Ah, Netflix. Our friend, obsession and waster of our time.
Now it’s become common for college kids to grab their laptops and watch Netflix rather than turning on the TV to watch something live on cable. The exception is if you've hooked up your TV to Netflix, which makes you a lucky individual.
I remember coming home from school and watching whatever was on TV all afternoon. Eventually my mother would turn off the show as we were sitting down for dinner. Then, on schedule, I would return to my seat on the couch and stare blankly at whatever was on the screen again.
However, times have changed. Live television has almost become obsolete. I know a lot of students who order basic channels for their TV and just opt for faster Internet connection because they know that the majority of their time will be spent watching a program hosted on Netflix. Most people I know prefer to come home, watch an episode or two of something of Netflix rather than watching a program you don’t even enjoy because, “it was on TV.”
Choosing what show you want to watch already gives us more freedom than television does. Sure you can choose which channel to watch, but that doesn’t mean you are exempt from commercials.
Netflix is the first online streaming site to reach this magnitude. It’s become commonplace for everyone, or at least every family, to have a Netflix account. And now, with its original series like Orange is the New Black and House of Cards, Netflix’s viewership is a dedicated one. With these episodes available at our fingertips, binge watching is inevitable.
However, although we love Netflix and many claim it’s our soulmate, it is very possible to go overboard. Just make sure you know when to stop. The sign for you to shut your laptop and go to sleep is the pop up that says, “Hi Ellen. You’ve been watching Parks and Recreation for over seven hours. Are you ok?” That’s when you know.