I just binged watched the newest hit show on Netflix, “13 Reasons Why.” To say I am filled with a mix of emotions is an extreme understatement. Just to give a heads up, if you have not watched the show yet, there are spoilers ahead!

At first, I was drawn in simply because I wanted to know what would happen next. Who was going to be the next person on the tapes? What did they do to Hannah? Was it really as bad as she was making it out to be? I read several articles online after watching it and some said that the first few tapes Hannah Baker, the main character, made were trivial and she seemed to be a little dramatic. But being a young woman myself having to deal with the awful stages of high school, gossip, and rumors, no one really realizes how much it can affect a person unless it happens to you. This is just one of the many reasons why I feel this Netflix series produced a very beneficial message on anti-bullying.

As I continued to watch, the scariest thing I noticed was that, while it was a little overplayed because it is television, all of the things that were happening to Hannah can easily happen to anyone in any high school guy or girl. I am sure similar situations do occur in schools all around the world. It sickened me to realize that these more than likely happened in my high school while I was there and continue to do so.

Most of you who have watched it know that as the season went on, the episodes got more intense, leading up to the inevitable end of Hannah taking her own life. The graphic scenes in this show got to me a little bit. I do wish the creators had maybe shown less detail in some of the scenes, especially in the last episode, as it was very hard to watch.

I am sure I am not the only person who feels this way, but I understand they were trying to get a very important message and point across. In showing more detail, they definitely pulled on everyone’s heart strings, played with our emotions, and made us take a step back to soak it all in. I know after I watched it I personally just to had to pause, recollect myself, and all I could think about was how lucky I was to have the life I have. It has made me start thinking in a different sense, remind myself not to irrationally put myself in dangerous situations, and to realize that every word that comes out of my mouth can affect someone in some way.

I am praising the producers, creators, directors, actors, Netflix, and the author of the book for creating this show. While parts may be controversial in what was shown, the fact of the matter is that bullying, teenage depression, suicide, and sexual assault are all very real and prevalent issues in our lives. Hopefully, this show can raise awareness about all of these issues and have them stop being swept under the rug.

Everyone should be able to feel as if they can go to someone whether it be a professional, friend, or family member when something has happened or they are feeling depressed. It is important for everyone to realize that words can sometimes be more hurtful than actions and that no one should have to be driven to ending their lives.

Rumor has it that there will be another season and personally I am all for it if it is able to keep spreading awareness on similar issues. Bravo Netflix, well done on this one!