It’s a new year, and along with hopes to improve a descending GPA and actually keep that get back in shape before spring break resolution, many students will be reassessing their priorities in the entertainment department. There are some returning series that are worth catching up on and some new ones to look out for. Whether you prefer reality television or a good scripted series, here’s a short list of the top shows to tune in to in 2013. It’s time to change the channel and see what else the airwaves have to offer.

“Buckwild” Thursdays at 10 p.m. on MTV

Now that “Jersey Shore” is gone, we need a new brood of young, wayward 20-somethings to follow on television. “Buckwild” focuses on a group of young people living in the Appalachian mountains of West Virginia. Some of the characters require subtitles, and sometimes viewers may wish the producers included subtitles as well when certain other characters speak. Despite the occasional inability to understand what half of the people are saying, their actions speak louder than words. From riding dump trucks or lap dancing on each other at the one bar in town, this show is actually funny. If you watch it for what it is and not for these kids’ lost potential, it’s a nice brain-break from your 400-level class schedule.

“Black Ink” Mondays at 9 p.m. on VH1

Centered around a Harlem tattoo parlor, “Black Ink” is VH1’s latest attempt of making itself a hipper, younger channel. The pilot episode isn’t the most entertaining, despite the constant fighting between the cast members over petty behavior. It’s the aesthetics of the actual show that make it stand out. The camera shots and the beauty of the tattoos make this show a good watch not because of its content but because of the way it looks. I predict most of the entertainment stems from the shops’ publicist, Puma.

“Scandal” Thursday, Jan. 10 at 10 p.m. on ABC

After a brief hibernation, crisis-management superhero and the president’s cuddle buddy Olivia Pope is back to fix the recent shooting of the commander-in-chief. For those who need to catch up on past episodes it’s well worth it. Washington plays a fantastic role, and each episode just gets more suspenseful and a little bizarre. It’s also a show that tears at the heart strings, as it tells a story of love that just doesn’t quite work out too well. It’s a show that can be enjoyed by everyone and is worth an hour of procrastination.

“The Following” Premieres Monday, Jan. 21 at 9 p.m. on Fox

I’ve been seeing previews for this show for a while, but I could never decipher what it was about. Then I saw Kevin Bacon’s face, and I was hooked. Bacon plays a former FBI agent who consults a deranged serial killer who has created a cult of murderers (think Jim Jones and his People’s Temple followers if they didn’t drink the Kool-Aid). Apparently the show can get a little graphic, as many of the murders are inspired by Edgar Allan Poe. This show should become a favorite for mystery lovers.

“1600 Penn” Thursdays at 9 p.m. on NBC

Not all scripted shows need to be serious and comedy shouldn’t be derived only from watching reality television, which is proven by NBC’s comedy series “1600 Penn.” The show, which premiered Dec. 17, revolves around a dysfunctional White House family, including a pregnant teen first daughter (I wonder where they got that idea) and a hilarious, Jonah Hill doppelgänger named Ski (Josh Gad). Gad seems to dominate the episodes, and that’s okay. Some shows just need a person to take center stage. Plus, the president (Bill Pullman) is the same president from the movie “Independence Day.” Hooray for entertainment character re-elections.