Technology is all around us. Whether it is the GPS on our smart phones, the World Wide Web, or our digital alarm clocks that wake us up in the morning, there is no escaping the reality of the 21st century. Most millennials have never had to experience the days of adjusting TV antennas and using tinfoil to get better signals. In fact many young adults have even given up cable TV entirely for a modern television experience.

Since 2012, subscriptions to streaming sites such as Hulu and Netflix have grown exponentially while total subscriptions to cable TV have fallen, according to BGR.com. In addition, a direct relationship is evident between the increasing price of cable TV and the decreasing number of households who pay for such programs.

One possible reason for growth in popularity of sites like Netflix is that many students agree that streaming is cheaper and more convenient.

“ [Netflix] is easily accessible and provides a wide variety of TV shows and movies with no commercials,” sophomore Marilyn Ronnel said.

Netflix has over 4,000 movies and 1,000 TV shows, offering a large and varied selection for teens to choose from, as opposed to then being limited to watching only what is playing live on cable TV.

“If there is a movie that I know Netflix has, I’ll watch the movie on Netflix, and I will probably end up binge watching something else on Netflix, ” senior Jamia Hampton said.

Many students enjoy the convenience of streaming and being able to watch on their devices. However, streaming using cell phone and tablet screens can present some issues. Smartphone, tablet, and laptop screens are much smaller than the average 46 inch television screen found in American households.

“I don’t really care about the screen size of Netflix on my phone,” freshman Jennifer VanCleave said. “The only thing you have to worry about is the phone battery.”

After many long hours of school, extracurricular activities, and homework, many students just want a way to unwind after a strenuous day of work. Being able to watch on a device such as a laptop or a smartphone is easy, and the absence of commercials allows for further convenience. Such features have increased the popularity of Netflix, Hulu, and other streaming sites.

“I don’t have to get out of bed to mess with the TV. Plus there are no commercials and you can pause it,” sophomore Caroline Wilson said. “There are more options on Netflix because on TV, they don’t always play what you want to watch.”

The most popular shows that students watch on Netflix include “Netflix Originals” such as Stranger Things, as well as Orange is the New Black. Netflix also offers cable network favorites like The Office and Grey’s Anatomy.

With periodic updates of content and with continued convenience and affordability, it is likely that the popularity of Netflix and other streaming sites will continue to grow, and such innovations will be the defining tech-trend of the early 21st century.