By: Adelina Perez
How many of you have started watching Squid Game on Netflix? My guess would be the majority. There are so many shows I start watching because they become so popular and get hyped up by social media, but I never end up finishing them. I have one episode left of Squid Game, I’m halfway done with season two of The Outer Banks, and with the next season of You coming out I feel stressed over the lack of time I have to watch these shows. Which adds on top of the stress I already feel over my homework and actual work. Which is ironic since most of the time shows and movies are supposed to be the things that take our mind off our stresses.
If you are like me then you truly get sucked into the show, you feel what the characters feel and NEED to know what’s going to happen next. This is why I try not to get so invested in shows that are super action packed or suspenseful, but here I am again watching the most suspenseful new shows available. So how did I get here you may ask. Well, when it comes to shows I get sucked into what everyone else is currently watching and talking about because I don’t want to be left out. FOMO, the fear of missing out. Something I believe we can all relate to. So, once I get sucked in, I feel pressured to watch it as soon as possible because today everyone loves giving spoilers. You cannot go onto Instagram, Tik Tok, or Facebook if you are in the middle of watching a popular show. Even the Netflix account itself spoils shows for me half the time. It is so frustrating to hear about what happens at the very end of a show before you even start watching it, at that rate there’s no point in even starting it.
On a side note, or rant, it is very interesting to see what kind of shows I have personally gotten sucked into watching because of how hyped they become on social media. I honestly would not have started watching squid game if it wasn’t for everyone else talking about it and a few videos I saw on Tik Tok. There are a lot of shows and movies that get revied on Tik Tok that make me interested in watching them. I often re-watch the same shows over and over again because I don’t have time to really pay attention when I’m watching a show, I usually have the TV on when I am cleaning or doing other things, more for background noise. Being a student in grad school and working two jobs pretty much takes up all my time. So, when I find a show, I really enjoy but feel like I have to finish it ASAP I end up procrastinating on all my other obligations to just watch the next episode of that show just so I don’t get it spoiled for me. It is a never-ending battle when it comes to Netflix or any place you watch your shows and movies.
Now I simply have the habit of starting shows and not finishing them. With everything I mentioned today and specifically what I watch correlates with what mood I am in at that current moment. Since it is October, it is the time to look for things that are a little bit darker and spookier to watch. This is perfect for shows like Squid Game and like You. Also, it is a perfect time to watch old nostalgic films like Hocus Pocus and Nightmare Before Christmas (which I argue is more of a Halloween movie than a Christmas movie, but to each their own). The problem is if I don’t finish whatever I am watching now by the end of October, I will most likely move on because I will feel more in the mood to watch Christmas/joyful movies and shows. Then we are stuck in the same situation.
How do you find time to watch the latest and greatest shows coming out? Are you want to binge the entire season in one sitting? For now, I think I will try to avoid social media so I can take my time to watch and catch up on all of my shows. But for all of you out there, I wish you all the best luck in finishing your Halloween and spooky time shows before Christmas rolls around. Once that snow starts falling all you will be hearing from me is how to make hot chocolate and why The Santa Clause 2 is the best of the series.
