Want a movie rec? Need a new hobby or activity? Craving a sweet treat? With so many decisions and too many options in this world, allow me to help you make your pick. 

Hi! My name is Anna “Pappy” Papakirk, although only a select few from back home actually call me “Pappy.” I’m a sophomore in Branford planning to double major in economics and history. When I’m not in class — or doing my favorite activity: writing for the WKND desk — you can find me exploring. I love trying new things, whether that be discovering new places on campus, feasting at the restaurants of New Haven or watching a binge-worthy show. And when I come across anything that I truly enjoy or find something that achieves can’t-live-without status, I want to share it with all of you. Trust me, I’m not gate-keeping any of my favorites. 

That’s why every other week, “Pappy’s Picks” will give you suggestions to help you maximize your days and find the little things that can bring you joy. Without further ado, take your pick. 

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of a fresh start or beginning — whether that be a new day, a new week or even a new year. I love planning and preparing, setting out intentions or goals I hope to accomplish. And every year, without fail, I set out to have the “best year ever” by curating an ambitious list of New Year’s resolutions. 

In reality, though, I can barely accomplish one out of the 20 things on my list. Finding the motivation or inspiration to work towards a resolution can be difficult and daunting. It’s one month into the year, and I haven’t stuck with any of my resolutions. That’s why I try to look for ways to both motivate myself and keep track of the progress I’m making. 

Luckily for me, I found the perfect apps to do so: Strava, Goodreads and Beli. 

From finding fun forms of physical activity to reading novels that will have me on the edge of my seat, to exploring the culinary scene of New Haven, these apps include goal-setting features and allow you to connect with friends, leaving you with a tasteful amount of inspiration to accomplish everything you have in sight for 2025. 

Strava

With the bitterly cold New Haven winters, finding motivation to go to the gym is probably more challenging than any workout you’re about to complete. Why step outside to make your ears and fingers feel numb and then exhaust your muscles when you could just stay curled up in bed wearing cozy pajamas? But, what if I told you there’s an app that can get you out of bed and hitting the squat rack in no time? Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce you to Strava. 

Strava is a free app that tracks any and every physical activity you could imagine — from running to ice skating to kitesurfing! If you’re like me and don’t have a smartwatch or device that tracks your fitness progress, including how many miles you’ve run or your average pace, Strava is the way to go. 

What’s fun about Strava is that you can follow your friends and see what type of activities they’re doing, which always inspires me to try new forms of fitness or even just go for a walk. Want to elevate your workout and make it more fun? You can add funny captions, post photos and post comments on other people’s accomplishments. For extra motivation, you can set weekly goals, sign up to complete challenges and join Strava groups, which is a great way to hold yourself accountable. Run, don’t walk to the app store, and download Strava!

Goodreads

25 books in 2025? Sounds a little ambitious for an aspiring reader like me. And I say “aspiring reader” because I struggle to commit to a consistent regimen. So far, things are looking a little grim for me as we are one month into the year, and I haven’t finished one book. The most challenging part for me is finding a book that will hook me so that I won’t want to put it down. How can I turn over a new page and start this chapter of my life, this era where I read more?

That’s where Goodreads comes in. There is never a shortage of inspiration as Goodreads is rife with suggestions; it curates lists of books for you based on books you’ve read in the past or what other Goodreads users are currently enjoying. I could spend hours reading synopses and adding books to my “Want to Read” shelf. And if you add your friends, you can see what they are reading, which is even more motivation and inspiration for me to flip open a book and immerse myself in its world. Once you download this app, you better book it to the library and begin reading!

Beli

Every time I call my older brother to tell him I’ll be stopping in New York City on my way back to school, his first response is “Let me see what I can find on Resy.” Growing up in a Greek household where food was the cornerstone of almost everything, my brother and I are foodies at heart. We love trying new restaurants and exploring the myriad cuisines that New York has to offer. So, anytime I visit, he makes a reservation at a restaurant he’s been eager to try, and I happily accompany him. 

This past January, when I was returning to school, we had the opportunity to try Buvette, a French bistro in Greenwich Village with the most buttery, flaky croissants and perfectly soft-scrambled eggs. At the end of the meal, my brother exclaimed, “I need to add this on Beli.” I had vaguely heard of Beli before, but I wasn’t entirely sure what the whole premise behind it was. 

Basically, Beli is an app where you can log and rank all of the restaurants you’ve been to, adding notes about the food and service as well as photos of your favorite dishes. After ranking a restaurant, it compiles it into a list and gives you an ultimate ranking of all the restaurants you’ve tried. I was shocked I hadn’t downloaded it sooner! What’s amazing about Beli is that you can connect with friends to see where they’ve eaten, what they recommend and get unlimited inspiration. 

And, to be on theme with New Year’s resolutions, they even have a feature where you can set a goal for how many restaurants you want to try in the year. Beli will no doubt satiate your app-etite!

Well, so much for my resolution to reduce my screen time! Is there an app for that?