Gossip Girl- Netflix
An immaculate binge full of drama, characters you want to punch in the face, and the escapism of upper-class New York, Gossip Girl is the ultimate distraction. If Serena can get into an Ivy-league collage whilst going to 50 cocktail parties a month at age 15, you can get through your second semester.
This is Going to Hurt- BBC IPlayer
Guaranteed to make you laugh and 100% certain to make you cry, This is Going to Hurt is a British medical comedy-drama set on a maternity ward, detailing the sometimes heart-breaking, sometimes hysterical stories inside our NHS. (Warning- One Day star Ambika Mod will cause you to cry just as much in her role as a junior doctor in this series).
P.S- perhaps not ideal for any med students, you'll just get more stressed (sorry)
Benidorm- Netflix
True British culture. If you want to forget about that looming 3,000-word essay you haven't even started yet, instead enter the (concerningly) realistic world of Brits abroad in the classiest part of Spain. I can almost guarantee that Madge's one liners will make you forget all your stresses.
Everything I Know About Love- BBC IPlayer
Based on the best-selling book by Dolly Alderton, this criminally underrated series looks into love, life, friendship and being a complete and utter mess in your 20s. So forget about studying for now, and look forward to what I'm sure will be the messiest decade of your life yet to come, remembering that nobody actually knows what they're doing, so you're not alone.
The Office- Netflix
Whether UK or US, The Office is just a standard classic to sink into the sofa to. Watch it at 2am ruining your sleeping pattern, not having to worry too much about keeping up with the plot, and becoming obsessed with Jim and Pam. Sitcoms were made to make us feel better about our boring lives and The Office does that in the most perfect way.
First Dates- All4
Let all your uni problems fade away by watching some of the cringiest, funniest and most adorable first dates in the UK. With such a range of people from 18-80, First Dates is a go-to distraction if you need a good laugh watching awkward 20-somethings argue about red flags or a good cry watching an old couple find love again after losing their previous partners.
YOU- Netflix
If you think you're a bad person for submitting an assignment 2 minutes before it's due, YOU's resident serial killer and stalker Joe Goldberg is bound to make you feel better about your life choices. With his inner monologue being so hilarious it genuinely makes his murders feel justified, you'll get hooked on Penn Badgley's psychotic character in a matter of minutes minutes. The 4 (almost 5) series, each having hour-long episodes, serve as a perfect distraction.
Honourable mentions- Stranger Things (Netflix), Miranda (BBC IPlayer), Friends (Netflix), One Day (Netflix) + Peep Show (Netflix)
