By MARLESSA STIVALA
From access to caffeinated beverages to rain boots, there are countless “unofficial essentials” that are necessary for any Fordham student to survive college life. Of course, a concern for staying awake during an early class and surviving the long walk to FMH in the rain are not the only student concerns. Amidst an often overwhelming sea of tests, paper deadlines and work shifts, there are sweet, precious moments of free time that often result in mindless hours stalking someone’s Facebook page or Googling the latest celebrity news. But in case you have not yet heard, there is another time-killing (and far more entertaining) way to spend your down time: welcome to the wonderful world of Netflix.
If the mere fact that a monthly Netflix subscription grants you access to several hundred television shows and films- both old and new- is not enough to convince you, here are a few more reasons sure to entice you:
1) The Nostalgia
Since “‘90s kid pride” seems to be one of the biggest trends among our generation in recent years, surely everyone can easily recall his or her favorite classic, childhood shows. Whether you find yourself missing the adventures of Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, Lil and Angelica (“Rugrats”) or miss the older episodes of everyone’s favorite sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea (“Spongebob Squarepants”), both can be found on Netflix. Of course, maybe there are simply some older sitcoms (“Scrubs,” “Frasier” and “That ‘70s Show,” just to name a few) that you always wanted to watch in their entirety but you could never find the episodes you needed to see. Well, Netflix has them, along with many other classic shows sure to become new favorites.
Naturally, this sense of nostalgia is not just about the television shows, because there are plenty of classic films, too. If you still have not gotten to see why Holly Golightly is just so “crazy about Tiffany’s!” (“Breakfast at Tiffany’s”) or missed out on some recent, critically acclaimed films (such as “True Grit” and “The King’s Speech”), Netflix is your chance to do so (Warning: having an overly-excited moment when you notice a childhood favorite, guilty pleasure television series or film is on Netflix is basically guaranteed).
2) You Will Understand the Buzz Surrounding some of TV’s Hottest Shows
From “Breaking Bad” to “Downton Abbey” to “The Walking Dead,” the world of television is clearly abuzz with a number of current “must-see” shows. I personally have not yet seen “The Walking Dead” and only just started “Downton Abbey,” but I can testify that “Breaking Bad” is as wonderfully addicting as everyone says it is (I shamelessly watched all three seasons alone over just one week of winter break, but I digress). In case it was not already obvious, perhaps the best way to start watching such shows is, once again, Netflix.
3) It Serves as a Great Bonding Experience
Since everyone is guilty of at least a few television or film addictions, discovering others who share such interests is always a great way to either initiate a new friendship or strengthen an established one. Who knows, such a friend could even inspire a new interest from you.
3) Because…Well, You Deserve It!
As has already been established, any college student’s life is very hectic and everyone is always deserving of some relaxing down time. Obviously naps are always lovely, but when one is in need of some cultural entertainment from the comfort of a dorm room, Netflix is even lovelier and definitely worth the subscription.
