Cool Tip

Nat’s 1K Celebration ↳ Favourite Romantic Comedy - 13 GOING ON 30 (2004) dir. Gary Winick (🎁 for @milesgmorales)​

I'm in the mood for a college kdrama cause I'm low key too old to connect to high school stories anymore but I still want the whole school atmosphere. Do you have any recommendations?

I totally feel you about wanting the atmosphere of a group of kids learning together but being too old or jaded for high school stories! I totally have a list of kdramas, cdramas, and jdramas where the characters are college aged though of course there’s a mixed level of actual college plot-lines!

Age Of Youth/Hello My Twenties: This kdrama is basically the quintessential college drama out there. It’s got everything you could want from a group of girls living in the same dorm to the way each girl learns to grow up and discover who they are and what love is! The romances take a bit of a backseat because the friendships between the girls is at the forefront of this show and it’s such a highlight!

Bring It On, Ghost: Technically this kdrama is set around a college-aged male lead but honestly college is an pretty much an afterthought in this drama since most of it follows the antics of ghost-catching and the supernatural but I thought why not throw it onto the list anyway. There are some college friends and some college campus shenanigans though if that helps!

Cheese In The Trap: This kdrama is another really great one which actually uses college as an important setting. We actually see our leads go to class and take exams and worry about their futures while also looking for love. One of the highlights of this show is the group of students that are all in the same major that we see over and over so we get to know them. I’m a fan of the main romance (tbh hated the second male lead) but a lot of people don’t like it so keep that in mind if you check this one out!

Do You Like Brahms?: This kdrama is set in college but like a few other musical college dramas on this show, it focuses more on the music side than the college side though there is a lot of screen time given to the characters worrying about their futures after college which is something that’s super important for people in their 20s. There are of course music professors, department chatrooms, and lots of gossiping about campus couples so if you’re interested in any of that, I’d definitely check it out!

Good Morning Call: Campus Days: It’s been a while since I’ve seen this jdrama so a part of me worries that I’m not remembering it correctly but I do think this show had a pretty solid take on the college experience. There are plenty of moments where students go to class and meet up with each other and go on trips. Of course this one is a sequel to Good Morning Call which takes place in high school so you do probs want to check out the prequel before this one.

Heartstrings: Though this kdrama is set on a college campus, the fact that all of our students live at home kind of takes away from the whole college atmosphere of this drama. The kids never actually go to class and the only real time we see them on campus is for the musical so though we’ve got professors and everything, this drama doesn’t feel much different than a high school one especially with how the characters are treated by their parents. Having said that I do love the way music plays such a big role in the lives of our characters and I adore the main romance so I had to shout it out.

Hello Debate Opponent: This cdrama is another with a great college setting though the drama itself wasn’t one of my favorites. It follows a group of college students from the Literature Department who join the debate team and battle against other debate teams in the college. We see the kids find love for the first time, struggle with what to do after college, and there’s plenty of dorm shenanigans to be had!

Love O2O: Though I’d consider this cdrama more of a gaming show than a college one, our characters do spend a large chunk of the show living on a college campus so I think it counts! There is plenty of fun college moments to be had from dorm rooms to campus sports and the fun that comes from being a campus couple! This one has a soft spot in my heart cause I adore the romance between our leads even if the kissing is cringe-y!

Meteor Garden: I actually really adore this cdrama cause it’s an adaptation of the Hana Yori Dango/Boys Over Flower story but set in the college years which makes a lot of the crazy scenarios feel a little more realistic. There’s classes and exams and bar life and everything you’d want from a show set during college but whether you like this drama or not is dependent on whether you like the original story. I do think one of the highlights of this version is the fact that the secondary couple actually gets together in this unlike in Boys Over Flower where it’s mostly just hinted at.

Moorim School: Because this kdrama is set in a martial arts college it might kind of take away from the whole college experience you’d want in a drama because though the main characters do go to class and have exams and everything, they’re all martial arts themed so that might not be something you’re into. I personally had a blast with this drama and I loved the main romance as well as the bromance in this show and there’s plenty of fun dorm stuff in this show too!

