keep it to a minimum

Honestly, I do not watch television much. The only time I sit down and watch my television set is during the UK basketball season when cheering on the Cats. However, I am a Hulu addict. Every week, I will sit in front of my computer and watch probably 2-4 of my favorite shows (depending on the time of year). Some of these include Glee, Project Runway, House, Switched at Birth, and Pretty Little Liars. I love Hulu because it allows you to watch all the shows you like, but at a time that is convenient for you. Why do I watch television? Well, it is a great escape from doing homework, which is probably why I’m doing my blog post and physics homework on the day they are due, but further than that, I find it very relaxing to come home and have about an hour when I don’t have to use my brain. I can be entertained and it doesn’t drain me of energy. If anything, I would say that watching one hour of TV a day makes me more motivated to do things afterward because I’m not exhausted from using my brain. Now, whether this is a good thing or not, I have not decided. Should we always have our minds stimulated and never turn them off for entertainment, or is this method of relaxation a good thing? One key word: moderation. According to The Kaiser Family Foundation, "American children and adolescents spend 22 to 28 hours per week viewing television, more than any other activity except sleeping. By the age of 70 they will have spent 7 to 10 years of their lives watching TV." That is a scary statistic. So much time is wasted on television watching and for what? Is it really going to benefit you in the future? Probably not. What scares me more is that the availability of TV is increasing, and I am perpetuating it. You can watch it anywhere and anytime on your DVR, computer, or cell phone. It is becoming easier and easier to catch up on your missed episodes, which is probably increasing those statistics from earlier. Television is a great form of entertainment, but it has too much importance in some people’s lives. The most important thing is having your priorities straight and realizing that television is not critical to life. But some every once and a while couldn’t hurt, right?