It is a truth universally acknowledged that a student with a ton of homework to do must spend at least a few hours procrastinating before actually completing said homework. I’m pretty sure Jane Austen said that, or something like it, so it’s definitely the truth. There is no sadder moment than when you come to the end of your Instagram, Twitter and Facebook feeds or you’ve watched every snap story. Never fear, though, because the perfect way to take any procrastination session up a notch is by binge-watching some good old fashioned television via Netflix and/or HBO Go. Here’s a list of a few shows even the most dedicated of students would drop their books for:
Parks and Recreation
In my opinion, “Parks and Rec” is the perfect go-to for anyone trying to procrastinate. Not only is it hilarious, but it also only runs about 20 minutes per episode— the perfect time for a quick break. If you are looking to do some serious procrastination, the show allows for a large number of episodes to be watched in any block of time. This show is especially ideal for those avoiding work in environmental studies or recreation management because of the general concentration of the Parks Department throughout the show. However, anyone can benefit from Leslie Knope’s ambitious and enthusiastic attitude. Who knows, this show may even inspire you to stop procrastinating and get to work (after you binge-watch an entire season, of course).
Criminal Minds
Everyone has seen (and loved) many crime-centered series, but the extremely underrated “Criminal Minds” might be the best one out there right now. While it can get a little heavy at times, the exceedingly lovable main characters will keep you coming back for more. This series may be started from the beginning, middle or end and requires virtually no information from previous episodes before watching, which I greatly appreciate. I recommend this particularly to those studying psychology because the Behavioral Analysis Unit is made up of expert profilers who analyze the mind behind the criminal. Each criminal the B.A.U investigates is just as twisted as the one before, and the stories provide the perfect amount of action to keep you on your toes.
Grey’s Anatomy
As a loyal follower of “Grey’s Anatomy” and actual goddess Shonda Rhimes in general, I felt that it was necessary to include this classic medical drama. The best part about this show is that it is still on air, in its 11th season, and 10 of those episodes are currently on Netflix, leaving you with more than enough material to take up your time. It is inevitable that, after a couple of episodes, you’ll not only get sucked into the drama, but also find yourself totally enjoying the medical mysteries that each episode features. This would be great for biology class procrastination, as well as for those students hoping to go on to medical school. Honestly, after binge-watching 10 seasons of “Grey’s” you could probably skip medical school all together and become a self proclaimed M.D. from the Grey School of Medicine, which is totally a thing.
Girls
Lena Dunham’s brilliant creation, “Girls,” is basically a more realistic version of “Sex and the City.” While definitely not glamorous, it gives its audience a look into post-grad millennial life. Never fear, though it isn’t all bad. It is inspiration to laugh your way through the tough times, and it gives validation that it is perfectly fine not to know what you’re going to do for the rest of your life just yet. Hannah’s dream is to be a writer, so this is a solid pairing for those with creative pursuits of their own and could even be useful for those putting off a paper or any other English assignment. The seasons are short and sweet, like the episodes, leaving enough time for you to watch a whole season before immediately freaking out about the future.
The Jinx
This HBO documentary series is the evil twin of Netflix’s recent success, “Making a Murderer.” It tells the story of Robert Durst, a rich, New York City real estate heir, who was suspected of killing his wife, best friend and neighbor, but was never found guilty. This short series, comprised of six hour-long episodes, includes an interview with Durst himself and interviews with those involved in the investigations of the murders, as well as those close to Durst and the victims. It goes in-depth into each investigation, and the evidence surrounding Durst is astounding. This series provides an interesting look into the criminal justice system, so naturally this pairs well with criminal justice as well as sociology. “The Jinx” will have you on the edge of your seat, and the final episode will leave you questioning everything until you have to actually do school work to distract yourself.
