Streaming Services for College Students

Streaming Services for College Students. Photo by Toni Duncan.

For students who have been bored throughout quarantine or have a bit

of spare change left over, entertaining streaming services directed at

providing music or shows have now started offering student discounts.

The rise in streaming platforms has been a gradual growth over the

past few years, and it may just be getting started. There is no longer a

need to scour the internet to pirate the latest TV episode or illegally

download the newest hot album.

Apple states that “Students enrolled in degree-granting universities

and colleges can join Apple Music at a discounted monthly rate.”

Meanwhile, there are streaming packages that include Spotify and Hulu

under a single account for just five bucks a month if the person has a

college email.

After asking around campus I found that just about every student has a

Netflix account that they share with family or friends. Moreover, most

students use music streaming services to keep up with the latest trends

and releases at a small cost.

However, independent artists who may be struggling with being

properly compensated for their material will have to gain a high number

of streams on major streaming services to be able to pay bills.

So, if students are interested in directly supporting local

musicians, then the site Bandcamp can be a wonderful platform to

financially aid music projects. There is no sign-up fee and paying for a

track or album goes straight to the artist’s pocket.   

The process of transitioning from cable and cinema to the phone and

laptop has caused a drastic increase in viewership, which entertainment

companies have noticed as they are now producing original, exclusive

material for their platforms.

For those who grew up without streaming services, it may seem

daunting at first glance, but the user interface has been surprisingly

easy to figure out. Amanda Shroyer, Senior Staff Assistant at the DSC

Writing Center, said that she “will eventually give up cable due to more

content moving digital.”

Furthermore, Nick Vitale, a peer-tutor at the Writing Center,

expressed that he “like(s) that entertainment is going digital since

it’s easy to access and navigate.” A straightforward reminder that

consumers welcome simplicity over complexity.

Finally, it can be rejuvenating to just sit-down, and binge watch a

viral show during these stressful times. Shroyer put it best when she

said that streaming services offer college students discounts “To give

students a much-needed break from class.”