Sher Porter
Staff Writer

Ten University of La Verne students surveyed informally reported that they try to watch television daily.

Each of them said they watch no more than eight hours a day, watching the most television on the weekends.

Yet, most said that that they have no spare time to watch TV.

“Work, school, meetings... by the time I’m all done it’s time for me to go to bed,” said senior psychology major Nichole Duru.

Freshman biology major Jesur Habek used to watch more TV, but is now reduced to watching only 30 minutes a day. He spends most of his time studying, sleeping, and pledging for Sigma Alpha Epsilon. He has not watched TV in two weeks.

“I sleep a lot on the weekends so I can rest up for the week,” Habek said.
Time is not the only factor keeping students from watching television. For sophomore music and arts major Alan Hernandez, the computer is more essential than television.

“TV comes second after the computer,” Hernandez said. “I’m on the computer six times a day.”

“Now you can go on some Web site and find everything you need,” he added.

Television has become a part of the computer, giving people the ability to watch episodes of certain shows on the Internet. Some of these shows include “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Gilmore Girls,” and “Ugly Betty.” Previously aired episodes can be watched on their network’s Web site, so an episode is never missed.

“‘Gilmore Girls’ is on every Tuesday night,” freshman biology major Sydney Blazek said. “I miss it because of math class.”

Students did not put as much significance in television as a whole as they did in specific shows. They cared more about missing their favorite shows than missing television in general.

“When you schedule your school schedule around ‘House,’ I think it becomes your life,” freshman criminology major Sarah McCall said.

The majority of the students surveyed did not believe that television had negative affects on people. They believed that television watched in moderation was okay, but agreed that television can affect concentration.

“If you’re watching something that you want to watch, then you’ll pay attention to it more,” sophomore psychology major Annie Parker said.

According to freshman accounting major Christopher Beltran, television can affect concentration while doing homework. He said that students will pay more attention to the programming than studying.

“That’s the only time I can’t [watch TV],” senior liberal studies major Mike Flores said. “Sometimes I have it on, but I really can’t watch it.”

Duru did see some negative aspects of watching too much television. She says that people should pay more attention to what they watch because of the issues of gender roles and racism that are hidden inside the shows.

Behrose Taraporewalla, junior liberal studies major, understands that some people are not easily influenced by television programs.

“I know some people just work better with the sound,” Behrose said. “I don’t think college students actively watch TV that much.”

Although television is not an essential part of these students’ lives, they watch it more than they do outdoor activities. They still make time to participate in activities that happen away from the television.

“Too much of it makes you an idiot,” Flores said. “You have to interact with other people.”

Overall, TV was seen as nothing more than a source of entertainment. It is a source of relaxation.

“Entertainment, something to pass by the time, turns off the brain for a little bit,” Habek said.

Sher Porter can be reached at sporter4@ulv.edu.