I don’t know about you, but I don’t really go on Facebook to catch up on my friends’ lives anymore. Sure, it’s nice to get updates on your faraway pals every once in awhile, but more often than not, I find myself scrolling through beautiful articles and stunning photos for hours on end–time I used to spend blankly staring at my Facebook newsfeed. So what changed? Well, Facebook updates its layout a few times a day, it seems, and over the course of time my “liked” pages started getting more and more attention on that newsfeed I’m addicted to. After “liking” a few and actually clicking on the links they shared, I started getting hooked. Sure, these pages are still time-wasters, but instead of learning everything there is to know about that guy from your freshman health class, now you’re learning about new technology, current political events, incredible people, and furry friends (see below). Anyone can Google the top Facebook pages to “like,” but here I’ve compiled some of my personal favorites (other than Her Campus, obviously) to bring some attention to seriously awesome pages that have made my time wasting feel a little less, well, wasteful.
I know, who hasn’t heard of Upworthy? No one. Still, it’s important to highlight because it is one of those inspirational, world-changing pages that brings attention to issues you never even knew existed.
Maybe I initially found this page because I’m obsessed with Jess from New Girl and Zooey D. in general, but I was, and continue to be, pleasantly surprised by the wide variety of articles shared on this page. ZD (or whoever runs the Facebook page) posts everything from articles on love and happiness, to international crises, to humor. I’ve never been disappointed, and you won’t be either.
I’ve never been very science-minded, but ScienceAlert approaches current science findings in a way that makes the average English major like me feel like a biochemist. Have you ever wondered why it takes the average mammal 21 seconds to pee? Probably not, but now you will.
This one might be my all-time favorite. You don’t have to be a WGSS major to know that men have dominated (and continue to dominate) history and the media. Women are typically revered (and criticized) for their beauty while men are typically portrayed as competent and powerful. Women You Should Know is one of the many places working to equalize this imbalance by highlighting the impressive achievements of women we should all look up to (but often don’t hear about).
This page definitely wins on the cuteness scale. We all need our daily dose of adorable doggies, especially if we’re at school and hundreds of miles from our furry best friends.
Like Upworthy, Humans of New York is another big name in the Facebook world. It’s a place where we can relate to, sympathize with, and find hope in fellow humanity.
The best part about this page is how accessible every article is to women and girls of all ages. It’s a place where we can read about projects and acheivements of incredible people who are working to better humanity as a whole.
NPR is really good at making the most boring of topics mind-blowingly interesting. It’s also good at bringing to life important issues that you may personally feel very removed from. Human trafficking? Racism in the US? The history of clowns? Find it all on NPR, and suddenly feel deeply connected to every issue.
Oh, EF, another one of my absolute favorites. With carefully-selected writers and dedicated teachers, Everyday Feminism is the online magazine you can rely on to help you better understand aspects of feminism that you never fully understood. For me, that was cultural appropriation. Whether you’re wondering about the fat acceptance movement or intersection and privilege, this is your go-to reference of all feminism-related topics. AKA, my dream come true.
Amazing photography and mind-blowing articles–the dream team. Need I say more?