Opinion by Ned Leebrick-Stryker
Here we are, the annual Drake Relays. Being a first-year, I’m not extremely knowledgable about all that goes on.
But ladies and gentleman, throughout my years as a high school student, I accumulated numerous interesting nicknames spurring from my anarchic nature. I was known as Ned “what a bad influence” Leebrick-Stryker.
I have carried that name with pride into college, spreading the word of chaos from the bedrooms of Stalnaker Residence Hall to the halls of Meredith Hall.
Readers, you are in for a treat. Although this is a public forum, I am willing to share with you what Ned “no, really, he is a bad influence” Leebrick-Stryker does to get down.
There is really only one true way to spice up your Relays experience: Netflix.
Yes, that’s correct. Nothing is as mind- numbingly addictive as the virtual library of hours and hours of television and movies. No matter what it is, Netflix probably has it.
I discovered Netflix when I was 14 years old. A friend used an Xbox to stream.
I was shocked at first. I had only heard about Netflix in eight grade health class. My teacher, Ms. Wamsley, described it as if it were some kind of demon that slowly brought down your grades and your social life.
Your eyes would become strained, and your legs would fall asleep. She warned us that one experience with Netflix could ruin a person’s life.
Naturally, having that message planted into my brain made me deathly afraid of being near any game console, Roku or smart TV.
But as my friend Brian booted up the Netflix app, I forgot all the warnings.
My eyes were instantly locked on his flat-screen television. The loading bar inched along, getting closer and closer to the eventual endpoint.
When it got there, a cornucopia of titles flashed before our eyes. I was a newbie, but Brian showed me the ropes, and I became more comfortable with each successive Netflix viewing.
We started with “Futurama.” It was simple and easy. At 16, I began to watch “Lost.” I didn’t leave my room for weeks. My parents banged on the door, yelled and cried, but I didn’t care. I was having the time of my life. To this day, I have no regrets, though I’ve been chasing that feeling ever since. There is nothing quite like your first Netflix binge.
As the age of 18 rolled around, “Breaking Bad” and “The Walking Dead” were the new choice titles of every experienced Netflix owner this side of the Mississippi.
Parents did their best to fight, or at least contain it, but the Netflix fad hat hit an all-time high and it remains there today, in 2014.
So, those of you who are still with me, I ask you this: When you are presented with a variety of activities during the 2014 Relays, what should you do?
You’ve been reading this article, so you most likely know and are most likely convinced.
Do you really want to find yourself in a strange bathroom at 3 a.m. at a certain establishment on University Avenue? The answer should be no.
Do what Ned “stay away from this dude, he really is bad news” Leebrick-Stryker does and make some bad decisions for once.
Leebrick-Stryker is a first-year broadcast news major and can be reached at ned.leebrick-stryker@drake.edu