My ID Is Gangnam Beauty: This kdrama is the absolutely perfect example of a drama set in college cause it gives you a perfect view of what college is like from the students you meet and the friends you make to the classes you have. The atmosphere of this show is incredibly realistic and the show touches on sensitive topics like bullying and body positivity and sexism while also delivering a swoon-worthy male lead!

My Little Princess: Like Heartstrings this cdrama is another one set in a college but really can’t be distinguished from a high school cause most of our characters live at home rather than in dorms but I always feel like this show is too underrated despite how cute it is so I wanted to shout it out! I think it’s unique cause the female lead begins the show feeling more like a second female lead than the lead with her spoiled/rich/thoughtless personality but the male lead helps her learn what’s right and wrong while also being so devoted to her!

My Mr Mermaid: You may know by now that this cdrama is my absolute favorite cdrama out there and so the fact that it can be added to this list is everything. The setting of this show is on a college campus (at which almost all the characters live except our female lead and second male lead who have jobs) so there are fun dorm shenanigans and there are some plots about failing classes and needing tutors but I’d describe this show more as a sporty romance. Our male lead is a swimmer on his college’s swim team and he falls in love with our female lead who’s a sports reporter.

Sweet Combat: Ironically I seem to have a ton of sports dramas set in college on this list but I promise it’s not on purpose cause it just so happens that dramas like to focus on sports and college at the same time! This cdrama is set at a sports college but our main leads are boxers and like many of the other dramas on this list, all the characters live off-campus but there are plenty of college competitions and campus fun to be had. The romance is super cute and I love that the male lead is so soft for the female lead!

Symphony’s Romance: This cdrama is actually a remake of a jdrama which was remade into a kdrama and honestly it’s the one and only time I’ve seen this version of the story so far! Though I can’t comment on which version is the best to watch, this drama was a lot of fun in my opinion. It follows a bunch of college students who study at a prestigious school for music and unlike something like Heartstrings, our kids mostly either live on campus or spend all their time on campus so it feels more like college than high school. There’s studying abroad and panic about graduating and plenty of fun to be had!

The Great Seducer/Tempted: This kdrama is another one that though our characters are college-aged, college really doesn’t play a big role in this drama especially since our male lead doesn’t go to college. The show follows a trio of rich kids who decide that the male lead needs to seduce the female lead for reasons only for the two to fall in love. There’s something so fun about this show and the production is top-notch despite the fact that the writing is low key all over the place so I thought I would recommend it anyway!

Thumping Spike 2: Though this kdrama is more of a miniseries than a full drama, it follows a pro-volleyball player who decides to give up volleyball and go to college only to end up joining the college’s volleyball team and falling in love with a classmate so I think it’s worth a watch! It’s super super cute and we spend a ton of time on the campus going to class and participating in college competitions!

Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo: Despite not being my favorite kdrama, it definitely deserves to be on this list because it’s one of the better college dramas out there and I know it’s a favorite for a lot of people! Following a tough female weightlifter and a soft male swimmer at a sports college, we get to watch them fall in love and struggle with lying and anxiety and abandonment issues and body positivity! There’s so many fun dorm moments and campus coupling and the cast of friends is everything!

Junior year is known to be the most important, challenging year of high school.

But that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun! You can no doubt handle it all in stride with a little organization and planning. Let’s take just a few minutes right now to smooth the road ahead with some guidelines that will help make your junior year a success.  

1. REMEMBER TO PRIORITIZE ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

I’m sure you’ve heard this more times than you ever wanted to, but with so much going on junior year, it’s worth continually checking that academic performance is staying a top priority. Your GPA is, after all, usually the largest factor in admissions decisions.

