Before I got to UNC, I thought Facebook would forever and always be the one website on which I wasted the most time.
I stand corrected.
Unfortunately, my list of time-wasters is getting longer by the day. I thought all my distraction difficulties were solved after I installed LeechBlock on my Firefox browser, which allows you to put a timer on how long Facebook can be open before the website is blocked.
True, I spend less time on Facebook. Did it make me more productive and less of a time-waster? Not really.
Other websites happily took up the slack.
So, in an attempt to save those select few who have yet to be sucked into the terminal time-wasting warp, I’ve compiled a list of ten websites you should strive to avoid at all costs.
Unless, that is, you have absolutely nothing to do (in which case I want your life!).
1. Facebook. DUH.
2. YouTube. Another duh. Oddly, this website wasn’t a problem for me until I started college. Unfortunately, all my friends here have turned out to have the best taste in videos. I am literally rolling on the floor laughing at every single one.
3. Stumbleupon.com. Here’s a new one for me. Unlike a regular search engine, here you set specific preferences and click “Stumble!”. Then, hundreds of sites either recommended by your friends or by people with similar interests to you will come up for you to browse. It’s bad how addicting it is. Plan for a good three hours of time wasting if you dare to try it.
4. Tumblr. This one has reinvented online blogging and photo/video sharing. You might find an “LOL” gem like this, from Jeopardy whiz Ken Jennings’ blog. And seriously, how can you not love this?!
5. Twitter. I was pretty positive I wouldn’t succumb to this temptation. Then I started working for the Daily Tar Heel, where all the staff are Twitter addicts. And I was forced to join the masses. For now I’m trying to keep my “following” list below 100. Highly doubt that’s going to last.
6. Polyvore. More for the ladies, but I’m sure a guy or two has joined the fray. It’s an online fashion community where you can create outfits, browse the latest trends and styles, and shop all your favorite stores. For those who love online shopping, this website is further unnecessary fuel.
7. Sporcle. The land of online trivia quizzes. My excuse for this one is, at least some of them, like the history and geography varieties, require a little brainpower. But after two hours of quiz-taking, I’m forced to realize that, despite putting forth a lot of intellectual effort, I still haven’t written that darn English paper due the next day.
8. Words With Friends, a.k.a. online Scrabble against your Facebook friends. Another so-called intellectual game, because it helps to know an advanced vocabulary word or two. Another easy way to kill off two hours or more trying to slam your opponent into the ground with something totally ridiculous on a triple word score (my record is 137 points for “quarks,” who’s got me beat?).
9. Hulu. TV shows and movies on demand for free is never good news for the perennially unproductive.
10. Songza. All the tunes you could ever want, wherever you want and whenever you want. Make unlimited playlists and lose yourself in the unlimited music for… who knows how long? The possibilities are, well, unlimited.
Add your own by commenting below!
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