It is no surprise that binge-watching became the phenomenon of 2013 when Netflix simultaneously began releasing series episodes in April 2013. Yet, in Orono, binge-watching on Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Prime and other instant-streaming sites has consumed the majority of students’ hours outside of school.
Viewing episodes on Netflix during school hours, however, has recently been halted, as the site was blocked district-wide just before winter break.
Netflix was blocked on all school networks because it was eating up the district’s internet bandwidth, the rate of data transfer. In addition, teachers who incorporated Netflix clips into their curriculum were violating copyright and terms of service because the videos were being watched by individuals other than the account user.
Additionally, Netflix was serving as a major distraction for students because many students were “using school networks during school hours to do non-school related things,” Technology Integration Coordinator Penny Pease said.
Despite this, the blocking of Netflix on the school’s internet network has not stopped many students from catching up on all of their favorite TV series daily.
According to a Netflix survey conducted in early December 2013 by Harris Interactive, 61 percent of a reported 1,500 American TV streamers found that binge-watching is a regular occurrence.
Many OHS students feel similarly, as watching episodes on Netflix has begun to take priority above all else.
Watching about five hours of Netflix daily, junior Grace Lynch admits that she is both a binge-watcher and a Netflix addict.
“I can’t really focus unless I am doing two things at one time and Netflix is just an easy solution” Lynch said.
Like many other students, Lynch multitasks by watching Netflix while doing homework, cleaning her room or eating.
While episodes are typically watched in isolation at one’s own pace, Netflix does have both positive and negative aspects.
Watching popular series on Netflix enables a person to “have more points to talk to people about” because everyone is watching the same shows, therefore creating more conversations, Lynch said.
One major downside to Netflix, however, is the amount of hours that are spent in front of the computer or TV, which take away from studying and doing homework.
Junior Lindsey Case spends around two hours a night on Netflix and “stay[s] up late doing homework,” causing her to sleep less and stress more, Case said.
In fact, Case “banned Netflix” during finals week “because [she] knew that [she would] not get everything done.”
Despite this, Case does not consider herself addicted to Netflix, rather she calls herself an ‘excessive user.’
Having watched Netflix for over two years, senior Jeremy Mitchell considers himself addicted, yet has learned what he can and cannot do while streaming.
“I’ll incorporate [watching Netflix] into pretty much anything that is boring: cooking or homework” Mitchell said.
For many, Netflix is an escape from the stresses of school, extracurriculars, friends and family. Too much viewing, however, can cause some students to feel as if they have reached their maximum viewing time.
Despite experiencing this, junior Julia Spacek always seems to fall back on Netflix. “When I get to that point, I try to do something else but there’s nothing else to do,” Spacek said.
Spacek is currently hooked on “American Horror Story,” having watched the entire 12-episode second season in just one day. Yet despite this binge-watching, Spacek is picky when it comes to which series she watches.
“If I’m not immediately drawn in, I won’t continue to watch it.”
Shows like “Breaking Bad,” “Lost,” “How I Met Your Mother,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” and “Gossip Girl” are currently popular among OHS Netflix watchers.
The fictional and rehearsed series have not disinterested all, as some viewers feel as if they are attached to the characters and to the series.
“When[ever] they kill people off of shows, they kill off a part of your soul” Lynch said.
Although the district has killed off Netflix on the network, students are still passionately watching.