The media is a part of all of our lives. It is how we divide where we want to spend our time that matters most. This is a collection of where I have spent my free time in the month of January. Although including a category about books is not directly off of the media, it is undoubtedly connected to the internet.

Apps: In the wake of college decisions and applications comes a large inbox of emails from various colleges, I have found myself clicking to the email app in my free time and scrolling through these lengthy emails, from colleges I may not even have interest in. I am not sure what I am searching for? Maybe an acceptance letter, maybe a full ride to my top school, you never know what you’ll get. The other app I have utilized to great extent is Tik Tok. To be fully transparent, this is an app I have been trying to reduce screen time on for the past few months, but struggled with.

Series: The TV show House, found on Amazon prime has been a favorite of mine this past month, one I could not recommend more. The medical drama detaches itself from stereotypical hospital drama between characters and focuses on the mysteries of diagnostics. A modern day Sherlock Holmes is the character Gregory House, accompanied by sarcastic humor and fatal flaws, he is the definition of comedic relief. Another favorite series of mine that I just began is Succession, and I will say it is one of my favorites. A family drama filmed in a similar style to the office is all that one needs. Watching one episode an evening, there is no better way to end your day. The series leans towards comedy which is my favorite aspect of the show. Serious characters who go about their busy days with sporadic sarcastic and humorous comments to fill in the gaps. I recommend both of theses series.

Music: I am always searching for a new addition to my playlists. Each month I try to create a new one and keep my Spotify feed updated always. I have been a fan of Father John Misty since Lana Del Ray collaborated with him on their masterpiece, “Let The Light In,” a song that makes me question how I ever lived without it. The song is the mere definition of “never gets old” that scratches and itch in the depths of my brain each time it enters the rotation.

Podcasts: When making my commute to Magnet, I have to make the pertinent decision whether it is a podcast day or a playlist day. On the days when I choose to flip on a podcast, I can become attached to the podcast, True Crime Daily for days at a time. The podcast headlines are too interesting I can’t not click on them. To give you an example, here are some of the True Crime Daily episodes I have clicked on. “Anger management therapist accused of murder; Hidden camera allegedly catches wife poisoning husband,” “Pregnant dog and two kittens allegedly poisoned by nurse; Children of heiress abducted,” and  “The most prolific art thief in modern history nabs masterpieces totaling an estimated $2 billion,” are just a couple of episodes published by the podcast. My favorite aspect of the podcast is how it focuses not only on how the crime was committed and who was involved, but also how it ends up in court. The local Murdaugh trial was discussed thoroughly on this podcast as well. Another plus of the podcast is that an episode is published daily. A second podcast that I have listened to recently is Therapuss by Jake Shane. The podcast is barely serious, Jake Shane and his friends posing as therapists for people who enter their problems into his PO box. He provides prescriptions in the form of television shows and songs, and some get a laugh out of me.

Books: Over January I finished one whole book and began another. The book I completed was “Bunny” by Mona Awad. The plot line centered around a cult that had capabilities beyond human. The book quickly picked up pace towards the end which is where I found myself enjoying it most. However, the plot is definitely niche and not for everyone. I am only 50 pages into my next book, The Woman Destroyed, and so far it is pretty depressing. A mother who cuts contact with her son because she does not get what she wants truly underlines the senselessness of greed. If not getting what you want gets in the way of family bonds that is when you know to take a step back and rethink your positioning.

Extraneous: Connections has been my go to game daily when I am in need of some brain stimulation. The game seriously questions your out of the box thinking when coming up with categories to group each of the words in. The way of thinking this game instills is a challenge in the best way possible.