21st Century Breakdowns Vlog

Our Vlog:

Netflix and Chill

This week, chief executive of Netflix, Reed Hastings announced it has switched on its service in 130 additional countries. With the company's prompt expansion coming ever so rapidly, one can't help but ask the question, what's the fuss with this dynamic new  program that has creeped into everyday urban culture like a thief in the night? 

Netflix is the world’s leading Internet television network with over 70 million members in over 190 countries enjoying more than 125 million hours of TV shows and movies per day, including original series, documentaries and feature films. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on nearly any Internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments. Also, as part of its expansion, Netflix has added support for Korean, Chinese and Arabic to its list of supported languages. That brings the total number in which the firm provides subtitles, captions and alternative audio to 21 languages.

Netflix has top rated content such as:

• The Dark Knight
• Kill Bill
• Breaking Bad
• The Shawshank Redemption
• House of Cards
• Prison Break'

As well as original series such as:

• Orange is the New Black
• Daredevil
• Making a Murderer
• Jessica Jones
• Narcos

With the recent news that Netflix has expanded its horizon to an additional 130 countries, the company will only get better in terms of content released and layout. Netflix has also enhanced customer satisfaction by introducing videos in high dynamic range(HDR). HDR videos allow compatible TVs to show millions of more colours and a wider dynamic range (added shades of brightness in between black and white) letting more detail be shown. Many experts believe the impact is greater than that of just jumping from 1080p to 4K ultra-high definition resolution alone. One consequence of using the format, however, is that it requires more data, and few TVs support it yet.

How to tell if someone likes you

I'm sure by this age you've liked someone, and wondered if they liked you back too. Sometimes the signs are obvious, and other times there can be mixed signals. Snapchat and chill anyone? Haha, so I asked my boyfriend for how he's able to tell if someone likes him. He said "I can't tell, I just get told." LOL but not all of us are fortunate enough to have friends who find out who your crush else likes and feeds you that information. Soooo I came up with a list of twenty signs that might help!

1. They find out about your hobbies and try and gain an interest in them if they don't know much about the topic. If you have a lot in common, they'll be really excited and base a lot of the conversation on mutual interests. They will notice your music tastes and find songs they think you'll like, and apparently it's love if they suggest a book that you like.
2. They call you almost every day and the calls last over an hour. Does anyone even like talking on the phone? Also, sometimes there is nothing left to talk about on the phone but they make no attempt to leave the conversation or hang up.
3. When they introduce you to someone, they don't say "my friend," they just say your name. Because subconsciously, it hurts a little to know that you're still just a friend.
4. Their replies are always fast, and they never give you the seen or unseen. They're always keen to talk to you and don't care if their instant replies are embarrassing, because they want you to know they're interested.
5. They compliment your appearance and notice when you do something different, e.g. straighten your hair or get a haircut. Even if they don't like the haircut, they will comment on it. Just something simple like "you got a haircut."
6. They make excuses to be with you alone. When you want a romantic relationship with someone, you might completely disregard mutual friends, whether it is intentional or not. They might walk you to bus stops when they live on campus, go looking for you when you get kicked out of a bar, ask you to spend the night painting fairies with them when they are perfectly capable of doing it on their own, insist on doing lecture announcements when they don't even have uni that day...
7. They work on something with you but end up talking and laughing most of the time. If they didn't have feelings for you, they would be fully focused on the task at hand and will want to get it done as fast as possible.
8. They don't check the clock. This is a huge sign when they're not even interested in the activity. Oh and even more so if they are usually on time to everything. But yeah, if they are enjoying spending time with you, they won't want to know what the time is, because it'll mean there's less remaining.
9. They lean in to be closer to you, even if they can hear you perfectly. Being physically closer can lead to feeling emotionally closer.
10. They initiate the conversation or approach you first. Orrr they could play hard to get. But usually both of these things are easy to see through.
11. They ask about your past. They want to know what you were like as a child, whether you've dated before and how far you've gone, what hurt you... they want to know you. If you tell them about your past relationships, they can have an idea of what it would be like to date you.
12. They're a bit nervous around you - they'll try to be smooth but they'll probably stuff up a little. Or maybe they're like me and think things through a hundred times before saying them HAHAHA.
13. They remember your birthday. It's something small but big enough that if they didn't remember it, it would hurt haha. There is no such thing as high maintenance. But really, they need an excuse to spoil you!
14. They laugh at your jokes, even if they're not that funny. You know how sometimes you give support likes on Facebook, sometimes girls give support laughs to the guys they like, just to save their ego.
15. They try harder with their appearance. They might start wearing makeup, styling their hair, care more about big brands, and even ask you for advice on what you think they suit better! If they ask you to do their hair for a big event (and they really care about their looks) then they definitely like you.
16. They either stare, are really good at holding eye contact, or can't look for two seconds without blushing. There is no inbetween. Perhaps they like what they see, like the intimacy of extended periods of eye contact, or secretly have this fear that you'll realise they have feelings for you and that's why they have to look away. Who knows...
17. They lose interest in the conversation and zone out when you talk about another boy/girl. I think this one is pretty self explanatory haha.
18. They listen to everything you tell them, and remember the small details. They want to know everything about you, and will want to prove to you that they care by remembering what you tell them.
19. They make time for you even when they are sad or busy. You know those moods when you don't want to talk to anyone? Well, the person you like will always be an exception.
20. They either constantly touch you, or don't move away when you accidentally (or "accidentally") brush your arm/leg against theirs.

Hope this helped! Or at least made things a little more clear. 

~ xoxo Farzana

Relationship myths

I'm no Dr Phil when it comes to relationships, but a few weeks ago, I read a blog post about bad relationships by Emma Chow from 96.1 on Popsugar that deeply resonated with me. As I read each point, I thought "wow that's sooooo true, feeling her sooo hard right now." I thought I would do something similar, but more on myths rather than lessons I've learnt. Can't roast anyone too badly on here haha.



The friendzone.

I've lost count of how many times I've written about this or told people it's not real. But it really isn't. I've had people ask me "weren't you worried that he would never see you as more than a friend? I would never date someone who's a friend" and it shocked me. If you only consider people you just meet, how do you know that the interest (from either side) isn't purely based on looks? Some people don't want others to know their flaws, but you know what's even better than people not knowing your flaws? People knowing your flaws and still accepting you. That's when you know it's real. You can't hide forever LOL. People date friends, and the truth is, if a friend wouldn't date you, it's because they're not attracted to you. It's not "because you're a friend."


Opposites attract.

Initially, this could be true. However, if/once the infatuation dies down (which it probably will,) what are you going to do? If you want to go out to parties and he wants to stay at home playing videogames, would you still go? If you hate mainstream music but she loves Taylor Swift then what songs are you gonna sing along to on your long drives? Would you feel awkward about spending all his money on designer bags he doesn't see the point of? Over time, you'll realise that the list of things you can both enjoy becomes shorter and shorter, and you'll end up relying on your friends and family to stay happy. That's when you know it's time for quits - when you feel happier without them.


They'll change.

If you want someone to change, or if you're having thoughts like "if they ______, then I would be happy" then chances are, they won't change, or even if they do, it won't be as expected. You can't make someone quit smoking. They'll just find ways to do it without you finding out. People only change for themselves. There is nothing wrong with change; personal growth is essential, but it's little things that can end up mattering the most.




by Farzana