What Your Netflix Movie-Watching Habits Say About You

Once upon a time, there was the internet, and things were good. Then there was Netflix, which broke the movie-borrowing mold and allowed people to have movies delivered to their home. Customers would check out a certain number at a time, and as they returned movies, they would get new ones that they wanted to watch. Some people, like my friend Greg, would check movies out for a month at a time and simply revel in the fact that they never had to pay late fees, and because keeping a single movie for 3 weeks after the due date can easily run you upwards of 50 dollars at any rental place with a physical address). Others would rush home at noon and immediately watch all their films, run them down to the postal drop box with the latest pickup time, and thereby get as many movies as humanly possible from their subscription. I'll be honest-I was that type, and I still am. I still feel like I'm not getting the most from my account if I keep a film more than a day. My habits say just as much about me as my actual rental history-what do yours say about you?

Your queue

Has 5-25 items in it: You're laid back and don't really worry about what's going to come tomorrow-- you'll deal with it tomorrow. You don't like making big decisions any earlier than you have to, and you don't enjoy feeling pressured. You like to relax, but you might not have enough time to do everything that you want to do.

Has 26-150 items in it: You're the guy or gal next door. You have a reasonable idea of what you want from the future, but you're not morally opposed to little changes here and there, because you have a few backup alternatives. You know what you like, and you don't want to stray too much from your tried and true forms of enjoyment. You shouldn't be afraid to try something completely new-- you never know. You might like it.

Has 151-399 items in it: You want a lot from life, and you're determined to get it. You keep your eyes set on tomorrow, so make sure that you're enjoying the present and that the movies yet to come aren't distracting you from what you're looking at now. You don't want to be pigeonholed, so you make sure that your tastes are broad and far-reaching so that you can share a little something on a wide range of topics. After all-- you never know what knowledge is going to come in handy as you follow your dreams and pursue your goals.

Has 400-500 items in it: You have likely not yet realized that you're probably never going to get around to watching all of these movies. You're an idealist at heart, dedicated to seeing what the world has to offer and hoping to see as much as you can of the world in the time that you have. You add new movies that you want to see while you're whittling your old list down, showing that you're always looking for the next great thing to come along and impress you. You have an interest in a wide range of subjects, and you're always willing to try something new.

Has 500 items in it, and you also happen to have queues for different "profiles" in your household (really just categories for different genres) and a list with the words "queue overflow" or "items to add to queue when there's room" somewhere in the title: This is, for better or for worse, the obsessive-compulsive version of the previous rental type. You not only want to see and experience everything, but you feel a deep need to do so, and what's more, you need to do it all the time. This might be problematic if you're trying to interact with other people, which you might not have much time to do outside of your movies. Maybe you live by yourself and don't know anyone, are somewhat depressed or disappointed in those around you. You know somewhere in the back of your head that you'll never see everything in your queue(s), but that doesn't really matter to you. You have an indominable spirit and a drive to do things far beyond the realms of mortals-- you also likely have a profound interest in the arts stirring within you and keeping you glued to your television/home entertainment center for days at a time. It wouldn't hurt you to get out a little more or invite other people over to watch a movie with you more often.

Your rental turnaround

You've been known to keep movies over a month: You're amazingly full of beliefs and convictions that you can't wait to share with the world. If you visited a regular rental place, you'd be the kind of person to accrue several hundred dollars worth of late fees, so Netflix is probably saving you some cash. Whether you keep a DVD for a month because you haven't gotten around to watching it, haven't gotten around to returning it, or because you're showing it to all of your friends, it's your passion and drive that attracts people to you. You honestly believe that you'll eventually get around to doing what you want, although you're likely to be quite distracted by the rigors of life from time to time.

Usually within a week or two, but sometimes longer: Life goes by too fast, and you'll get around to things whenever you get around to them. You make other things in your life fit into your schedule, which is already pretty packed (other people might not think so, but you do). People probably don't rely on you to do anything quickly, whether it's returning their phone calls or emails or washing the dishes. If something else comes up that's more important, that's where you'll be.

A couple days to a week: Relaxation is a fundamental part of your life, and you make time to sit back with nothing else to do other than watch a good movie. You enjoy life the most when it's relatively carefree, and you try to arrange time to deal with all the important things in your life-- friends, family, etc. You like having other people around and are willing to wait for those around you to catch up from time to time, because enjoying things together is almost as important as enjoying them at all.

The next morning, if not the same day: When you truly assess what your ideal life would be like, you imagine yourself knowing absolutely everything that there is to know. You want to see every episode of the latest comedy, read every book, see every painting and film piece on art theory. You sometimes envision your mind as an enormous archive of everything you've ever experienced, and while it's probably more extensive that that of anyone else that you know, you only wish that you knew more.

Your connections

You don't have any Netflix friends: What? Does Netflix even have this feature? You can see what your friends are renting and what they liked? You may very well be the kind of person who doesn't immediately change lightbulbs because it takes you a few weeks to realize that they've gone out. Maybe you're new to Netflix, or you don't know anyone else with the service, but neither of these is a really good excuse for not utilizing one of the greatest features of Netflix. Get down to business and start adding some friends-- it's always good to know that everyone you know recommends not seeing that new movie that you were planning on seeing before you spend the money.

You have a couple Netflix friends: You like your friends, but overall, their opinion isn't going to affect you much. You'll take into account what they have to say, but your viewing experience is your own, and you're not likely to be swayed. This probably applies to the rest of your life as well, as you'll accept feedback from those around you, but you're probably not going to change your plans because of anything they say. You're independent at your core, and while you value your friendships, who you are shapes them, and not the other way around.

Everyone you know is your Netflix friend-- you've even encouraged people to join just to have more friends: For you, Netflix is the new MySpace or Facebook; it's a full-on social networking site, complete with all your favourite bits of information about those you love and whose opinions you respect. You regularly check in to see what your friends thought of the new movie you're adding to your queue, and you're always happy to leave a note or a review to share with all of your friends to let them know when they shouldn't waste their money or, conversely, when they should add something to the top of their queue. You know what your neighbors have at home and possibly swap movies with them, making sure that everyone has the best watching experience. In short, you're a people person and a team-player, and you take film exploration to a whole new level.

As long as you're enjoying your Netflix experience, the kind of viewer you are doesn't really matter. Although it says something about your personality, you should realize that it takes all types to make the world go 'round. You might consider, from time to time, the alternatives-- letting go of some of the more obsessive aspects of your watching or bringing in some friends the next time you see a film, but ultimately, the important thing is that you're happy with who you are and what you're doing. Happy viewing!