When I was young, my family had cable TV, which meant that any show that we wanted to watch needed to be recorded. For space, my mom would often delete the recorded shows that she had previously seen to free up room for upcoming episodes. 

However, I hated deleting any episodes on the VCR. I always loved to rewatch all of them as many times as I could without getting bored (which was an extensive amount). My particular favorite rewatches were episodes of “Friends,” which now I do more frequently since we pay for a bunch of streaming services including HBO Max. 

Yet, some people like to question my desire to rewatch shows or movies that I have already seen when there is a whole host of new content out in the world that is worth watching. I think the reason that I enjoy watching content again is because it is both nostalgic and a safe haven. You know that when you see a show or movie you enjoyed the first time, you will enjoy it once again. So especially during my time in college, when times are stressful and tough, I can go back to content that I enjoy and that will make me happy. Currently, I am rewatching “Glee” (please don’t judge me for that) and “The Last of Us” (if you have not seen it, run to HBO Max right now and turn it on, I promise). 

Without the ability to watch shows multiple times, it would be a gamble for me when trying to relax with some television episodes or movies. When I hate a show, it makes me upset as if my time was wasted. Rather than feeling this way quite often, I can go back and rewatch something that is guaranteed to make me smile; I hold tightly to my favorite shows and know all of them quite well for this reason. 

But how did I find these shows in the first place? Trial and error. When I was younger, in middle school and high school, I was more adventurous when it came to trying new things. I would pick out a show or movie, typically on Netflix, that I was willing to take a chance on and that looked interesting. I found some media that I enjoyed and a few things that I absolutely hated. I kept to the ones that I liked, and over time, only wanted to watch my favorites. 

I get a lot of recommendations from my brother and my father, so they are the ones who tend to try new shows while I silently wait for one of their new favorites to sound interesting to me. My dad was the person who got me into “Stranger Things” a long time ago (if they ever come out with the fifth season, I will be watching), and my brother found “Breaking Bad” and “The Last of Us,” which I inevitably fell in love with as well. Fun fact: I began rewatching “The Last of Us” within a week of seeing it the first time because it is simply that good. There is also a podcast that corresponds with the episodes that I would recommend to any fans of the series. 

Although people make fun of me for watching the same shows over and over again, they bring a sense of comfort and peace to my day when I get a chance to see those episodes again. Rewatching might not be for everyone, but I encourage people to go back and relive their favorite shows and movies at least once in a while. You often discover more things about each character and scene that you might not have noticed the first time, and you can feel a sense of nostalgia and comfort when you see all of your treasured characters once again.