Sometimes it seems like life is just too much to handle. You have have exams to study for, papers to write, internships to apply to and the guy you like just broke your heart. On top of that, you have yet to figure out what you will do after graduation, not to mention what you will be doing for a career. Before you resort to curling up in bed and having a full-on emotional breakdown, relax and remember that everyone else at this age is probably going through the exact same thing. Nobody has it all figured out. Here are some awesome ways to get some inspiration and cheer yourself up when the going gets tough.
1. FRIENDS
I might be a little biased because I grew up watching this show, and it has now become my preferred form of therapy. Nothing cheers me up faster than hearing a “How you doin’?” from Joey, or one of Chandler’s snide remarks. If you haven’t seen it, it is very similar to How I Met Your Mother (another one of my personal favorites) and is basically about a group of friends trying to get their career and dating lives figured out in New York City. This is the perfect show to watch when you need to relax and laugh.
2. Are You There Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea – by Chelsea Handler
If you think your life is a joke, just read this book. Chelsea Handler is freaking hilarious, and she is also a hot mess. Her anecdotes are very relatable and include everything from hooking up with random guys, to party fouls, to embarrassing fathers.This is a good light read for when you need humor in your life.
3. The Mindy Project
This is a TV show written by Mindy Kaling, who is just as hilarious as Chelsea Handler, but her humor is slightly less inappropriate. It is about a 30-something OBGYN (Dr. Mindy Lahiri) who lives in New York City and is struggling to get her life together. For example, the opening scene of the pilot episode is Mindy getting arrested because she got too drunk at her ex-boyfriend’s wedding and ended up riding a bike into a pool. But even though her personal life is kind of a mess, she has a very successful career as a women’s health doctor. There is still hope for us struggling college girls!
4. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) – by Mindy Kaling
This is Mindy’s book, and it is just as hilarious as her TV show. She discusses her awkward childhood, the progression of her career, and her attempt to navigate the dating world.
In her introduction she lists two things you need to know about her:
1. “There is no sunrise so beautiful that it is worth waking me up to see it.”
2. “I would like to be friends with Beyonce Knowles.”
Enough said.
5. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail – by Cheryl Strayed
This girl was having such a difficult time with life (her mother died, she battled a heroin addiction, she got a divorce) that she decided to just take a break from it all and hike the Pacific Crest Trail all by herself for an entire summer. She writes about her experience and how it changed her life. I found this book to be very inspiring, and it also gave me the urge to do something spontaneous and adventurous.
6. GIRLS
If you haven’t watched this show, you are definitely missing out. Some people call it the new Sex and the City because it is about 4 girls attempting to live in New York, but I think it is much more authentic. My favorite part about this show is how well it conveys the awkwardness that ensues when most 20-something year olds interact with each other. The situations are so realistic that I could imagine them happening in my life. Even the sex scenes are painfully awkward, which is actually pretty refreshing.
7. He’s Just Not That Into You
If you get over the cheesiness factor of this movie, it is a pretty good one. I watch this everytime I get upset over a guy, because it reminds me that I shouldn’t be crying over someone who doesn’t see how awesome I am. Justin Long’s character tells it like it is: “Trust me when I say if a guy is treating you like he doesn’t give a sh*t, then he genuinely does not give a sh*t. No exceptions.” It’s a good wake-up call for when you are feeling too dependent on a guy, and Gigi’s character is an excellent reminder to not waste your time being a clingy super-stalker.
Pictures:
source: bilmoore.com
source: slate.com
source: tvrage.com