It’s that point in the semester where stress levels are heightened and motivation is at an all time low. Whether you’re struggling with assignments, trapped in a situationship or worrying about life after graduation (or all of the above), there are a lot of reasons for a crash out.
Bed rotting and doom scrolling to avoid schoolwork can make us feel worse, and the content we consume controls how we feel. Maybe it’s time to revisit the “Crash Course” videos your teachers showed in high school. Remember John and Hank Green? Try to give them visit them the next time you’re starting to lose your mind.
Changing the Content You’re Consuming
Naturally, life presents us with highs and lows, and it’s important to allow ourselves to feel our emotions. Sometimes, it comes to a point where obsessing over situations perpetuates the negative feelings surrounding it. Instead of doom scrolling, listening to that soul-crushing Spotify playlist or even worse, stirring up drama, take a pause and try changing up the content you’re consuming.
If you’re a die-hard documentary lover, you may have noticed how many of them are extremely dark and sensationalized. Scrolling through Netflix can be exhausting when the only shows that come up are about murder, cults or childhood trauma. While these along with true crime podcasts and videos can be intriguing, try placing that curious energy in other places. Explore interests that may seem really niche, or go down a rabbit-hole to find new ones.
We Should All Be More Well-Rounded
Most college students watched “Crash Course” in high school for the biology and history courses, but not everyone knows that they have videos for organic chemistry, psychology, economics and other subjects. These can be great if you’re struggling in some classes, however, the real star of the show are their videos about topics like art history, film analysis and mythology. Embrace your inner nerd and indulge in learning about the intersection of art and religion, the history of silent films or cultures that have dragons in their literature.
Don’t be afraid to admit you should know more about something. There’s no time like the present to work on becoming a more well-rounded individual. Learning about things that are unfamiliar has never been easier, and that’s what “Crash Course” is for. Knowing about a variety of topics and being well-versed on how the world works is valuable not only in a career context, but for personal relationships as well. People will notice when you are able to bring more to the table in conversations because you are informed about the world or passionate about a certain subject. Let’s be honest, intelligence is pretty sexy.
If “Crash Course” isn’t your vibe, try looking for other channels or creators. TED Talks are a great resource for how to develop soft skills and they tend to feel like a podcast. If you’re looking for a bit more humor, WIRED’s “Tech Support” series on Youtube shows people with interesting professions answer funny internet questions about their field. From Astronauts to former FBI agents to different types of doctors and historians, there’s so many to choose from. Not interested in lectures and interviews? Try learning a new skill! Whatever you decide to do, making your brain work and trying and learning new things is more rewarding than doom scrolling or making impulsive decisions.
Adjusting Our Attention Spans
There’s no secret that people’s attention spans continue to shorten because of social media. Actively listening and learning about something new can help take your mind off of whatever is stressing you out. If you don’t have time to just sit and watch videos (who does?), try playing it in the background while cleaning or working out. Cleaning or working out will also help with whatever you’re dealing with.
What are some things you love learning about? Let us know @VALLEYMag on X.
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