Whether it is their love of drama or being able to live through other people, there is something about reality television that is getting Baker students and faculty hooked.
Watching a bit of everything ranging from “Dancing With the Stars” to “The Bachelor,” reality is senior Taylor Glessner’s preferred television genre.
“My favorite definitely has to be ‘The Bachelor,'” Glessner said. “It is fun watching all these girls fighting over one guy.”
On Monday nights, Glessner enjoys watching shows like “The Bachelor” with her friends for the unexplainable connection there is between the viewer and the contestants.
“You cannot help but become emotionally involved in these peoples’ lives,” Glessner said. “It really is just like a game. On Monday nights, there are three or five of us girls who are always there to watch. If one of us cannot make it, we make plans to watch it online later.”
After becoming addicted at a friend’s house, freshman Kim Baker’s show of choice is “The Hills.”
The show chronicles young magazine interns and their lives in California.
“I love their clothes and how glamorous all their lives are,” Baker said. “My friend was the one that got me watching it. I was over at her house, and I could not get her away from the TV screen. So I watched an episode with her. Now I have been watching ever since.”
Reality shows can fall under a number of different categories. Some include self-improvement, renovation and game shows.
The range makes it is easy for people to find a show to fit their style.
Freshman Rebecca Nolte and her roommate have been enjoying the documentary side of reality television since they came to Baker this fall.
“I like to watch ‘Jon & Kate Plus 8′ and ‘Little People, Big World,'” Nolte said. “What I like about the shows is that they are real people dealing with real problems that happen.”
Assistant Professor of Psychology Sara Crump has been watching reality shows since she was young.
Most recently, her two favorite shows are “American Idol” and “Top Chef.”
“I like to sing, which is why I like ‘American Idol,'” Crump said. “Also, it is fascinating to try to guess who will win at the beginning of the show. Then with ‘Top Chef,’ I like to cook, and it is crazy to see what they can whip up in the craziest of situations.”
Watching other people on television and in real life is part of the reason Crump became interested in psychology.
“People like to live vicariously through other people,” Crump said. “When I was younger, I would try to figure out why people did what they did. Then I would always wonder if others thought the same way as me. This is why I went into psychology, I love trying to figure out what others are thinking.”
