I don’t know about you, but Netflix is pretty much life for me. It’s a great way to relieve the stress of college life, and I enjoy watching shows on it in my spare time.
Over the last few years, Netflix has received a growing number of subscribers.
The on-demand provider of television shows and movies had 29.4 million subscribers in 2012, and in the following quarter, the streaming service added 3.9 million to reach almost 33.3 million.
Currently, Netflix hosts 75 million subscribers, according to statistica.com.
A large portion of Netflix membership consists of college-students.
I talk about Netflix with my college peers and friends almost every day.
Whether it is a 30-minute discussion on why “The Walking Dead” blows my mind or a two-minute chat about how excited I am for the “Gilmore Girls” revival, Netflix plays a big part in the lives of college students.
Junior communication studies major Erika Hussey has been a Netflix user for four years. Hussey attributes the large college Netflix audience to “the relevance it has in day-to-day conversation.”
Sophomore applied exercise science major Marissa Caballero, a Netflix member for eight months, enjoys Netflix because of the escape from everyday stresses that it provides.
“[I]t gets my mind off of school, and it’s a stress reliever,” Caballero said. “I think it gives college students pleasure because it’s relaxing.”
Hussey believes that the practicality of Netflix’s low prices also contributes to its growing popularity.
“Netflix allows me to binge-watch shows, and replaces my need for traditional TV. In fact, I don’t even own a TV,” Hussey said. “Spending less than $10 a month on a subscription that five people use—versus paying for cable that is only accessible in one house—makes much more sense to me.”
Netflix also provides an easy legal solution to streaming episodes online.
Senior liberal studies major Kristie Chan grew up without Netflix in Hong Kong.
“[I]t was a terrible hassle trying to find good quality videos. Netflix has definitely changed my life by making it accessible,” Chan said.
However, Netflix’s ability to provide quick and easy user access is also a slightly frustrating feature.
“[Netflix] is not dictated by scheduling, and you can pause it and reopen it on any device at any time,” Hussey said. “[However,] it can…be a hindrance, adding to time mismanagement and distractions.”
Chan agreed that Netflix is often the culprit of unfinished tasks.
“Netflix probably encourages college students to procrastinate a lot more than they should,” Chan said.
However, Chan admitted that using Netflix can also lead to new friendships and more conversations with her peers.
“I can’t get a lot done because of Netflix, but at the same time, I’ve definitely enjoyed having Netflix because I can [have] downtime by myself or watch movies with friends,” Chan said.
As Netflix continues to grow, it will be interesting to see how it impacts our daily lives even more. The growth of Netflix has affected everyone, especially college students.
Netflix is a blessing and a curse. However, I will always believe that Netflix’s blessings outweigh its downsides.