A session of Netflix, the pinnacle of any lazy Saturday, is something worth celebrating.

My love of Netflix began a long time ago. I remember my elementary school days, when Netflix was a curiosity to me. My family didn’t decide to subscribe to it until my dad was convinced that there were things worth watching on it. (By fifth grade, I had him pretty convinced.)

Netflix was absolutely magical. In the golden age of Netflix, when I was in about sixth grade, I could come home from swim practice and treat myself to a few episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender or Psych. Unfortunately, Netflix had cast off both of these shows by 2016. Despite this, the television giant has still been good to me.

Now, Netflix has expanded itself. They’ve started making noteworthy “Netflix originals” that millions of subscribers love to turn on after a long day of work or school. People can binge-watch a variety of shows from just about any television network, and we’re all guilty of it. In fact, according to a survey done by Netflix, 61 percent of users usually watch around 2-6 episodes of a show in one session.

There are many reasons to like Netflix besides the binge-watching capabilities that it gives us. What I personally love is the ability to explore new shows and find new movies that it gives me. After work or school, I can browse for true-crime documentaries or old movies that I wouldn’t otherwise have access to.

Netflix also offers some respite from the stress I face during crazy weeks. Instead of worrying too much about my math assignments, I can enjoy the warm fuzzies I get from watching characters form friendships or make jokes. I’m not alone in this habit, either. According to Dr. John Mayer, Ph.D, “It is hard to shut our minds down and tune out the stress and pressures. A binge can work like a steel door that blocks our brains from thinking about those constant stressors that force themselves into our thoughts,”. In other words, binge-watching Netflix can actually be a helpful stress management tool. That’s good news for those of us up to our necks in homework and extracurricular responsibilities.

Another great reason to enjoy Netflix is the way it can bring friends together. We all feel a sense of community when we see other people who are just as obsessed with a particular Netflix show as we are. More than that, watching shows alone is not nearly as fun as inviting friends over to marathon a great series with you. Add blankets and Ben and Jerry’s and you’ve got a recipe for a great girls’ night in. Netflix, despite its reputation as a time-waster, really can help us to bond and enjoy each other’s company.

Netflix is a streaming service worth praising. We all love a good television show, and we can all find something to enjoy on Netflix. With any hope, this binge-watcher’s paradise will be around for high schoolers to use for years to come. Now, I just need to stop my dad from getting addicted to The Walking Dead on Amazon Prime video…