I used to despise trashy TV. I thought it was a waste of my time to watch reality shows. I thought I was losing brain cells watching the fights on "Teen Mom" or the drinking and party on "Jersey Shore." As I have grown up, I have shed those thoughts and realized that I can enjoy trashy TV without having to enjoy the lifestyles that they show. If you still need convincing, here are 6 reasons to start watching trashy TV today.
1. To take a break.
If you're someone who's super busy all the time, sitting down to watch a TV or movie can honestly be mentally draining. When you have to pay attention to plot lines or storylines or figure out what the little symbolism means, you start to go crazy. The good thing is, trashy TV requires no mental capacity. You can just sit back and relax and watch all of the drama ensue. If you're really worried that you may have missed something important, don't worry, most shows have recaps at the beginning of every episode!
2. To enjoy drama without having to take a part in it.
If you're anything like me, you love drama, when it doesn't involve you. I'm a nosy person who likes to know what's going on in other people's lives. Reality TV lets me do that. I get to see what people are up to and I get to know how they feel about it and who they love and hate, all without actually having to take a part in any of the drama or stress.
3. To yell at the TV.
Sometimes you're very stressed and all you need to do is scream at something. Since screaming at people has been deemed socially immoral, I invite you to scream at your screens. Reality TV features a lot of people making very bad mistakes which is perfect for yelling at. You won't actually be yelling at a real person so you won't feel bad for hurting anyone's feelings, and you'll also be able to relieve some stress.
4. To be able to use Twitter's cool hashtags.
Twitter loves to make little emojis that go on the end of the hashtags for reality TV. You can tweet all of your opinions live right along with the show and have all of your hashtags adorned with a cute little made-by-Twitter emoji.
5. The references.
It wasn't until I started watching reality TV that I realized just how many pop culture references come from reality TV. Actually being able to understand them and use them opens you up to a whole new world of possibilities. Just think of the memes!
6. The watch parties.
Recently, I have gotten a group of my friends into watching one of my all-time favorite reality shows, "Love Island," and we have been having watch parties whenever we have free time. It's a really nice way to sit back and relax with friends, and since it's not a show that we have to pay a lot of attention to, we're able to talk over it and end up getting into some pretty good conversations about what we're watching.
Watching TV doesn't always have to mean watching high-brow art. Sometimes it means sitting down and watching other people make bad choices for your entertainment. So, don't be afraid, go out there and find your new favorite bad reality show.
man running in forestPhoto by 
