’s May so the weather will slowly be improving and summer is right around the corner! Bad news? Before we get to enjoy anything a break, we have the end of classes and finals. I know everyone is going to be spending long hours in H-L, Hatch, Druck, etc. shortly, but I also know that at any time, exactly 84% of people in these study spaces are procrastinating (okay… I made that statistic up). We have a great article on how to get organized so you can be productive (http://www.hercampus.com/school/bowdoin/get-organized-finals) but I’m here as the Devil on your shoulder to provide you with a list of a few of my personal favorite websites to waste a little time, should you need a break!
1. Of course, I must address everyone’s favorite new genre, the .gif caption blogs. The original is What Should We Call Me (http://whatshouldwecallme.tumblr.com/) , but I also want to acknowledge our own What Should Bowdoin Call Me (http://whatshouldbowdoincallme.tumblr.com/)! There are also a huge number of derivative sites: My Life as a Kitten, How Do I Put This Gently, How to Be a Landshark, What Should We ‘Cac Me, and I’m sure there are more. These are great for spending (too much) time giggling to yourself. Note: Can be embarrassing in class/ the library if you’re alone and laughing out loud…
2. When it comes to gossip blogs, I used to be loyal to Perez Hilton, but then he got too nice. My personal favorite is Michael K at DListed (http://dlisted.com/). A note of caution: it is very dirty and crass. That’s part of what I love about it, but it’s not for the faint of heart. He has his celebs that he hates and those that he hates less and he always has witty and mean things to say about everyone. A great way to keep up with the celebs, if that’s your thing.
3. Another way I love to procrastinate is by finding study music. It’s productive because I need it to study! Sometimes I do this by making playlists, but there are also a couple of websites I love. Songza.fm (http://songza.fm/) is amazing- they know the time of day and day of the week and you pick your mood, and then specify exactly what genre you want. I’ve been really happy with the accuracy of the music they give me. I also love 8tracks (http://8tracks.com/), which features playlists by users. Of course, these can be hit or miss, but in general, I’ve been very pleased. They have amazing study mixes!
4. For when you want to feel a bit more intellectual and/or hipster in your procrastination, I recommend turning to Timothy McSweeney’s Internet Tendency (http://www.mcsweeneys.net/tendencyhttp://www.mcsweeneys.net/tendency). It features mostly hilarious, sometimes sweet or poignant lists, columns, articles, and poems by generally awesome authors. Check out It’s Decorative Gourd Season, M*****F*****. Too funny.
5. And finally, another fantastic genre of procrastination sites: the fashion blog! There are far too many to give a nod to all of the greats, but I’ll list a few I really love. Go Fug Yourself (http://gofugyourself.com/) is awesome. The writers are very funny and it has polls to rate outfits. Another fun fashion blog is the lady at The Man Repeller (http://www.manrepeller.com/). I love the title and that she’s openly acknowledging that many fashion trends that women love are misunderstood and loathed by men-folk. Obviously, she’s generalizing quite a bit, as not all men hate them and not all women like the trends she features. Still, the idea is widely true. Her outfits are usually a bit bold for me and I think for Bowdoin, but the pictures are great and I appreciate her aesthetic. And finally, Refinery 29 (http://www.refinery29.com/) is an all-purpose fashion/ beauty/ shopping blog that has some city-specific aspects, but also has features that apply for the whole country. It has a lot going on and always gives me great ideas.
So there you have it, 10 or so websites on which you can take a brief study break! You can set goals, for example writing 2 pages of your final paper, and reward yourself with 5 minutes on one of these great sites.
Study hard!
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