Ramen, knock off Coke and Netflix every night … Who would ever want to leave college?
Over 90 percent of college students have access to Netflix. According to Geoffrey Graybeal, a professor at the College of Media and Communications, over 65 percent of college students binge watch (more than three episodes in one setting) Netflix. This can make a student ask the question: “Does the time we spend online cause us to do worse academically?”
There is no denying the attractive allure of forgetting about homework, social expectations and just settling down to your favorite series, but how many of us watch too much, unable to multitask, letting other responsibilities suffer in the end?
Every member of the Journal Editorial Board agrees that we all watch a little too much Netflix, and that it is indeed a stress reliever and crutch in unwinding from our days. We also agreed that it is very easy to get behind on important things. It was however a consensus that it is primarily our social lives that suffer more than our academic lives.
Since the inception of Netflix in August of 1997, college graduation rates have gone from an average of 23.95 percent to a current 33.45 percent.
However, college is not just about grades. According to Psychology Today, the more a person spends on a screen of any kind, the more socially awkward they become.
So how can we curb our screen time? A few things that help the Editorial Board are: first, pausing the episode about three quarters of the way through. There is always a climax at the end, making us feel we have to watch what is next before we can move on. Second, being aware of how much time you are spending on your devices. We’ve all been there: “I’m just going to watch one episode…” three hours later. Lastly, deciding to not watch during school days, but only during weekends. Make sure homework and responsibilities are taken care of first.
As finals swiftly come upon us demanding our focused attention, and as the end of another year leaves us wanting to make goals, let’s set a goal to separate from our screens. Hopefully this goal will leave us with better grades and a better social life.
By Savannah Palmer
and University Journal Editorial Board
opinion@suunew.com
