I am a former “Riverdale” fan. Well, “fan” isn’t really accurate. I started watching the show because it was popular, and I wanted to be involved in the pop culture buzz. However, my interest in the show began to sour after the first season. The plot seemed incoherent, and I began to hate many of the characters. During the airing of the third season, every episode I watched made me stressed and angry. I became exhausted and drained every time I watched it.

I hated this show, and yet I still tuned in every week. Why would I keep watching a show that was so bad for my mental health? Maybe it was because I felt like I had to in order to keep current with pop culture. I had committed myself to watching this show, so I needed to finish it.

Maybe it was because of Cheryl and Toni. Was I so starved for representation that I was will- ing to watch a garbage show?

Whatever the reason, I broke up with “Riverdale.” Since then, I have been much happier. I realized that by not actively engaging in something that stresses me out, my overall wellbe- ing has been much better. So ask yourself, are there shows and movies that you hate but still watch? Examine the reasons you watch them. Do you really need to keep up with them if watching them makes you physically ill or stressed out? Don’t be afraid to break up with shows if you’re not ben- efitting from the relationship.