It’s the home stretch. Your desk is a flurry of notecards and highlighters, study guides and notes. You wish you could accumulate frequent flyer miles for nights spent in Gund Commons, watching the sun rise from the Squad, and staying in Club Olin til the nerd bell rings.
If procrastination were a more highly regarded skill, it would be first on my resume (for instance, I’m writing this article rather than my 12 page paper…priorities, huh?). It’s finals season, and what’s a girl to do? Read on for the top 10 ways to procrastinate as the semester comes to a close and your attention span drastically decreases.
1. Construct the perfect productivity playlist. How, you ask? With so much music technology at our fingertips, the choices are endless. Plus, who wants to actually do their work when they can, instead, spend hours choosing music that might, under different circumstances, inspire them to crack open the textbook they haven’t seen since the first day of classes? Whether it’s Spotify or 8Tracks or Pandora, find your motivational jams and compile them all in one place. My personal favorites include anything from the soundtrack to “Once”, and a whole lot of Corinne Bailey Rae, Eva Cassidy, Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson–a perfect blend of calming and inspiring. Plus, if you’re looking for some motivation, look no further than Alicia Keys’ “Girl On Fire.” Something about Alicia telling me I “look like a girl but am a flame” and “have both feet on the ground and am not backing down” gives me the extra umph I need to start typing.
2. Pin away. What could be better than an entire website of virtual pinboards? When you want nothing to do with your finals, you can waste hours pinning DIY dorm room tips, wedding inspiration, puppies in the snow, Food Network-worthy recipes, and more. For “pinspiration”, follow Joanna Goddard, Free People, Style Me Pretty, and, of course, us! Don’t blame me when you’re instantly addicted.
3. Get your family fix. The final days before break, the only thing I can focus on is how badly I want to be home. I sit in the library drinking stale coffee and dreaming about pulling up the driveway and being greeted by my dog and a closet full of clean clothes. But between now and my drive home, I need something to fill my yearning for family! I turn to Netflix in my time of need. I watch full seasons of Brothers & Sisters, Full House, Gilmore Girls, and Parenthood, each of which feature TV families far more functional and adorable than my own. Episode after episode make me wish I also grew up in Stars Hollow or that my family also ate Sunday dinner together every week at one big, beautiful table in our backyard. It’s just enough to tide me over until I can be back at home, reuniting (and fighting…) with my own loved ones.
4. Watch the uplifting Google ads on YouTube. Whoever hired Google’s marketing team is pure genius. Not only is Google taking over the world–from Maps to Docs to Gmail–but has also now firmly secured a place close to my heart. Plus, their videos feature that awesome typing sound effect and the best music. Feeling nostalgic, or worried that 2012 might be the end? Look no further than their Zeitgeist 2012: Year In Review. In a worldly and optimistic mood? Learn about the Google Global Impact Awards. Ready for a tearjerker–or two? Google has two father/daughter videos for you. First, new dad Daniel Lee uses Google Chrome to chronicle his daughter Sophie’s childhood in Dear Sophie. In case that didn’t get you sobbing, there’s always Jess Time, in which a father helps his daughter adjust to college life. Feeling romantic? Watch one man’s sweet apology in Coffee.
5. Turn to Sporcle. Both mind-boggling and mind-numbing, Sporcle is the perfect place for a quick break. Problem is, “one more quiz” turns into 4 hours of naming each of the Cheetah Girls and Parent Trap trivia. If you’re looking for intellectual stimulation, try quizzes like: Follow That Line: Elf, All About Harry Potter, Theme Song Challenge, and Name the Disney Channel Original Movie
6. Watch celebrities prank other celebrities. First, Ellen’s famous Scare Montage. Apparently, The Ellen Show has a tradition of scaring as many celebrity guests as they can. No one but Ellen could make Demi Moore wet her pants, Taylor Swift fall and hit her head, and Tracy Morgan cry. Then, there’s the pranks. Ellen sends celebrities to public places and has them make fools of themselves on hidden camera. Dennis Quaid goes to Starbucks, Sofia Vergara goes to a store on the WB lot, and Kristen Bell gets autotuned.
7. Kid’s say the darndest things. Funny children and YouTube are my favorite combination. Take, for example, this Blue Anthem ad. Oh, and this one too. Feeling like you can’t accomplish anything on your long finals week to-do list? This boy, who just rode his bike for the first time, shares his advice for learning how to “feel happy of yourself.” Thumbs up for rock and roll!
8. SnapChat. The free app lets you send pictures to friends that automatically delete after 3-10 seconds. While this may have initially been created for untraceable sexting, it’s now become a liberating outlet for those of us who enjoy ugly selfies.
9. Laugh. The best comedians will have you in stitches in just 140 characters, right? Some of Twitter’s funniest include: Aziz Ansari, Jimmy Fallon, Steve Martin, Mindy Kaling, Seth Myers, Rainn Wilson, and Stephen Colbert.
10. BuzzFeed. For the latest in all things pop culture, visit BuzzFeed. Where else could you find 40 Reasons Honey Boo Boo Became A National Treasure, Why The Republican War On Susan Rice Is A Terrible Idea, The Best Books of 2012, and The Cutest Sleigh Ever Sleighed all in one place? Perfect for one-stop shopping, BuzzFeed is like the WalMart of the internet.
Best of luck this finals season!