Can I tell you how much I adore you?

Part I

• The Chaotic Dark Academic

Yes, dark academia is very pretty and put together but who cares? Skips classes to visit castles, always arrives late, has a mess of old paperbacks, pens and spilled ink, crumpled paper on their dark wooden table. Their head is messy, but their hands are messier with quotes from Shelley or Dickenson or just math calculations. Drinks black coffee half way and forgets the rest, swoopy curls, messy hair, mismatched socks, disorganised playlists, tangled headphones, hard core romantics. Never submits their essays on time but scores the highest.

• The Artsy Dark Academic

Fingers stained with navy blue or deep brown paint, figure drawing on coffee stained pages, obsessed with baroque art. Late night visits to art galleries and museums and staring intensely at the sculptures over the rim of the coffee cup. Loves rainy sunsets and gothic architecture, creates masterpieces in the last pages of their notebooks, shy smile, hides their works, messy fingers and brows furrowed with concentration while making a charcoal drawing in candle light.

You think Dark Academia can only exist in fictions and movies? You're welcome for this post then.

Light up your favourite candle, or put on the sound of soft rain or piano music.

Make small notes above the lines of your book, write down your observations in the margins.

Write and rewrite your notes if that's what helps you learn, in a dark loopy handwriting, not caring if it's messy.

Have questions. Question what you're reading and strike up a conversation with your professor about it.

If that doesn't quench your thirst for knowledge, pour over the books in the library or research on your laptop at late night.

Read. Read. Read. Because dark academia is all about gaining knowledge. Read the books on your shelf that you haven't read before.

Search up funny facts or secrets about romantic poets or mythological figures and share them.

Have a group of friends who are interested in discussing literature or debating over ancient theories over a cup of coffee.

Romanticize studying to help you get in the mood, get dressed up and imagine that you're doing research for your secret poetic society.

Change your environment of studying. Take a walk and read your books on a meadow during sunset or write your essays in the cozy corner of your favourite cafe.

Try to read up materials before your professor teaches them and answer all the questions in class, enjoy being a know-it-all.

Record yourself explaining a certain topic that you've studied recently and pretend as if you're teaching someone.

Take book recs from pinterest, tumblr, your friends and professors and write them on the messy palm of your hand.

1. empty perfume bottles

2. abandoned castles

3. pressed flowers

4. smell of soil after rain, Petrichor

5. old books with dust all over them

6. walking all alone in a museum hall

7. languages that humanity no longer uses

8. stars, the moon, the entire universe and it’s secrets

9. old paintings

10. late night conversations

11. thunderstorms

12. vintage love letters

13. gothic architecture

14. waves hitting the shore at nighttime

15. candles that smell like seasons

16. stained glass windows

17. An empty library

18. writing poetry

19. family heirlooms

20. enjoying peaceful silence

Maybe you’re having a stressful day. Maybe you just need a deep breath. Maybe you just didn’t realize how stressed you are. It’s okay! You deserve love and warmth in your life.

Are you comforted by words? 

Here’s an Emergency Compliment

Here are some kind words you can personalize with your name 

Here are 15 more emergency compliments 

Here is a Self Esteem Boosting Confidence Machine 

take a moment - video 

believe in yourself - video 

Inspiration from Jacksepticeye - PMA 

encouragement from Mr. Rogers - video 

you are ENOUGH - video 

Do you need to hear some pleasant ambient sounds?

How about rain sounds you can customize? 

You can listen to a cafe here  

or how about a crackling fireplace?  

ASMR? Stimming? 

Soap cutting ASMR - video 

more soap ASMR - video 

a 4 hour ASMR video to help with sleep 

ASMR face and scalp massage - video

ASMR slime - video 

the most satisfying video in the world 

more satisfying videos 

Lora Zombie speed painting - video 

Agnes Cecile speed painting - video  

the fastest workers in the world - video 

how candy canes are made - video 

Mr. Rogers shows how crayons are made - video 

How about a game or activity distraction?

Play 2048 here 

A whole website of free games!  

play chess against a computer 

Here are some coloring pages you can do online!  

Play Flow online here 

here’s a game where you stretch a giraffe’s little neck to give kisses 

Learn about the history of life on earth with PBS Eons 

Do you need something soothing?

Control the pattern of rain here! (flashing colors warning)

try doing nothing for two minutes 

Vent to a stranger online for FREE!  

weavesilk, where you can create a soothing pattern 

have you ever been to the nicest place on the internet? 

watch Bob Ross bring joy to painting - playlist 

How about a laugh?

Vines you can show your grandparents 

History of the entire world, I guess  

History of Japan 

Rhett and Link caption fails 

Thomas Sanders Vines 

The Demented Cartoon Movie (warning for flashing colors) 

The ASDF movie 1-11 

The Horribly Slow Murderer with the Extremely Inefficient Weapon by Richard Gale  (warnings for some bruises and some violence)

Rhett and Link VS Hank Green - SHUT UP AND DANCE 

It’s going to be okay. Today may be the worst day of your life - but tomorrow won’t be. Life is a series of ups and downs, and that means there’s going to be good and bad. Drink some water, let yourself cry if you need to, and get a good night’s sleep. You’ll feel better in the morning.