Even without cable or satellite, it’s easier than ever to watch TV straight from your dorm room or even from the comfort of your bed in college. Who hasn’t gone on Hulu to check for replays of Saturday Night Live? Who doesn’t have a Netflix account these days, or at least know someone who does? And if Netflix or Hulu don’t have what you’re looking for, one channel and project free tv – with less than legal compilations of the latest shows – probably do. All this can cause serious TV overload, where students feel tempted to try new shows or follow their favorites. Back at home, Mom and Dad may have turned off the television and lectured you about its mind-numbing qualities, but we leave that when we head to college.
So with all of that temptation around us (because let’s face it, we really want to know if Elena’s gonna end up with Stefan or Damon), how we fit our shows into our busy college lives is tricky. The key is to know when to watch and when not to watch.
Watch when…
- You have friends who share your interest in shows. You can all watch the show together, whether on TV or a laptop. This way you are spending quality bonding time together while still enjoying and catching up on a show. TV time can be great socializing time
- You’re working out. Either change the channel when you’re at the gym to a show you like or bring your iPad/iPhone or any device that can directly stream TV. Not only does your workout go by faster as you immerse yourself in the lives of your favorite characters, but you are able to concentrate more on show than if you were facebooking at the same time. You’ll never have to re-watch a dramatic moment again!
- It’s an episode that you can’t get out of your mind. Hey, why not! If you’ve been dying to watch it and have some time, then by all means, just go for it. It’s better to watch something for half an hour than to have the thought of it distract you for hours. Just be cautious that you aren’t still using this justification hours later.
Don’t watch when…
- You have things to do and are putting them off. This really goes without saying and makes sense for a lot of reasons. Watching TV is clearly not productive (unless it’s assigned for a class but that’s another issue) and you’ll feel better about yourself if you’re watching it with a clear mind, than if your mind continuously drifts back to your math homework during advertisement breaks.
- You’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed. Although you may think that watching a TV show will relax you or cheer you right back up, it’s more likely to just make you want to keep watching, or create a feeling of dissatisfaction as soon as the episode is over. Tackle the issue that you feel stressed about instead of escaping into netflix! Your shows will still be there when you get back.
Judge for yourself if you should watch when…
- You’re doing homework. This works for some people and does not work well for others. Personally, I have never been able to work on problems and watch a show at the same time. I find that I get too distracted by the show and end up being very unproductive. However, one of my friends has told me that putting on a show in the background speeds up her productivity. Even if this is effective for you though, I’m guessing that it’s better for mindless busywork rather than writing a research paper.
- You just want to do something fun. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this, especially if you’re not pushing off other work to do it. If it’s all that you want to do, by all means go for it. Just make sure that there’s not something else that you could be doing that may be just as fun. Maybe winding down the day with a couple of friends is just what you need, and it’s more social to boot. Or better yet, take charge and make an event out of your TV marathon.