Are you burned out from all the stress of AP Exams and the massive amounts of intense studying you’ve had to do lately? Do you need a good movie or TV show recommendation to help you pass all the free time you now have? You’re in luck! Here’s a list of binge-worthy movies and TV shows for you to add to your list:
1. Brooklyn Nine-Nine
This hilarious sitcom is perfect after you’ve just finished your stressful AP exams. It doesn’t require intense focus, and the jokes land well even if you’re zoning out a bit. Being eight seasons long, it can feel a little overwhelming, but the show’s light-hearted tone makes it a fun and relaxing watch.
2. Little Women
Greta Gerwig’s 2019 film is a wonderful adaptation of the classic novel by Louisa May Alcott. If you just took AP Lang or will be taking AP Lit next year, this movie is a perfect way to prepare for your next exam, specifically the FRQ portion, where you are required to answer a question based on your chosen work of fiction. Reading the novel after your exams may feel like a heavy workload and time-consuming, so enjoy this movie to get a feel of what the book has to offer.
3. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Although it was released in 1986 and might seem a bit “outdated,” this classic “skip school” movie is perfect for celebrating the end of your stressful academic year. You can sit back and relax while watching this comedy/drama movie, as long as you don’t get any smart ideas and decide to follow in his footsteps.
4. Breaking Bad
If you will be taking AP Chemistry or have already completed the course, this show is ideal for you to watch. It uses real chemistry in highly fictional ways, and even though it’s not a comedy show, it has moments of dark humor and irony. It builds tension and will keep you on the edge of your seat if you really want a distraction from all of the post-exam debriefs your friends are having.
5. Stranger Things
If you haven’t already seen “Stranger Things” or somehow haven’t heard of it, now is the perfect time to rewatch or start watching to get ready for the season finale coming later this year, predicted to be this summer. This intense and horrific show can be very addictive, which is just what you need to get your mind off exams.
6. The Summer I Turned Pretty
Just like “Stranger Things”, this drama/romance TV show is releasing its final season this summer, on July 16, so now is a great time to either rewatch or start watching! It gives off the perfect “get ready for summer” vibe and is quick to binge-watch, too.
7. A.P. Bio
This sitcom is a great laugh, especially if you just took AP Bio. And if you’ll be taking it in the future, you can watch this and know that your class will be nothing like it… It’s quick and easy to watch and has shocking plot twists that make it entertaining, and it does a great job of producing a comedic but interesting storyline.
8. Clueless
This iconic 90s comedy/romance movie is a must-watch, post-exam or not. However, it’s especially perfect if you need to detox from your critical essays and rhetorical analyses. Lighthearted and fun, this classic will have you wishing your high school years were just like Cher’s.
9. Dead Poets Society
If you’re feeling a little reflective after your English exams, this movie can be your emotional and poetic reset button. Plus, it might inspire your summer reading energy (kind of).
10. Anne With an E
This show is a great adaptation of the Anne of Green Gables series by Lucy Maud Montgomery. If you don’t feel like reading the book just now, and can look past the cringeworthy parts, it’s very entertaining and shows what teenage life was like in the late 19th century. Similar to Little Women, it’s a great resource for examples in your next English AP course, but for now, enjoy the hilarious but emotional drama.
11. Victorious
Nickelodeon’s “Victorious” is an amazing “high school in Hollywood” sitcom. Watch it and feel jealous of all the fun things the students get to do instead of taking exams, which they rarely ever do in Sikowitz’s class. This show is great to watch because you can skip around episodes and still be able to easily follow the plot.
12. Good Will Hunting
This 1997 romance/drama film is thoughtful without feeling like homework. It’s a reminder that there’s more to life than test scores, which is exactly what you need after weeks of studying and stressing out. It has important life lessons and is very entertaining.
13. 3 Idiots
If you are extremely tired of your boring classes now that AP exams are over, you can enjoy this hilarious Hindi movie. Even if you don’t speak or understand the language, it’s very easy to follow if you have subtitles. You’ll definitely get a laugh out of this movie, and the plot is very entertaining, following the lives of three Indian boys throughout college and after.
14. Ginny and Georgia
If you loved “Gilmore Girls”, you’ll enjoy this drama/comedy of a young mother and her teenage daughter living life in a modern world, no matter how annoying Ginny can get. With season three coming out in just a few weeks, now is the perfect time to start watching the previous seasons.
15. Twilight
The “Twilight” saga is a nostalgic film series found on Netflix, released over a decade ago. The great thing about this series is that you can binge all the movies all at once, which is just what you need right now. Even better, now that APs are over, you have time to look for your own vampire romance!
Whether you’re in the mood to laugh, cry, feel inspired, or just completely escape reality, this list has something for every kind of post-exam mood. Your relaxation time is well deserved after a stressful period of exams, so grab a snack, curl up in bed, and enjoy a movie-binging summer!
