Finding motivation for summer classes can be hard. The prospect of laying in the sun and relaxing is often a lot stronger than the urge to do schoolwork. This idle summer mode extends into fall semester too, and it takes time to focus on academics again. In other words, summer laziness is real and we’re here to help. Here are some characters in movies, games, and musicals that inspire us to improve our academic performance and get back into school mode.

A tragic car accident, a mysterious abandoned carnival, a lost young woman, and a foreboding black and white atmosphere are all parts of the obscure indie horror film, Carnival of Souls. Carnival of Souls was a 1962 black and white film by director Herk Harvey, starring Candace Hilligoss. The story follows the main character, Mary, played by Hilligoss, who after becoming the sole survivor of a car accident, moves to a new town after accepting a job as a church organist. When she arrives to this new town, she finds herself drawn to an abandoned carnival structure nearby.

It’s no secret that Shakespeare’s play about star-cross’d lovers has become a popular source of inspiration for countless generations of artists, writers, filmmakers, and musicians. The number of movies alone that are based on it is staggering. But are all adaptations alike in dignity? Check out these popular versions and decide for yourself.

Ambiguous stories can be as infuriating as they are fun to discuss. Weeks after watching Pan’s Labyrinth, I was looking for answers and debating with my friend about the faun, the ending, and anything that seemed unresolved. One of the most divisive questions about the film is whether the fantastical elements exist or if they are all in the protagonist’s mind. After revisiting the movie a few times, paying closer attention to detail, and researching Guillermo del Toro’s own thoughts on his story, I found elements that support both theories. Whichever you choose to believe, here are some pointers for your next friendly debate as well an additional third theory to consider.

In the ongoing age of memes, streaming, and viral videos, the vacuum of available content can often be overwhelming. While we are fortunate that there is a seemingly endless amount of entertainment for all of us to enjoy, it is often difficult to find something that suits our individual interests. For example, I often searched for content that would not only entertain me, but content that was educational, engaging, and thought-provoking. That is when I discovered the wonderous world of podcasts.

When you think of powerful cinematic icons from the past few years, Margot Robbie is sure to make the list. While much of her fame came from her role as Naomi in Wolf of Wall Street (2013), she has grown to change the film industry as an actor, a producer, and a cofounder of her production studio, LuckyChap Entertainment.

With Disney having so many successful studios under its control, like Marvel and Star Wars, I feel as though older studios like Pixar can become slightly overshadowed at times. As a long-time Disney fan, I grew up with Pixar classics like Cars, WALL-E, Monsters Inc., Toy Story, and so many more. While not every film the studio has released has been perfect, the consistently new and interesting stories, along with its signature animation style, is without doubt what has made Pixar such a force in the entertainment industry for so many years. Recent releases have seen a resurgence in quality Pixar productions like Onward, Coco, and most recently, Soul, in 2020. The critically-acclaimed Pixar film won the 2021 Oscar for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score. I am pleased to see that Pixar is continuing to put out quality films that are just as enjoyable for Disney veterans as it is for new generations of Disney fans.

Jermaine Cole, more commonly known by “J. Cole,” is one of the most underrated rappers of his generation. While considered one of the “big three” of the new era of rap (with Drake and Kendrick Lamar), he is often discredited and underappreciated by many rap fans. Some rap fans (especially younger ones) have criticized Cole for being “boring” or having poor production, and while his discography may not be flawless, many of his best songs/albums are not his most popular ones, so most casual fans haven’t heard all the great things that his music has to offer. I was lucky enough to have two older brothers that exposed me to J. Cole’s music from an extremely young age, I have been a Cole fan since his 2010 mixtape, Friday Night Lights, and have witnessed his rise to stardom firsthand.

We are currently experiencing one of the greatest eras of superhero media of all time. As a massive superhero fan myself, I am thrilled to see such a wide variety of superhero content gaining notoriety in mainstream media. With Marvel and DC at the forefront, recent releases like Zack Snyder’s Justice League, Wandavision, and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier have all gathered a lot of praise from fans and critics alike. While the Marvel Cinematic Universe seemed to have culminated in Phase Three with 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, everything that has been released so far in Phase Four has been extremely impressive, particularly because the MCU is changing its style to avoid becoming repetitive. I firmly believe that Marvel Studios is going to continue producing quality superhero media for the foreseeable future.

I never expected to see my favorite dish – an arepa of all things – appear on television. The moment Alba, Jane’s grandmother in Jane the Virgin, pulled out an arepa, I felt a spotlight on my former country and my culture. Growing up, I watched my mother and grandmother knead and pat these special corn cakes in the kitchen, slice them open, and stuff them with anything from ham and cheese, to shredded meat, to black beans and queso blanco. Before I left for college, they made sure to teach me the recipe so that I could take a piece of my family with me. Thankfully, Venezuelan arepas require very few ingredients and can be served for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. To me, they’re the perfect college dish.