scorecard13 things that have happened since I stopped watching TV 2 years ago
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13 things that have happened since I stopped watching TV 2 years ago

1. Some people don’t know how to respond when I tell them I don’t really watch TV anymore.

13 things that have happened since I stopped watching TV 2 years ago

2. I've missed out on a lot of pop culture.

2. I

Entertainment is deeply embedded into our culture. By not watching TV, I essentially threw out one of the easiest icebreakers to reach for when first meeting people. I have to find other common ground to connect on. But often I’ve found that it’s actually led to more meaningful conversations.

And no, I've never seen an episode of "Game of Thrones."

3. But I no longer feel like I have to “keep up with” anything.

3. But I no longer feel like I have to “keep up with” anything.

With entire seasons available instantaneously on Netflix these days, I guess I’m not even sure if people have to wait to watch most shows anymore. In any case, I like being free of the commitment to stay up-to-date on shows or to finish a series.

4. Advertisements look really weird and futuristic to me now.

4. Advertisements look really weird and futuristic to me now.

For real. Every time I catch a glimpse of advertisements on TV these days, I wonder what strange technology they are using to make them look so futuristic. But I guess that's just what happens to things after you stop paying attention — they march into the future while you're still drawing on your memory for reference.

5. Unfortunately, just because I stopped spending time watching TV doesn’t mean I magically have more time in a day.

5. Unfortunately, just because I stopped spending time watching TV doesn’t mean I magically have more time in a day.

For every form of entertainment you give up, there are many others competing for your attention. Even without TV, I still have to put in the work to prioritize my time.

6. I've realized that watching TV still is a bonding activity.

6. I

I’ll admit, I haven’t been completely abstinent these two years. I’ll still watch the occasional movie or episode with friends.

In May, a friend asked me to make sure he didn’t get too drunk the night before graduation. On a nostalgia trip, we ended up watching a couple episodes of "That '70s Show." This summer, I watched two or three episodes of "The Bachelorette" with my short-term roommate in an attempt to bond.

As much as TV is a part of culture, it’s also a bonding activity.

7. But I've also become comfortable spending time alone.

7. But I

At the height of my binge-watching in college, I was going through a really difficult breakup. I relied on television's power of escapism to distract myself from thinking about the ended relationship. But since I've given TV up, I no longer feel the need to distract myself from my emotions — I can turn to other outlets, like journaling or exercise — and actually enjoy the time I spend on my own.

8. I became more active and involved on campus.

8. I became more active and involved on campus.

As a freshman, I failed to get very involved on campus. I thought returning to my dorm and crawling into bed to watch "Grey’s Anatomy" was better than trudging across campus to meet people I didn’t know at some random event. But when I stopped watching TV, I decided to get involved.

This last year, I not only found amazing people but also had the chance to help organize the first ever student-hosted innovation competition at the University of Wisconsin at Madison as a board member of Transcend Engineering, a student organization dedicated to entrepreneurship at my university.

9. I also spent more time thinking about and working toward my future career.

9. I also spent more time thinking about and working toward my future career.

Last fall, in the time it would have taken to watch a single television episode, I applied for a travel scholarship to visit the University of Southern California for a women-in-media event.

That one little hour earned me a round trip ticket to Los Angeles where I explored virtual reality and immersive journalism with other young women. And, ultimately, it was that exact experience that piqued my interest in writing about technology, which I'm doing now.

10. I’ve also spent more time reading ...

10. I’ve also spent more time reading ...

Growing up, I was guilty of frequently staying up late with a book and flashlight under my covers. But by high school, I had stopped being that voracious reader. Since I stopped watching TV, I started picking books up again.

11. ... and more time creating.

11. ... and more time creating.

I've found that, at the end of the day, you still need to need to find a way to relax and unwind. When I stopped watching TV, I bought a DSLR camera and started learning photography. And, outside of writing journalistically, I'll write poetry or sketch.

12. But what I'm most proud of? I’ve made more mistakes.

12. But what I

By spending less time staring at a screen, I began to put myself out there more to pursue the things I wanted to do. Did I have any skills or experiences when I started? No. But I began to develop those along the way, even as I made a lot of mistakes. By pursuing real-world experiences that I could learn from, I now have a clearer picture of the direction I want my life to take.

13. And I've had one big, striking shift in perspective these last two years:

13. And I

Watching TV isn't actually a waste of time if it makes you happy, just like anything else. While I may be missing out on the golden era of television, I don’t see myself reaching for the remote or signing up for a Netflix account any time soon — not when I can spend my time traveling, reading, and having interesting conversations.

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