This past break, I’ve found myself experiencing something I hadn’t had much connection to during the school year: joy. This joy came about when I decided to begin a season of Survivor (season 6 if you’re wondering). This season featured a twist, however, in that the two teams competing were separated by gender, and it became known as “the battle of the sexes” season. 

Now, there are probably many other shows that also feature competition between men and women, but very few that I’ve seen have managed to provide such compelling insight into this discussion.

As I’m sure many other high school students (specifically juniors) would agree, this past year has felt like the dark ages. These days, it feels as though nearly every aspect of my life is centered around appearing like the perfect college applicant; whether that’s being well-rounded, well-versed, or well-liked. 

I know for me personally, almost every day out of the week I fall asleep feeling anxious about the next assignment due, or how well I actually understand a newly covered topic, and then wake up the next morning feeling that exact same level of anxiety, if not worse. 

However, I believe there is one unstoppable force to be reckoned with, that could allow students to find ways to incorporate joy into their lives on a daily basis. What is this exactly? It’s TV. I believe that watching TV is an important practice for teenagers, and here’s why.  

While it can at times feel a bit overwhelming to log onto your Netflix account and see that there are about a thousand different new shows and movies all at once, this is an instance where making the wrong choice will not have dire consequences for our futures (hopefully). 

It’s worthwhile, getting to watch and engage in this form of media that stretches my understanding of society and what it means to be human. There’s almost this sense of passive learning when watching shows like this on TV, that provides a birds-eye view of some of the most complicated human dilemmas and pulls one into a deeper analysis of the story being presented. 

In addition to allowing individuals the freedom to make choices, television also paves a path for possible connections between others and a general increase in social understanding. Positive social interaction is incredibly important for the well-being of teens, especially in light of (no longer) recent events regarding the pandemic. 

We often talk about the loss of learning that occurred during this time, but what about the loss of adolescence? Having connections with others and learning how to navigate those connections is just as necessary for our development as preparing kids academically. 

Shows like Percy Jackson, HeartBreak High, or even Game of Thrones have provided much-needed sources of entertainment, but also have generated newfound relationships between individuals, who may not have ever engaged otherwise. There’s much more room to have active and engaging conversations when there is that mutual interest in further pursuing topics related to television. 

Some of my favorite conversations with friends have been about analyzing the impact and messages of shows like Daria and Sex Education, which often explore themes and crucial life lessons relevant to our own lives as young individuals. 

Much like arguments for reading fiction novels, learning about the lives and identities of others through television teaches kids to find empathy in experiences that don’t necessarily reflect their own. This is an important skill for upcoming generations to have if we ever want to move towards a more functional and accepting society. 

While many may argue that increased exposure to technology is not the solution to promoting a healthier well-being for teenagers, there is a clear distinction between intentional media consumption and using media as a crutch. 

According to the Pew Research Center, over 96% of teens feel that depression and anxiety are problematic factors that contribute to their overall livelihood. Teens and young people are currently in a dire situation, where stress induced by increased societal pressure has taken a toll on our physical and mental well-being. 

Apps like TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter often promote the effects of stress, depression, and anxiety. We have begun to see how the effects of extreme and unlimited access to information are objectively harmful to the average teenage psyche. 

Now you may be asking ‘How does social media relate to TV?’, and to that, I say: it does not. However, the negative effects of social media misuse are often roped into general conversations about media consumption and are used in arguments against all forms of media consumption. 

These apps are prone to promoting a false sense of choice for their users in order to encourage increased interaction with said website, and therefore generate more money for major business owners. 

However, I think there is a key factor missing from these discussions, that is common in all types of addictive sources. Have we considered why teens flock to social media apps during times of stress, even though we know they negatively impact our mood? Clearly, teenagers are unhappy. 

Unfortunately, many adults believe that social media and technology are the main contributors to the major amounts of stress in our lives. 

In an article published by developmentalscience.com titled “ Our Teens Are More Stressed Than Ever: Why, and What Can You Do About It?”, they stated that“heavy social media use may be a sign for concern…but [mainly] because it may be a symptom pointing to underlying distress”.

Excessive use of media is a strong contributor to the decrease in our overall mood, but this stems from a deeply rooted need to escape from an increasingly dysfunctional society. Issues such as gun violence, school safety, and the overall political landscape at this moment are just some examples of the myriad of life-altering factors beyond the reach of our control. What we can control, however, is how we choose to seek out joy in our lives.  

There are very few outlets that truly provide teenagers with a solid understanding of what it means to build up confidence and understanding of our own selves. The freedom associated with being able to choose a post-school day show is just one example of how kids can gain comfort in our ability to make our own decisions, based on our own internal beliefs and preferences.

Over this year, I’ve had to learn a lot of hard truths, with the main one being: in any case, work smarter, not harder. During the first semester, I was just pushing and pushing myself to give 100% to everything. I quickly learned that there’s just no need for that. I had to reevaluate what is actually important in my life, and what truly motivates me as a person. 

Laughing, talking with friends and family about stupid things, and feeling empowered and inspired by my own ability to seek joy, motivates me. I think it’s easy to get roped into this false idea that productivity and efficiency are central to success, when in fact we all know that success can be defined in many ways. 

Realistically though, true success is found through evaluating what is important to you, and purposefully seeking out ways to support these intentions. I know that TV may seem like this silly little thing, but I genuinely think there’s something greater that comes from engaging in this form of entertainment. This joy and discovery is something that can’t be taught in a classroom or textbook.