Take five and subscribe
There is no better study break—well, besides a quick standing-up power nap—than to sit down and watch a YouTube video. With the realm of YouTube ever-growing, it can be hard to find just the right video to watch; but have no fear, the Clarion is here to help. Here are five YouTube channels worth checking out:
Personality
YouTube has become home to some of the Internet’s biggest celebrities: Jenna Marbles, Tyler Oakley and current “Dancing with the Stars” contestant Bethany Mota—to name a few. With so many new faces entering the vlogosphere, it can be hard to figure who will be the next big star. Everyone loves a love story, and everyone loves the Internet, making an Internet love story is a match made in browser heaven. Billy and Pat Sandora-Nastyn, a recently-married New York couple, started their channel almost two years ago to document their journey down the aisle.
Unlike some gay couples on YouTube, Billy and Pat weren’t looking to make a point or shatter stereotypes with their videos. Instead, they decided to just be themselves and chronicle the ups and downs of marriage and adult life, for all the world to see. Their humor is matched only by their charm and honesty. Even the iciest critic of same-sex marriage could recognize the love between this adorable pair. So at the end of that bad break-up with that person from psych class or chem lab, tune in to Billy and Pat’s channel, and all hope in love and relationships will be restored—guaranteed. Search for BillyandPatVlog.
Music
Everyone loves a good cover of a popular song. The folks over at Postmodern Jukebox take top 40 hits and rework them into a new decade or genre. Ever wondered what Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” would sound like in the Motown era? Or maybe a Hoedown version of Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda?” Or, even better, Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass” performed with an actual upright bass? Postmodern Jukebox does it all. Music lovers of the mainstream and hipster varieties will come together to appreciate this gem of a channel. Search for ScottBradleeLovesYa.
Comedy
Internet frequenters may be familiar with the so-called “holy trinity” of YouTube comedians, featuring Grace Helbig of “It’s Grace” fame and “My Drunk Kitchen’s” Hannah Hart. The third part of this hilarious trifecta is Mamrie Hart, who has the improvisational chops of a seasoned “Saturday Night Live” vet, the bartending skills of anyone’s drunk aunt on Thanksgiving and a mastery of puns beyond human imagination.
In each video on her main channel, “You Deserve a Drink,” she creates and dedicates a drink to someone in popular culture she feels is in need of some alcoholic healing. If that’s not enough, her second channel features comedy sketches, sidesplitting original characters and the Internet’s most entertaining crafting tutorials. Search for YouDeserveADrink and MameTown. Get tickets to Grace, Hannah and Mamrie’s #NoFilter comedy show coming to Denver on Nov. 2 at the Gothic Theatre.
Beauty
There are plenty of beauty channels out there teaching everything from how to make the perfect smoky eye to choosing the best outfit for a fall day. Only one channel has all of that and more, and that’s “SprinkleOfGlitter.”
Louise Pentland, the channel’s star, is funny, inspiring and down-to-earth. Along with her adorable 3-year-old daughter Darcy, Louise brings honesty and humor to a corner of YouTube often overwrought with vanity and materialism.
Even for those less interested in beauty, Louise makes a wide range of videos as silly as prank calls and as serious as addressing YouTube celebrity culture. Search for SprinkleOfGlitter.
Education
Ever needed a quick brush-up on Ancient Egyptian history? Ever been curious what our brains are doing when we dream? Need help understanding a piece of classic literature? Check out CrashCourse, the one-stop shop for online education. Vlogbrothers John and Hank Green (yes, the very same John Green, author of “The Fault in Our Stars”) created a wonderful channel offering quick courses on every major subject: psychology, history, literature, biology, etc. It is the perfect study tool that doesn’t actually feel like studying—thanks to John and Hank’s concise lessons and delightful wit, learning has never been more user-friendly. Search for CrashCourse.
Next time a study break magically appears, and a nap seems too tempting, check out any of these YouTube channels to help brighten the day. To send in suggestions for more channels our readers might enjoy, tweet us @DUClarion or visit our Facebook page.
