I cannot live in silence.
I’m not sure if this is a result of a short attention span induced by my chronically-online presence or from growing up in a six-person household, but I cannot function without some type of background noise. Whether I’m getting ready after a shower or in the morning, working on a Stats problem set, or even practicing my guitar, something has to be playing in the background or else I will go certifiably crazy.
Sometimes I’ll genuinely try to follow along with whatever I put on, but most of the time I just treat it as filler that makes silence more bearable. It even gets to the point that if my roommate were to ask me what I was watching, I would have to pause what I was playing, pull up the description, and read it back to them. The issue is, though, that not all background noise is created equal: if the video is too interesting, I get sucked into actually watching it, but if it's too calm, my brain tunes it out completely and I’m back to square one going crazy with the perceived silence. And you might be wondering, “Why don’t you just listen to music?” and while this may seem like an easy fix, seven times out of ten, me putting on music for background noise spirals into my roommate and I performing a two-person rendition of Hamilton.
Thus, after far too many wasted hours experimenting, I have come to the (less than scientific) conclusion that there are a select few categories of YouTube videos that hit the certified sweet spot of being Background Noise, so, if you’re looking for something to watch while studying for your first prelim of the semester (unless you have already had a prelim, in which case, I am so sorry), this list is made up of videos I have found to be in this Goldilocks zone.
Reaction Youtube Videos
Despite the Fine Brothers’ failed attempt to copyright the word “react,” the genre of “We React to…” YouTube videos never really died, to some confusion on my end, because you would think they would have been copyrighted off the platform, but I digress. These videos follow a simple outline in which creators watch movies and shows while offering varying levels of genuine commentary. Channels like CinePals and Reel Rejects offer genuine fan-driven commentary on what they react to, and oftentimes their commentary is longer than their actual reaction and draws from fandom knowledge, behind-the-scenes trivia, or just a very personal connection to the medium. On the opposite end of the spectrum for reaction videos are channels like Alex Hefner’s TV and Movie Vault or Spilling the Milk, which basically revel in sex jokes and “your mom” quips. In any other situation, I would find videos like these irritating (and far too reminiscent of my middle school days), but in the context of background noise videos, they are somehow perfect. They are, in the least offensive way possible, just dumb and predictable enough that I can half-listen to them without worrying about missing something “important;” it’s like having that one chaotic friend in the room who just won’t shut up while you’re trying to study, but their chatter forces you to lock in.
How to Beat Youtube Videos
This category of YouTube videos is described perfectly by its name: creators walk step-by-step through thriller, horror, or action movies, explaining how characters could have survived, or beat the Big Bad, if they had just made smarter choices. Creators like How to Beat and Nerd Explains specialize in this niche sub-genre lovechild of commentary and reaction YouTube videos. Also, here’s a little obvious spoiler warning if you decide to choose these videos for some background noise; I personally don’t mind because I always read the Wikipedia plot summary before watching any movie (much to my friends’ annoyance) and also because through these videos I can pretend like I’ve actually seen the movie without committing to a two-hour runtime. It’s my little cheat code for sounding culturally up-to-date when I’m asked if I've seen the latest movie release while also being productive and getting some chores done.
Iceberg Youtube Videos
This final category is the comfort-food of background noise videos. While Wendigoon is mostly known for his documentary-style videos on true crime, the supernatural and conspiracy theories, his short run of Iceberg videos is my go-to when I’m in a more serious, really-trying-to-live-up-to-my-Ivy-League-student-reputation mood. This format of video explains a topic using the “iceberg chart” idea: the tip above water represents common, well-known ideas, while the deeper layers reveal more obscure information. I’m particularly drawn to Wendigoon’s Conspiracy Theory Iceberg and Disturbing Movies Iceberg videos during finals season, when I really need a single long video that will carry me through hours of studying without having to pick something new.
Maybe this list serves as evidence that I have some type of undiagnosed attention issue, or maybe it’s just proof that I miss the chaos of living at home, where I’d be able to do work with a background track of my sibling arguing or my Mom’s rancheros trying to outcompete the loudness of my Dad’s fútbol in the living room. Either way, this is what I watch that makes me look like an iPad kid who can’t put the screen away and what I will most definitely be watching as I prepare for my PUBPOL 2350 prelim in two weeks.
Leslie Monter-Casio is a sophomore in the Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy. They can be reached at lm953@cornell.edu.
"Are You Still Watching?” is a column spotlighting what the Cornell community has been streaming. It runs every Wednesday.