It is also a good idea to review your classes for next semester with a counselor to ensure you are meeting college admissions requirements while challenging yourself with the most rigorous classes you can reasonably handle. Colleges do look at your senior year class schedule too, so continue to be just as academically driven all the way to the finish line, senioritis and all.

2. PREPARE FOR STANDARDIZED TESTS

Next on the priority list is test score optimization. Even if you took the PSAT your sophomore year, take it again this year—this test can not only qualify you for the National Merit Scholarship program but also give you good practice for the SAT. If you haven’t done so already, figure out which dates you’ll want to take the actual SAT or ACT as well as SAT Subject Tests, and then devise a study plan to get you to your peak scores.  

3. MAKE A COLLEGE LIST

With so many colleges to choose from, where do you start? First, consider your general preferences. Would you feel better at a large or small school? In a city, suburban, or rural setting? On the west coast, east coast, Hawaii, another country? Are there any specific academic programs or extracurricular offerings that are important to you?

You can explore college websites or college search sites like the College Board’s Big Future to find your personal college matches. Then plan campus visits to confirm which aspects in a college you get most excited about and which aspects you don’t care for. To get a feel for the campus culture, try walking around solo and/or take a guided tour. See if you can talk to any students or administrators to gather more up-to-date, inside information about the school.

4. TAKE YOUR EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Since colleges tend to want dedicated, passionate students populating their campuses, they’re drawn to students who commit a significant amount of time to a few meaningful extracurricular activities. This dedication shows that students are pursuing a genuine interest and are willing to explore their potential in specific areas of expertise (which is generally more useful to the world than passively attending a bunch of different activities). Focus on one or two of your strongest interests and see how you can develop them further (be creative!).

5. START A SCHOLARSHIP SEARCH

The earlier you start looking for scholarships, the better chance you’ll have at getting more free money! Some scholarships are need-based (they depend on family income levels) and others are merit-based (they’re based on your academic or other achievements). Check fastweb.com for a current list of scholarships, and ask your counselor and perhaps your parents’ workplaces for other possible free-funds opportunities.

6. CONTACT RECOMMENDATION WRITERS

Check the websites of the colleges you are interested in to see if they require teacher and/or counselor recommendation letters. If so, you will want to plan ahead so you can figure out which teachers know you best and then give them ample time to write you a quality letter (especially before they’re barraged with requests from tons of other students).

7. SPEND YOUR SUMMERS WISELY

Taking advantage of summertime to get a job or internship or participate in an academic summer program will help you further explore your interests while boosting your college application. Do an online search or ask your counselor for resources and see what really piques your interest.

You can also take this time to begin drafting your college application essays. Starting on these early will reduce stress and give you more time to reflect on yourself and your life to produce strong responses.

The more you’re out there exploring, enjoying, and learning, the better prepared you will be for the coming years.

So go ahead and write down your plans and to-dos now, and you’ll have yourself a valuable key to less stress and more success. And, as always, don’t overlook or underestimate the power you have to include some enjoyment in it all!

Best-Friends-to-Lovers, the Bollywood edition!

Best Friends to Lovers, the Bollywood Edition: I have always loved the best-friends-to-lovers trope more than anything else in the world because I find it so precious and beautiful that two people who know each other so well fall in love with each other, except it's so much more special because they're already best friends. I'm here for the will-they-won't-they-ness of it all, the I-liked-you-before-you-liked-me angst, and the healthy sort of jealousy that makes one realize that they have feelings for (if not already in love that is) for the other one--> HECK YEAH.

