With midterms and perhaps even finals (already?) upon us, we need distractions from the pain of studying! Since Facebook and Twitter continue to be infested with political nonsense and everything else we’re just about sick of, we’ve compiled a list of addictive and plenty funny alternatives (Warning: these websites may be hazardous to your productivity and cause you to goof off for hours instead).
IWasteSoMuchTime
The name says it all. This site is a timeline collection of funny or interesting junk that people find online throughout the work day. You will find yourself scrolling for hours engulfed in funny videos, memes, images, and other completely random stuff. The site name is very well earned, and you'll love every second that you spend there.
Viddy
If YouTube and Instagram had a child, it would look something like Viddy. Members use the site’s iPhone app to shoot and upload brief videos. They’re usually random clips of animals, kids or breathtakingly beautiful scenery. The site even has its share of celebrities such as Jessica Alba and Snoop Dogg. Having a short attention span is a virtue for this website since nothing on here is more than a few seconds long.
Tune-in
The web is bursting at the seams with places to listen to music but there two reasons why Tune-in stands out. First, it’s very comprehensive, it couldn’t be simpler to use. Second, the site puts streaming content from 50,000 sources in one place. You can look up local radio stations, browse genres or search for new and old episodes of your favorite podcast. Not to mention it’s available as an app for the iPhone, iPad, Android phones and other devices. It just may be the closest anyone has come to building the perfect radio.
Devour
It’s impossible to watch all the videos on YouTube—not even all the ones worth watching. That is why Devour puts the top 15 trending and most fascinating clips right there for your finger tips. What does this all mean? Fewer cat videos, (although I love them). The site even disables comments, so it’s free from all the fighting and vitriol that so often fills YouTube. The only thing you’re like to say is, where did the last four hours go?
BuzzFeed
This site can be as corny and wonderful as you make it. They are just bursting with goofball news but also very inspiring images. They offer steps to instantly make your day better and inform you about the cat who’s running for mayor of Halifax, N.S. It’s nothing but a good time in the world of BuzzFeed.com.
Don’t Even Reply.com Emails From an Asshole
This is the funniest website ever. A friend and I once stayed up all night reading the hilarious conversations that this guy has with random people. Here’s how it works: it’s a collection of emails sent to people who post classified ads. The goal is to mess with them, confuse them, and sometimes piss them off. It’s basically like an email version of prank phone calls. Some of the conversations are a bit long but definitely worth it!
Texts from Last Night
Remember that text that you shouldn’t have sent last night? We do—and we’re laughing at them. This site is a regularly updated blog that reposts short text messages submitted by its users. Usually by people who wake up the next morning to find hilarious and sometimes regrettable texts sent to or from their phones. The good thing is the whole thing is anonymous. The bad thing is…well I can’t think of a bad thing except that it’s very funny!
Wonder How To
Wonder How To provides more than 170,000 how-to videos and articles from more than 17,000 specialized creators, spanning 35 vertical categories and 424 sub-categories. In other words, it’s a big place with tons of tutorials for practically anything. For example, how to breathe fire, how to flirt like a pro, how to tell the difference between a prostitute and an undercover cop—you get the picture. It’s basically a delicious buffet of engineering, ingenuity, and curiosity.
Documentary Storm
This website is dedicated to finding you free, full-length documentaries lovingly chosen from around the web. Their main goal is to share knowledge, spread ideas, and have fun. So take your time and scroll through the site for interesting, educational, and very cool stories. A similar site is Documentary Wire.
Stumble Upon
Here’s why I love this site: all the above websites I mentioned are probably on Stumble Upon just waiting for you to come across them. First, it takes literally less than a minute to create an account and boom, this website will forever be your best friend. Here’s how it works: you enter your interests which can range from relationships, to cooking, to poetry, to quizzes, to dance music. Then, you hit the “Stumble” button and you’re instantly directed to website after website pertaining to your interests. You can even like or dislike each page so the website learns what kinds of things you like and can more accurately recommend pages that you will enjoy. Say goodbye to boredom!
