It's that time of the year again- midterms season! And with all the stress that accompanies that, it's important to take time for things that make you happy and that make you worry a little less about what's on the horizon. (Do I mean midterm exams or the elections? We may never know...) Here's a list of a couple little things that I turn to when I need some time to decompress.
1. "Dear Hank and John"
Hank and John Green, known for a number of books, YouTube videos (like Crash Course and Vlogbrothers), and much more, are two brothers who created a podcast a few years ago, and it is sofunny. I'm sure there are people out there who might disagree and say that the sense of humor is silly or stupid, but I unashamedly love it. I only just got into it a few months ago, but it is one of my favorite things to listen to. It's a comedy podcast where they share, as they call it, "dubious advice for their listeners", along with doing a couple of recurring bits like sharing dad jokes, news from Mars, news from John's favorite soccer team, and many more that have come and gone over the years. This podcast is what I listen to as I'm eating breakfast, doing laundry, washing dishes- you name it. It has made me start laughing aloud in the middle of the dining hall. I don't listen to many other podcasts, but I can tell you that if you want to start out with something light, this is a good option.
2. Talking to my roommate
I got lucky to find someone whose positive energy, support, spontaneity, and fun personality make both living together and being friends so great. Sometimes, I'll have a really stressful or frustrating day, but I'll come home and talk to her about it and about our days in general. Other times, jamming out to Disney songs puts a big goofy smile on my face. It never takes long for me to feel better around her. My great experience at college so far would not be the same without her.
3. "I'm Here", from the musical "The Color Purple"
I've mentioned this song before, but it deserves another shout out. If you ever wanted a self-love anthem, this is it. In context of the story, it's so meaningful, but even if you watch the video of Cynthia Erivo's last performance of the song without knowing the plot, it is still so moving. This recording actually made me cry- it's so clear how much this song means to Erivo, but also how much the audience has been brought to feel hearing her sing it. It's a magical song that honestly changed my life. These kinds of things are why I love singing: the emotion it's capable of evoking in an audience and the messages it is able to spread are like nothing else.
4. Texting my sister
If you read my last article, it should be fairly apparent why. Being raised in the same house by the same two people has created a shared sense of humor that makes life so much funnier sometimes. I always enjoy seeing what meme or cute dog picture she's sent me this time, and venting to her because she gets how my brain works. The other day I texted her because I was stressed out and dealing with a problem, and she basically solved it for me by asking questions that may have been obvious but didn't even cross my mind while I was semi-freaking out.
5. "how is prangent formed"
Every once in a while, everyone needs some flat-out dumb humor, and this is the epitome of that. I think I can say pretty confidently that this is one of my favorite YouTube videos. Sometimes people see awful spelling or hear ridiculous things and they question humanity, but this video is so funny that it doesn't even matter. All the horrible misspellings of the word "pregnant", the questions being asked, as well as the voice-over make me laugh every time I watch it.
From podcasts to videos to music to people, there are so many ways to make yourself feel a little better during these not-so-easy times. Take advantage of these options and fend off the feeling of being overwhelmed- you deserve light-hearted things to keep you going.
man running in forestPhoto by 
