This time of year sneaks up on the best of us. Make sure you give yourself plenty of breaks this finals season. If you find yourself scrolling endlessly when deciding what to watch during these breaks, look no further.
If there’s a genre on here you’ve never watched before, or a show you’ve been unsure about starting, consider this to be the motivation you needed to get started.
New Girl – (Netflix; Comedy)
This is a personal favorite of mine that I just had to include in this list. This show has gotten me through multiple finals’ seasons, and each re-watch makes me appreciate it even more. If you are totally unaware of the premise of this show, it centers around main character Jessica Day, a teacher who moves into an apartment with all male roommates. This show has everything you need — romance, drama, tear-jerkers, and most notably comedy. The incredible writing and series-long running jokes embedded within the characters makes this show timeless and insanely bingeable and re-watchable.
Community – (Netflix, Hulu; Comedy)
If you’re looking for a total removal from academia during your study breaks, this one may not be for you. But if you can stand some relatable, collegiate humor, then this is absolutely for you. Community follows main character Jeff Winger who is forced to go back to community college to get his degree after he’s exposed for his fake law degree. In his return to college, he forms a study group of other outcasts at the college. This show is full of pop culture references and the short length and light content make it the perfect study break binge.
Attack on Titan – (Hulu; Action, Anime)
Whether you’re an anime fan, or you’ve never watched anime in your life, this show is more than worth your time. Episodes run under a half hour in length, so despite their more intense nature, it really won’t take up much of your time. This show is written in Japanese, and Hulu offers both options of English-dubbed and Japanese-spoken with English subtitles, so you’re free to watch in whichever preference you have.
This enthralling show takes place in a time where humanity was forced to retreat and live behind the towering walls of a city to escape and survive massive, carnivorous, man-eating Titans. Even if this doesn’t sound like something you’d like, I highly recommend giving it a chance because you may be pleasantly surprised.
Workin’ Moms – (Netflix; Comedy, Drama)
This is another personal favorite of mine. This 5-season sitcom based in Canada is highly addictive. It currently airs on a cable network in Canada, with the latest seasons later added after the entire season has aired. It’s a bit on the raunchier side, so if that’s not for you,I recommend skipping out on this one. The show follows friends Kate and Anne and their lives as working mothers who attend a judgemental ‘mommies’ group. It follows the comedic adventures of marriage and parenthood, along with plenty of drama that I won’t spoil here. I’ve ran through this entire series in less than 2 weeks, so it’s the perfect show when you need a laugh.
Keeping Up With The Kardashians – (Hulu; Reality, Drama)
If you’re a reality TV junkie, you’ve likely watched this show in its entirety or at least close to it. However, if you have yet to see the entire series but you love some drama, America’s most known family has got you covered. The episodes are a bit on the longer side, around 40+ minutes in length, but the never-ending drama and surprising comedy make these episodes fly by and are very bingeable. The entire series is on Hulu, so if you want it all straight through, or just a select amount of episodes, they’ve got you covered.
Bob Ross – The Joy of Painting – (Hulu, YouTube; Family, Lifestyle)
This felt incredibly necessary to include. If you feel overwhelmed, or totally need to decompress, this is exactly what you need. These short-form broadcasts are incredible, with Bob’s calm voice narrating the peaceful activity of painting beautiful landscapes making the entire viewing experience very relaxing. These can be binged or watched non-sequentially, with seasons 20-25 available on Hulu and full episodes from the rest of the show on the official Bob Ross YouTube channel.
We’re all guilty of overdoing it during finals season and stressing ourselves out on more than one occasion. This time of year reminds us more than ever how important it is to give yourself, and your mind, a break to avoid burnout. Make sure to value yourself and the things you enjoy during this time of year, and hopefully this list helps you find something new to provide that perfect escape.