One of my favorite ways to rewind and de-stress after a long day of classes is to turn on one of my favorite TV shows and watch at least one episode without any interruptions. My days as a full-time student consist of constant homework, studying, and worrying about grades. It’s so important to introduce self-care into your daily routine because of the constant stress we’re all under as college students. Self-care looks different to everybody; whether it involves making time in your day to take care of your skin, eating three healthy, delicious meals a day, or simply just watching something to make you laugh. When I’ve had a long day or I can feel myself slipping into a funk, I turn on one of these TV shows.
- New Girl
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New Girl is a TV series that ran from 2011-2018 and stars Zooey Deschanel as Jess, a woman who breaks up with her boyfriend and finds a new life after responding to an advertisement for an apartment to live with three roommates — all who turn out to be guys. This is hands-down one of my favorite TV shows, simply because it just never fails to make me laugh. Every character is unique and have a number of quirks, making it easy to relate to them and find comfort in relating to the many awkward moments they have. My favorite episode is Season 2, Episode 15, “Cooler.” Every New Girl fan will understand the impact the word “Cooler” has and how iconic this episode was.
- Arrested Development
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Arrested Development is one of those shows that you can rewatch over and over and still laugh every time. It aired on TV from 2003-2019, and features well-known actors like Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Michael Cera. This show follows a dysfunctional family that faces problem after problem after the father, George Bluth Sr., of the family is arrested and Michael Bluth, the rational middle child, must make sure the family business doesn’t go under. In my opinion, the funniest episode is in Season 2, Episode 6, “Afternoon Delight.” I can watch this episode over and over, and I still find myself laughing out loud every time. If you enjoy dry, witty humor, then this is most definitely the show for you.
- Parks and Recreation
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Parks and Recreation has seven seasons full of many episodes that follow Amy Poehler as Leslie Knope, the Deputy Director of the Parks and Recreation Department of Pawnee, Indiana. The show also follows the characters of Ron Swanson, Tom Haverford, April Ludgate, Andy Dwyer, Ben Wyatt, and more quirky characters. Despite the overall silly nature of the show, it features serious and heartwarming moments as well. It features the love stories between April and Andy, as well as Leslie and Ben. Ultimately, this show is my comfort show. I have watched the whole seven seasons several times, but it never fails to leave my heart feeling full after watching it. The episode that I have probably watched at least fifteen times is Season 3, Episode 9, “Andy and April’s Fancy Party.” It balances heartwarming and hilarious moments to craft the perfect episode.
- Ted Lasso
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Ted Lasso is a TV show that premiered in 2020, now with three seasons on Apple TV. The story follows an American football coach, Jason Sudeikis as Ted Lasso, moving to England to coach an English football club with zero knowledge or experience with coaching the sport. This comedy series is another one that features heartwarming moments and life lessons. Ted Lasso is inspiring with his kindness, resilience, and overall optimistic view of the world. I’m not quite sure if I can pinpoint an exact episode that is my favorite, but each episode is just so good and unworthy of being skipped.
- Derry Girls
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Derry Girls is originally an Irish TV show that I found on Netflix a few years back. It is three seasons full of thick Irish accents and heartwarming moments between a group of friends growing up in the 1990s during The Troubles in Derry, Ireland. The group of friends consists of Erin Quinn, Orla McCool, Clare Devlin, Michelle Mallon, and James Maguire. The interesting dynamic between the five of them creates funny situations and shows just what it is like to be a teenager, no matter when or where you’re living.
One of my mantras is that laughter really is the best medicine. Whenever I have a bad day or am just feeling down, I know what I need to do is to laugh and just to try not to take things so seriously.
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