Sean Carr, Contributing Writer

For midterms, I usually make an absurdly dense playlist of just the most relaxing songs I can think of. It gets pretty weird because it ends up being a[n] eclectic mix. It’ll go from Rex Orange County, Real Estate, Beach House and Arctic Monkeys, then “Marvins Room” by Drake will just come on out of nowhere. Right now, I’d recommend the new Tame Impala album for someone trying to take the edge off.

Lakhsmi Chatterjee, Arts & Culture

Listening to an episode of a podcast while lying down in your bed and staring at the ceiling is one of the most relaxing ways to tune out the world and stresses of exams. Since all you have to do is listen, you can close your eyes, so it’s really easy to zone out and fully immerse yourself into the story. Whether it be a comedy, politics or a relaxing unsolved crime, it’s 45 minutes to an hour of escape. And most podcast episodes are stand-alone, so you won’t be pulled into a season of cliffhangers like you would with a TV show. Instead, it’s a small break that will leave you satisfied and ready to go back to work. Some recommendations are “The Daily,” “Radiolab,” “Crime Junkie” and “Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness.”

Patrick Earns, Assistant Arts & Culture Editor

While I generally prefer to marinate in the stress in order to unlock the special, advanced version of myself that doesn’t require any sleep to function, I’ve been listening to Car Seat Headrest’s new single “Can’t Cool Me Down” on repeat. It’s groovy and fun in a way that you don’t expect from the media-proclaimed saviors of guitar rock, with a dance-friendly synth beat pounding over muted vocals. Will Toledo’s declaration of “Cool water on my brow / Can’t cool me down” rings true to me, a person whose brain is currently on fire.

Krishna Patel, Arts & Culture

Whenever I’m stressed or feel overextended while studying and doing homework, I love to turn on the “Stuff You Should Know” podcast. Hosted by two HowStuffWorks writers, Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant, [there’s] a new topic to discuss every episode ranging from Mexican jumping beans, Genghis Khan, Spam and much more. Their soft voices help me feel at ease while studying. The two bounce off one another very well and make you feel as if you’re just having a thought-provoking and informational conversation with friends. “Stuff You Should Know” approaches every topic with sensitivity and does thorough research on everything they say, making their podcast informative, interesting, reliable and entertaining.

Sydney Witkowski, Contributing Writer

Whenever I’m feeling stressed, my go-to television show is Rebecca Sugar’s “Steven Universe.” Some may say that I should have grown out of my cartoon phase by now, but there is nothing like a cartoon to help me de-stress. “Steven Universe” is a show that delivers, providing all you could want from a television show — developed characters, detailed world building and, most importantly, consistent storytelling — with the added bonuses of gorgeous, pastel-themed art and the promise of a happy ending, which is so often overlooked by “adult” media; all the while it provides meaningful insight into the complexities of the human condition. At a time like midterms week, when my days are filled with stress and uncertainty, there’s nothing I would rather do than retreat to the familiarity and lightheartedness of “Steven Universe.”

Calendra Scahill, Assistant Arts & Culture Editor

Although I don’t usually have midterms, I like to de-stress by binging my favorite TV shows on Netflix. There’s nothing better than lying on the couch or in bed watching a lighthearted, engaging show. Recently I’ve been obsessed with “The Good Place,” which is witty but also includes a surprising amount of twists. Since the episodes are only 20 minutes long, you’ll easily be sucked into the crazy plot.