Now that the holidays are over and school is starting again, the cold weather has lost its charm and cabin fever is starting to set in. One of my favorite ways to get rid of that lethargic cooped up feeling is to watch a documentary. Here are 5 of my favorite documentaries that will definitely make you forget your boredom and probably even change the way you think.

1) Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things:

I think I can safely say that this documentary changed the way I looked at so many aspects of my life. Minimalism encourages people to live more freely by eliminating things from their lives that aren't either useful or bring them joy. I found the control that capitalism and materialism have over us genuinely terrifying, the stories of real life minimalists inspiring, and the entire documentary thought provoking.

2) Miss Representation:

This documentary explores the under-representation of women in positions of power and the negative effect that has on their portrayal in media. This in turn affects the way they are seen by others and the way they see themselves. It's shocking how rampant sexism still is today. In fact, the same producers created a second documentary, talking about the negative effects of sexism on boys, called The Mask We Live In which I can't wait to watch.

3)Food Choices:

It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle. Michael Siewierski travels the country to meet and talk with nutrition experts and people who have changed their lives by eating plant-based meals. They discuss issues such as how our diets affect the carbon footprint, if it's possible to eat healthily on a tight budget (spoiler: it is), and even vegetarianism. While this documentary didn't make me a vegetarian, it definitely brought to light some very surprising facts and made me want to start a more plant based lifestyle.

4) 13th

This documentary was simultaneously one of the best and one of the most disturbing I have ever seen. It points out that the 13th amendment itself has been written in such a way that it allows institutionalized racism. From privatized prisons to the war against drugs, things aren't always as they seem. The racist acts we see on the news are only the tip of the iceberg.

5) White Helmets

I'm not going to deny it, I cried a couple of time while watching White Helmets. It gives a very accurate view of the conditions in Aleppo, Syria and tells the story of a group of brave souls who are willing to risk all to save others. What makes it so meaningful is the fact that the kind of brutality and selfless bravery shown are happening right now and influencing people just like ourselves; families, infants, parents. It take numbers and headlines on newspapers and turn them into complex humans.

Hopefully, you've found something in these documentaries that piques your interest and blows your mind. I know that I did!