YouTube & Microsoft Word: My favourite midnight apps

21 days ago

My days are often full of business engagements demand attention, as deadlines chase one another, and family responsibilities rightly take priority. By the time the sun sets, the day has already spent its strength. But when night falls, and the distractions thin out, that is when my real work begins. At this time, the noise retreats, and my mind finally has room to breathe.

At this time of the day, my most-used apps are not daytime tools; they are night companions. Interestingly, they change from time to time, depending on the phase of my studies. In this present season of postgraduate work, YouTube has become my most trusted night app. While many see it as a place for entertainment, for me it is a vast digital library that opens fully after midnight.

I currently enjoy a free night data bundle, and I treat it like gold. Rather than letting it slip away on endless scrolling, I intentionally maximize it for learning. I watch recorded lectures, academic discussions, book reviews, and deep dives into concepts related to my research. Sometimes it is a full lecture series; other times, it is a thoughtful breakdown of a difficult idea from a book I am studying. These videos help to expand my perspective and help me connect theory with real-world application of concepts.

My phone becomes the screen of discovery, but the real work happens simultaneously on my laptop. As the videos play, Microsoft Word is open, where I type notes, pause to reflect, rewind to capture key insights, and sometimes structure entire arguments while the ideas are still fresh. The night allows this flow. There is no rush, nor interruption. MS Word, for me, is beyond a writing tool. It is where I arrange my scattered ideas to form thoughts.

This dual setup of YouTube on my phone and Microsoft Word on my laptop, has become my nightly ritual. One feeds my mind with knowledge; the other helps me process and preserve it. Together, they help me turn quiet hours into productive sessions that move my research forward.

Truth is that growth does not always happen loudly or publicly. Sometimes it happens in silence, under dim lights, with tired eyes and determined hearts. While others sleep, we invest. Midnight is not just a time for rest; for some of us, it is a time for becoming.

This is my entry for this week's Midnight letters writing prompt.