Author: Alexa Paley

Thanks to Netflix’s acquiring of Gilmore Girls and Friends, this Ithaca winter may not seem as atrociously freezing as we binge-watch our way from Stars Hollow, Connecticut to Central Perk, New York.

On the fateful day of October 1, 2014, a day that will never be forgotten in all of binge-watcher history, the entire series of Gilmore Girls – yes, I mean all 7 seasons – was added to Netflix. As if homework procrastination and the insurmountable challenge to leave our beds could not get any harder, Netflix goes ahead and throws us a wicked curveball.

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Adding Gilmore Girls to Netflix attracts a whole new audience of watchers. Are you looking for something light, hilarious, but also deeply embedded with those family morals of mother-daughter relationships, bonding, and an exposé of simply how amazing female lead Rory is at life? Gilmore Girls suits you quite well. Netflix is revolutionizing our newfound desire to re-watch all episodes, in chronological order, as humanly quick as possible. As Cornell students who can likely relate to Rory’s everyday struggles of being a Chilton student, stressing about homework, tests, boys, and life, why wouldn’t we want to idolize her poise, beauty, and overall perfection from behind our computer screens? The show never stopped being great, it just stopped becoming relevant to us as viewers when it disappeared from ABC Family without a proper goodbye (the show aired from 2000 to 2007, when it was cancelled in its seventh season). The show never received the award-recognition it deserved despite being adored by the masses. But Netflix says it’s back, and this is definitely a cause for celebration.

Equally as important, if not more, is that the highly anticipated series Friends is also scheduled to air on Netflix beginning January 1, 2015. We are deeply thankful for this – with our holiday highs and spirits crashing down after the New Year, Friends will be there to pick us up precisely when we need it the most. Chandler’s perpetual, witty humor and Monica’s neuroticism will definitely be something to look forward to after Santa Claus returns to the North Pole and winter break ends. Without even leaving the safe confines of your bed, you automatically will have 6 new best friends without even having to try. Friends aired from 1994-2004 boasting 10 seasons of greatness that you will undoubtedly spend every free second of your busy life catching up on. You will finally be able to pick up on the Friends references and understand the significance of award-deserving songs like “Smelly Cat.” You may even be excited to graduate from college, possibly live in the West Village of New York City (although in an apartment likely 1/10 the size), and eventually find friends as true as these.

vanityfair.com

Everyone knows that the Ithaca winter is nothing short of brutal. For Cornell students, binge-watching will simply become a habit of life – if it has not already. Instead of breaking up the day with an episode here and there interwoven with a trip to the Farmer’s Market or other leisurely, outdoor activities, the winter basically forces the average student to hibernate inside – and more specifically – in bed. If you have a free 3 hours to kill, why face the genuine threat of hypothermia if a warm, cozy bed is also a viable option? Binge-watching series is as common as the common cold in the winter; it is an allotted 3-4 months of the year where being lazy is actually socially acceptable. There really is no downside to binge-watching. Despite its potential health hazards and impingement on your exercise and social schedules, Gilmore Girls and Friends are worth the risk. And better yet, by the time you finish watching, Netflix will likely introduce another beloved series that will fill the empty void with which Lorelai and Rory, Rachel, Joey, Ross, and the rest of the crew left you.