After a long day of school, one of multiple ways that students decompress and give themselves a brain break is by gravitating towards the same, specific shows, especially ones that they’ve already watched. 

After surviving a long, unpredictable, day of school consisting of at least five class periods, potentially a job, and taking care of house chores, students really don’t have that much time left for themselves before they need to get to sleep. So what do teens do with this limited time that they have for themselves everyday? 

Some students use this time to rewatch a show that they know the plot of like the back of their hand. One of many reasons that students enjoy rewatching shows is that they know exactly what’s going to happen in this unpredictable, chaotic world, that way they are able to prepare themselves for heartbreak or for a good laugh. 

In the current time that we live in, it’s hard to prepare ourselves for things like that. Whether it’s something going on in students’ family or personal lives, or even academics. Students aren’t always able to count on their family or teachers to offer them the support that they need during the pivotal developmental stage of life that they’re in, but their comfort shows are able to give them a cushion, knowing exactly how the story’s about to end so they know whether to expect a knee slapper or to skip over specific scenes to save themselves from having to watch that one couple that was supposed to be end game come to an end. 

Gen  Z is often referred to as the “anxious generation”, as it’s the first generation to be born into a world with mobile technology. That being said, Gen Z has grown up with social media in our pocket. We’re constantly seeing other peoples’ lives and deciding that that’s what our life should look like. The societal standard is that teenagers are supposed to have a large friend group, a loyal significant other, a perfect family life, be happy with how they look, all while still maintaining good grades in school. It’s constantly shoved in our faces of what teenagers’ lives are “supposed” to look like, but it’s nearly impossible to live up to that standard.

 Sometimes the only way to escape this pressure that the world is constantly putting on the generation is to silence and put down the phone and take time for ourselves. That could be by taking a nice walk, watching a new movie, rewatching an old movie, reading a book, or partaking in your favorite hobby. 

In the stage of life that teens are in, it’s pivotal that teens take time away from screens and do something for themselves. Selfcare is crucial to prioritize to make the chances of us being able to live up to the impossible standard more likely. By taking time for themselves, teens are able to be a better friend, focus more on school, and love themselves easier.