A student hears their friend say, “Season 2 just came out, you should watch it!” They open the notepad app and another bullet is added to their list.
Students hear about all sorts of media throughout their days on campus, so what do they do if they want to check it out later? Write things down on a “to-watch” list. People jot down a plethora of interesting films or shows while simultaneously strengthening their bonds with others.
The phenomenon of the “to-watch” or “watch-later” list is one of incredible variation, whether it be sourced online for a quick scary movie night or meticulously crafted to reflect individual preferences. Put simply, a “to-watch” list manages recommendations or personal selections of shows or movies.
More often than not, the list begins through recommendations. SAS Senior Ashley Amaya explains that “usually I get [recommendations from] friends whenever they know that there’s a movie coming out and they know I’ll probably like it.”
Since interest is a major factor deciding what makes the list, students identify what they find appealing. Amaya explains how she is more likely to be interested in movies that are highly rated and align with her interests.
Aside from ratings, senior and Film Club President Aidan Mora focuses on “the message and themes of the story [in a film].” He explains that he likes “any film with a positive allegory about society” or “any film with a really cool visual style.” His role in his club and his personal love for film itself make a “to-watch” list incredibly convenient.
“Often I’m like, scrolling [through] streaming services or I see like a post or something on social media and I’m like, that looks really cool. I’m gonna put that down in my notes app and [probably] watch it later.” In this way, he can keep track of all the movies that he’s been interested in checking out.
Although his list is currently for casual use and personal enjoyment, Mora recounts that ”the summer before 8th grade, in 2021, I watched like over 100 movies.” During that time period, a ”to-watch” list helped him keep track of the films he would be watching next.
The convenience of “to-watch” lists is undeniable, but sometimes school and personal life get in the way of making any progress. “It takes me longer to watch my shows because, like after school, I have to finish some assignments before I get to actually watch [anything],“ explains SAS freshman, Leilany Gonzalez. Constantly balancing personal time with an external
workload doesn’t leave enough time to be watching hour-long episodes or 2 hour films.
As a result, summer break is Gonzalez’s freest time to unwind and explore new series. “That’s when people have the most free time, so then all my friends are like texting me like ‘hey you should watch this show or we should watch this together.’“
Regardless of time constraints, people are constantly recommending new shows or movies to their friends in hopes of sharing their interests. Gonzalez concludes that recommending things to people is “[the same as when] people talk about their lives, it’s just something about them that they want others to know.“
Watch lists are more than just your average list, they’re reflections of passions, interests and valuable connections. You can use them to fill up empty afternoons, sick day movie-marathons, or a fun movie night with friends. After all, the list of possibilities is endless.
