Even if you’re done with or close to the end of the semester, there never seems to be enough distractions to help you, ahem, “unwind” from all of your studying. Here are a few of my favorites, but don’t forget — a little studying has to be done in between, right?
New Words with Friends– The original Words with Friends reached its peak my freshman year of college, so it seems fitting that it was re-launched during finals my senior year. My first all-nighter for my final paper for English probably didn’t even need to be an all-nighter but that pesky little app brought out my competitive nature and, I mean, playing makeshift Scrabble is like studying for English anyway, right? Use this when you want to feel like you’re using your brain when really you just need a break from that paper.
Circle Pong– You haven’t been this frustrated since Flappy Birds’ thankfully short-lived release. This app can be good for short study breaks but you’ll probably end up like me trying to beat your score of 1 for the next hour until you’re ready to throw your phone and textbooks (they’re still there, remember?) across the room.
Trivia Crack – Some of the most beloved things among college students are trivia nights with complementary chicken wings or other junk foods. This app brings trivia right to you and you can justify it as studying for finals, which is probably my favorite part. The app has a spinner that puts you against random opponents or your Facebook friends and gives you random subjects ranging from music, entertainment, history, math and everything in between.
Buzzfeed – This website is truly the treasure of the Internet. Where else can you find gifs archiving your favorite childhood possessions while also offering advice for the present? My favorite Buzzfeed feature by far is their selection of quizzes. What Game of Thrones house am I? House Targaryen. What Harry Potter house am I? Hufflepuff. What Taylor Swift song am I? Blank Space, obviously. The possibilities are endless. When finals strike, you want answers, and Buzzfeed has them. Maybe not for your specific questions, but still really helpful for your overall existence. Fun fact, while writing this post I was distracted by six Buzzfeed quizzes — so enjoy those study “breaks”.
Netflix – I’ll pretend that this isn’t a daily distraction and only engrosses me during finals. Rewarding yourself between assignments with a quick half hour show is the perfect reward and the ideal way to sidetrack yourself into unstoppable binge watching. Here are important rules:
• Share your password with friends – you can always change it later if needed but sharing is caring and caring’s best form is through a Netflix account.
• Never start a new series during an important time like finals. You’re the most vulnerable at this stage and it might not end well for you and your grades.
• Sometimes we spend more time browsing the queue than we do watching. Give yourself a time limit because if you’re going to waste time, it should be watching and obsessing over a show.
Written by Ali Sewalt. Ali is a senior at Nazareth College in Rochester, N.Y. and is the marketing intern at NextStepU. For more college planning advice, visit NextStepU.com and start your path today!
