In a survey of 100 students at Homestead, 27 percent say they watch an average of 10 to 20 hours of Netflix in a week. This statistic may not be surprising to some considering two hours of Netflix a day would equate to 14 hours a week. This is 14 hours of wasted time that teens could utilize otherwise.

So is this a healthy amount for already busy teenagers? Mr. Bill Woessner, school psychologist, would argue that it is not necessarily healthy when he states, “14-20 hours, thats a lot of time, time that couldve been spent otherwise in some level of productive activity.” Whether this productive activity is a mental activity or a physical one, Netflix could be getting in the way of both.

On the other hand, some teens find that Netflix is helpful to conquer a mental activity such as homework. Emma Foulkes, junior, stated, “It is nice to take a break between school and doing homework.” Foulkes also stated that Netflix is helpful as a de-stresser but does not come before her school work.
Netflix is the perfect escape for many teens. They immersed in a world where their math test is not tomorrow, and they do not have three or more hours of homework to do. Mr. Woessner stated that this makes an excellent “avoidance mechanism.”

Overall, Netflix can be a good way for teens to destress after a long day at school; however, it can also be a great way to procrastinate. But when procrastination becomes complete avoidance of obligations and Netflix is prioritized above homework it is no longer a healthy activity.

All things in life are good in moderation, and the same goes for Netflix. So the next time you open your laptop or turn on your TV to watch Netflix, remember what is essential to be healthy mentally and physically and always prioritize that above Netflix.