Anyway, here's a representation of the cycle of how Best Friends turn into Lovers through Bollywood gifs! Enjoy, leave a heart if you liked it! <3

Teasing (from Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na)

Bickering (from Jab We Met)

Goofing about together (from Happy Ending)

Until one of them falls for the other (from Bareilly Ki Barfi)

And the other doesn't realize yet (from 2 States)

And it's all angst and sadness until (from I Hate Love Storys)

Until one day they realize it too (from Hasee Toh Phasee)

After which everything is the same (from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani)

Except that they're best friends (from Ok Jaanu)

And they're in love! (from Dil Dhadakne Do)

Please keep in mind that PCOS is a metabolic disease and therefore people with PCOS may experience worse outcomes than the general population if they catch COVID-19. If you have PCOS please consider taking the precautions recommended to other high-risk groups. source

Need everyone to lose their minds over how cute and pretty the opening for Witch Watch is

wait this is so cool

allow me to introduce my favorite genre: supernaturals falling in love with humans

Kamisama Kiss

Fruits Basket

Noragami

Bed and Breakfast for Spirits

Spice and Wolf

Inuyasha

Inari konkon

5 Very Short Manga That Will Fuck You Up for Very Long

Manga is a medium of opposites where black and white is colourful, and less is more. The shortest manga tend to stick with me the longest, their lack of specific details and explanations make the FEELING left behind that much stronger. I rarely have much to say about this kind of manga. If it’s only 5 or so chapters just read it for God’s sake, and get that FEELING. Reading a synopsis for a short manga basically gives half of it away, so instead I’m gonna go through each of these and try to convey what specific FEELING they make you FEEL.

#5: The Gods Lie

5 Chapters / 1 Volume Paperback MangaDex MyAnimeList 

When I was eleven I skipped school in the middle of the winter and went to the store instead. I bought a sleeve of oreos and sat on a park bench, just eating them there alone. No reason for it that I can remember. That’s the feeling that “The Gods Lie” will leave you with. Oh yeah, if you were hoping these feelings were gonna be like “catharsis” or “bittersweet melancholy” I’m sorry to disappoint. When I said specific feelings I meant specific.

#4: Downfall

8 Chapters / 1 Volume Paperback MangaDex MyAnimeList

Think of your wildest dream. The thing that will most likely never come true, but if it did you would be the happiest person in the world. Thought of it? Okay now imagine that it sucks and is terrible… stupid even. Downfall or “Reiraku” is actually just Asano Inio’s life after finishing Oyasumi Punpun. It’s about how much he hates being a Mangaka, and I relate to it heavily because I really hate writing this blog. Downfall is like the feeling of when you get something you really wanted but then turns out you’re still you, the same prisoner in the same old flesh. Eventually you will find a new goal to delude yourself with but that transition SUCKS boy.

#3: My Broken Mariko

4 Chapters / 1 Volume Hard Copy MangaDex MyAnimeList

It is rare to find a true example of sigma male literature, it is even more rare to find sigma female literature. While I’m not gay and/or a woman, “My Broken Mariko” really left an impression on me; I imagine it’s an even stronger impression for a sigma female reader. Some people say this manga romantisicizes suicide, but it didn’t make me want to kill myself at all. This manga will make you want to go out on your balcony on a cold night and smoke a whole pack of cigarettes in one go, not in a gross old man way, but like a cool doomer girlboss way.

#2: The Man Without Talent

6 Chapters / 1 Volume MangaDex MyAnimeList

If only I could find rocks like these… Yeah. What feeling is this? I don’t actually know. Dude I don’t think I want to know. What the hell. It’s like when you drop a glass in the kitchen and just watch it shatter to pieces as it hits the floor. Then just staring at it for a while before taking a deep breath and lethargically cleaning it up. Why didn’t you catch it? Why didn’t you at least try to catch it? Man if only I could find rocks like these…

#1: I Sold My Life For Ten Thousand Yen Per Year

18 Chapters / 3 Volumes Novel MangaDex MyAnimeList

If you ever feel like maybe you’re enjoying life a little too much, you can always turn to “I Sold My Life For Ten Thousand Yen Per Year” aka “Three Days of Happiness” aka “Stare at the Ceiling and Wonder Where It All Went Wrong Tutorial”. I can guarantee after reading this nothing will be funny for like 3 days at least. Peak fiction.

Ariduka55  -  http://ariduka.deviantart.com  -  https://twitter.com/13033303  -  http://ariduka55.tumblr.com