Contrary to the common belief among college students, there are all kinds of online wonders outside of Facebook and Blackboard. A few Google searches will prove that the Internet is filled with thousands of mindless ways to waste time when you're supposed to be studying for an exam or paying attention to a macroeconomics lecture.
VIDEOS
What better way to not study for a statistics final than checking out some videos on YouTube and CollegeHumor? If you are looking for a good laugh to ease all that stress, check out singing comedians Jon Lajoie or Stephen Lynch. What if you aren't into guys singing the wildly irreverent songs? Stand-up comedian Katt Williams doesn't sing, but his Chris Rock-esque comedic style could keep you in stitches. Look up comedy troupe Derrick Comedy for dozens of sketch comedy videos that will have you laughing until you cry. If you are more interested in watching entire feature films or TV shows, check out www.hulu.com. This (legal) site allows you to watch certain movies and TV shows for free and without long loading times.
BLOGS
Unfortunately, watching videos doesn't go over so well during class, but some blog-trotting could tickle your in-class fancy. The classic blog "Stuff White People Like" is a good laugh. A spinoff, "Stuff Hill People Like," is another one in the family of 'it's funny because it's true' blogs. If you're looking for some more serious prose, The New York Times and The Washington Post each have blogs on a vast array of topics, from food to theater and politics to literature. Wonkette is a great resource for political satire. DCist is an outlet for all things D.C. It provides discussion on current events, sports and the arts-all relevant to the District. People who are more interested in up-to-the-minute celebrity gossip should run a search for "Oh No They Didn't," a LiveJournal community where users can post pictures and stories about all the happenings of Hollywood and beyond. Every Sunday, make sure you have a look at postsecret.blogspot.com. The Web site describes itself as an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard. While some of the postcards can be on a more serious side, others are hilarious confessions and uplifting statements.
STUMBLEUPON
One great in-class discovery last semester was StumbleUpon. After a user downloads it from www.stumbleupon.com, the Web site asks a few questions about his or her interests - questions that range from football to philosophy and everywhere in between. Then, with the click of a button, StumbleUpon will send the user to random Web sites based upon the interests he or she selected. From there, the user can ask to see similar sites, or give it the "thumbs down". The program adjusts the user's preferences based on these reactions. With one click, StumbleUpon can take anyone to some of the most interesting corners of the Internet.
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