5 trending topics to get you through the a.m. slump
You've tried every trick in the book to speed up the process of waking up in the morning: Cold showers, hot coffee, blasting music on your morning commute.
If you're not a morning person, dragging yourself out of bed, down the stairs, and out the door can seem a Sisyphean task — it never gets easier.
That's why in 2017, we want to help make your mornings a little less painful. Once every month, we're releasing a video of morning hacks as well as a round-up of feel-good viral content to help jumpstart your day.
Check out the video above for a dose of morning mojo, and read on below for a brief re-cap of some of July's most talked-about topics on the internetz.
Winter is (finally) here
We know it's July, but Game of Thrones fans have winter on the brain. After a year-long hiatus, GoT returned to small screens this month to kick off the first half of its two-part final season.
Of course, the internet had a lot to say about season seven's first episode.
Even before the show's airing, GoT teased its upcoming season with trailers, publicity stunts (like the White Walkers that were seen meandering the streets of London on horseback), and celeb talk show appearances that were, thankfully, a little more lighthearted than the show's standard fire, brimstone, and dragonglass. This hilarious video of Kit Harington "trying out" for a bunch of his costars' GoT roles on Jimmy Kimmel Live had fans in stitches.
We'll avoid spoilers here for any viewers who are late to the game, but the first episode didn't disappoint: It racked up 16.1 million total viewers. But diehard fans don't need to worry about the show's imminent end just yet: It looks like the final six episodes of the series may not air until 2019, so there's still plenty of time to peruse fan theories (slash argue about contentious celebrity cameos on Reddit and Twitter).
Disney movies reimagined for the modern age will horrify your inner child
For those of us who grew up with a view of romance shaped by Disney movies, 2017 dating norms like "swipe right" have been... let's say, a little bit of a let-down.
To further drive home this reality, UK-based illustrator Tom Ward released a series of illustrations earlier this summer that achieved near-instant internet fame. The images depict what classic Disney characters would likely be doing in today's modern world... and the results range from comical to disturbing.
Wimbledon re-cap
This year's Wimbledon upheld a number of tried-and-true traditions in the tennis world: Matches were played on grass courts, as always; every player arrived adorned in all-white attire; and spectators munched on strawberries and cream on the sidelines, as they have for the entire history of the storied tournament (which dates back to 1877). Keeping it classy per usual.
The tournament also got a few modern upgrades for 2017, such as selfie-printing cappuccino machines. Twitter, too, was abuzz with all the latest happenings and gossip about competitors. It loved this Gandalf-McGonagall reunion sighting; it cheered on Andy Murray's nod to inclusion in a post-win interview; and it celebrated Roger Federer's record-setting win with gusto.
Macklemore’s grandma turns 100 and the internet got this wonderful gift
The internet typically has a complicated relationship status with Macklemore, but even his most ardent critics had to give him props for this video he released in honor of his grandmother's 100th birthday. In it, he's seen performing standard grandson-esque duties — like taking Nana to the thrift shop, of course. The video, featuring vocals by Skylar Grey, has racked up a whopping 17.5-plus million views so far.
Upcoming: Entertainment news that's hot this summer
The summer may be halfway over, but we've still got plenty to look forward to. This past week, we got the first wind of the Emmy Awards nominees — and, as always, the internet (and critics, of course) had an opinion or six to share. The 69th Primetime Emmy Awards will take place this September 17th, and we're sure to continue hearing buzz about the shows that will take home the gold.
Speaking of television, Netflix — which has significantly ramped up its in-house show production in the past year — is rumored to be venturing into video game adaptations. In particular, Netflix's stylized adaptation of Castlevania has the digital rumor mill abuzz.
Upcoming in the music scene: Expect to hear more from your favorite childhood boy band. The Backstreet Boys recently announced their 2018 reunion tour, which will celebrate their 25th anniversary. We don't know about you, but we're pretty pumped to see if they can keep their killer dance moves up to snuff more than two decades post-peak-bleached-tips era.
We'll leave you with a little more recent music news to finish up our round-up: This stunning 2CELLOS cover video of Justin Bieber's smash hit "Despacito." Don't say we never gave you anything.
Till next month, fellow internet friends.
Topics Game Of Thrones Sponsored Viral Videos
Stephanie joined the Mashable team from a background in social media marketing. An English Lit major from the University of Miami (where there are no polar vortices), Stephanie is a former content strategist on the Branded Content team, and on the editorial side manages the Job Search Series and part of Mashable Careers.Stephanie was also part of the inaugural class of Remote Year, a program uniting global remote professionals in a yearlong lifestyle experiment to experience the digital nomad lifestyle. During the course of the program, she traveled to more than 12 countries around the world over the course of 12 months while working remotely.She writes about travel, careers, social media and marketing, business and the digital nomad lifestyle.
