You know you need some time off from studying for that Astronomy final, or from writing that final paper on feminism in The Scarlet Letter, so we’ve compiled a list of websites you can visit every so often during your five-minute breaks that [hopefully] aren’t a complete waste of time! You’ve probably heard of some of these, but we hope you find something new to enjoy! And of course, good luck on your finals from all of us at Her Campus TCNJ!
- Discovering new music:
Stereogum.com
Stereogum has been hailed as Best Music Website and Music Blog of the Year, among other honors. It’s a non-pretentious online community for independent and alternative music, a great place to find something new and possibly download a remix or two, watch the newest music videos or read the newest music news.
Myspoonful.com
I discovered this website at least a year ago when Entertainment Weekly called it something along the lines of ‘that hipster friend you introduces you to cool music,’ and this is just that: myspoonful.com features underground bands and one [free!] downloadable song from each, and the writing about the music makes me laugh too, so that’s nice.
WTSR.org
Support your college radio station and visit wtsr.org to see the on-air schedule (hey, you might recognize some names!) and learn about new music, news stories, and interviews conducted and shared by your fellow TCNJ students! Open your mind!
- Fun Youtube Channels:
The Vlogbrothers
Earlier in the semester we posted a book review of the heartbreakingly beautiful The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Well, the vlogbrothers are John Green and his eco-geek brother, Hank. What started five years ago as a project for them to reconnect without written communication and only through daily Youtube vlogs, has blossomed into a community of nerdfighteria and an awareness beyond superficial celebrity gossip. I consider these brothers to be role models, but their videos are also actually really funny and sometimes educational, not gonna lie.
Charlie McDonnell
He’s a young Brit in his early twenties who I think might be friends with the aforementioned vlogbrothers (or he is at least a nerdfighter himself), and his videos are also on the nerdy but adorable-ish side.
Dorm Life
A floormate showed me Dorm Life in March of my freshman year, and it was my obsession for probably the rest of the semester. It’s a mockumentary-format webshow made up of five-minute episodes, 20 episodes per season. There are only two seasons, sadly. It semi-accurately (and humorously) describes what freshman year is like, through hilarious characters and familiar floor activities, which is exciting. If The Office took place on a freshman floor in a college dormitory, it would be Dorm Life. Watch an episode between pages of studying or paper-writing.
A Very Potter Musical (and Sequel)
This is practically a note for myself, because I have yet to finish A Very Potter Sequel (familiarly known as AVPS), but let me start with A Very Potter Musical (familiarly known as AVPM). If you really haven’t heard of AVPM (or don’t know much about it), A Very Potter Musical is a fan-made musical parodying Harry Potter, performed at UMich and starring Glee’s Darren Criss as Harry Potter. The writing and acting are hilarious regardless of the Potter-ness. I mean, Draco Malfoy is played by a girl in a blond wig who’s always rolling around on the floor like how movie-Draco is always lounging around, and she’s the only one with a British accent. The books are combined in different ways in the Musical and the Sequel for a hilariously surprising Harry Potter experience. There is also Pottermore now that that’s open to everyone, where you can get a wand and get sorted and make cauldron-breaking potions (or, well, I do) and experience the books in a whole new way, but AVPM is funnier.
- Websites Made For You:
Hellogiggles.com
This adorkable site for the twenty-first century smart and creative female was founded just in 2011 by Zooey Deschanel, Sophia Rossi, and Molly McAleer. The site has a live kitten cam and a bunny cam, too, and covers things from Entertainment to Beauty to giggle-worthy content to intelligent articles relevant to your existence (http://hellogiggles.com/love-thyself).
Rookiemag.com
I’m glad I found Rookie Magazine, a possibly younger version of Hello Giggles, because they have a lot of really cool DIY ideas (http://rookiemag.com/2012/04/paperbeads-diy/) and funnily-written, relatable stories about being a teenager (http://rookiemag.com/2012/01/lizzie-mcguire-real-problems/). And music is mentioned, and fiction and hair and make up and fashion. The editor-in-chief/founder is 16-year-old Tavi Gevinson, who I remember reading about years ago as this 12-year-old unbelievable fashion blogger, but watching her DIY video (http://rookiemag.com/2012/04/how-to-do-a-beehive/), she sounds like my cousin, and I like her magazine so yeah.
Hercampus.com
Shameless plug alert! Although I’m not sure why I’m promoting the website if you’re obviously already on it reading this article…anyway, in that there link they mention procrastination and giveaways and I thought it was worth sharing if you’re into that sort of thing. But seriously, explore hercampus.com/tcnj, and if you think something is missing from our college’s site, tell us! Submit it yourself! How’s THAT for a productive study break?
Thoughtcatalogue.com
One of those interesting sites with random articles that I like to read. I first followed them on Twitter after my sister retweeted http://thoughtcatalog.com/2012/a-few-ways-to-say-i-hate-you/ but on their about page they call the site “a place for relevant and relatable non-fiction and thought,” which is nicer than a story about how to say ‘I hate you.’ Read a random story (http://thoughtcatalog.com/2012/how-to-be-a-better-guest/) between writing paragraphs and studying chapters.
Cracked.com
My guy friends like this. There are random lists that I also find entertaining, from “5 One-Hit Wonders Who Deserve Your Respect,” http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-one-hit-wonders-who-deserve-your-respect/ to “7 Artists Who Secretly Made Your Favorite Movies,” http://www.cracked.com/article_19652_7-artists-who-secretly-made-your-fa… and each article has illustrative pictures with relevant captions and a snarkiness that works, I think.
Collegeproblems.org
A tumblog run by an anonymous sophomore at BU whose problems are pretty much the same as any of the rest of ours. You probably obsessed over this last year (I know I did), but whether you’ve been there before or not, check it out. It’s amusing, and one of the most ironic and best ways to not study for finals.
Postsecret.com
Read a few secrets shared by strangers. You know it’s intriguing, just like those displays in the library and around campus were a couple of weeks ago.
If You Like Glee… Fashionofglee.com
My sister (I should have just had her write this article) asked me if I’d heard of this awesome tumblog whose posts consist of how to find the clothing and accessory pieces worn by the fashionable characters on Glee; obviously, I hadn’t. But our problems are now over—we can finally dress like Rachel Berry! Or Tina or Quinn, I like their dresses every so often as well.
If you need more awesome in your life: Tvtropes.org
Step 1: Go to tvtropes.org. Step 2: Enter any book, movie, television show, musical artist, or possibly another facet of popular culture such as a trope, into the search box on the top of the screen. Step 3: Click relevant link and read list of tropes to your heart’s content. When finished return to work or to Step 2. You’re welcome. (Or should I apologize) But on a more serious note, I really love TV Tropes, because as their homepage states, they are about celebrating fiction. Just see the Hey Arnold page (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/WesternAnimation/HeyArnold?from=Ma…).
If You Love The Hunger Games… Hungernames.com
Spend five seconds here if you’re into The Hunger Games. That’s all it takes.
There’s also Tumblr and Pinterest!