Omi’s tips to binge watching

Omi was torn between loving and absolutely hating the coronavirus thing.

On one hand, he didn't have to think about attending classes anymore. Online classes were easier to bunk. He usually just turned on the video app on his laptop and took a nap, the teachers really did not have the time to check if every one of them were paying attention. He no longer needed to shower, or comb his hair, or change clothes. Well, his mother did yell at him for turning his room into a pigsty and bullied him to take a shower once in a while, but still…

On the other hand, not being able to go out and hang out with his dudes was driving him up the walls. After a week of this confinement, Omi finally decided binge watching various movies and series on Netflix would be the best way to spend his time. 

Soon, he realised his mistake. 

After he went through all the seasons of Game of Thrones, his neck was so stiff that moving it a little made him see stars in pain. His behind wasn't in much better shape. He was feeling parched and famished after sitting glued to the screen for so long. Also, why did his room smell so musty? What day of the week was it?

He opened the doors and windows of his room and took a deep breath in the fresh city air. Alright, he thought. This cannot go on. He needed to make himself comfortable so he can finish binging all the series and movies in his bucket list by the time self-quarantine across the country ends. Thus began Omi's list of 'Tips to make binge watching sustainable'!

1. Assemble your snacks before the binge-watch begins

A single season could go on for hours, and Omi was adamant that he would only get up for bathroom breaks. Considering his weird snacking habits, he decided to keep one salty snack (chips), one sweet snack (shonpapri) and one wild-card snack (mango bars). 

2. Keep no less than three beverages in front of you at all times

After his first attempt at binge watching left him with dehydration, Omi was very careful about drinks. Yes, he obviously kept a bottle of coke with him. But he also snagged a bottle of water from the kitchen. And for all-nighters, he picked up a handful of instant coffee sachets as well. 

3. Get up every hour to stretch

It's very easy to turn into a vegetable in front of the screen, only moving enough to change the volume of grab food/drinks. But it's nice to remind your body that it is, in fact, capable of movement. So Omi used some vague memories from once upon a time yoga class he took and stretched every hour. 

4. Consider your spinal column

Omi tended to watch series like "The Witcher" on their television, for the amazing visual and audio effects. But he liked watching old favourites like "How I Met Your Mother" on his laptop. When he slouched on his bed with his laptop, he didn't need to worry much as the pile of pillows supported him well. When he went to the living room though, he took a pillow from his bed to comfortably slouch on the couch. 

5. If you're watching a show featuring heavy subject matter, take more breaks

While there is certainly no shame in binge-watching, it can have adverse effects on your mental health — especially if the show you choose deals with emotionally fraught topics. In these cases, Omi took more breaks. He did a few more stretches, drank some more water and even went out of him room to help his mom cook!

6. Open a window

After a good bout of watching a season of Masterchef, Omi started to feel like he needed to burn down his room. It smelled so bad! Combined with the smell of various pungent foods, body odour and not to mention, regular farts, his room had turned into a gas chamber. So he went and opened the windows, and even stole a scented candle from his sister's room. 

7. Text people about what you're watching

It's true that binge watching is more fun when it's a bunch of friends hanging out. While that is impossible in this situation, Omi started to text his friends about the show he's watching. Of course, the first time he did this, he started telling his friend Agun about the ending of a show he hadn't finished watching yet, and got yelled at. After this he became more careful about abruptly babbling spoilers. It also reminds you that you have friends. Crucial!