My schedule this summer is absolutely insane. I am constantly busy, doing something, or running around trying to accomplish my to do list. So, starting a new show on Netflix isn’t really ideal for me because there is no time to binge watch.

However, during the time that I do have one hour of peace and freedom, I like to watch something.

Lately, I have fallen head over heels for documentaries. Usually they are an hour or two and hook you in just as any TV show would. The documentary series are just as great because you don’t feel pressured to watch the next episode immediately.

It is clear I have a new obsession over documentaries, but it isn’t just because it fills my hour of free time once a day. Documentaries are raw, real, and emotional. This world opens up with each one that you have previously never experienced—they create a new perspective.

There are so many situations in this world that I will never go through, and a lot of them I am thankful to avoid. However, being ignorant about situations that people all over the world are faced with doesn’t create change. Ignorance does not move society forward.

I have always said that awareness is the key to finding solutions.

Being able to sympathize, want to help, and having a desire to create change is such a valuable trait to have. I believe that documentaries can be the catalyst to learning about issues that need to be woven into society’s discussion.

I have learned more about human trafficking through heart breaking Netflix documentaries then I ever would have known on my own. I have never been put into this situation, and I hopefully never will, but that doesn’t erase the thousands of people who are. These people exist and they are hurting everyday by having their bodies sold on easily assessable websites.

If we are aware of this horrible act of human trafficking, if more people are shown the truth through a filmmaker’s eyes, I believe there will be a path to change.

After I watched the first human trafficking documentary I have ever seen, I remember crying to my roommate. There is so much I want to do in this world, so much I want to fix, and so many people I want to help.

Seeing raw reality in front of me is one of the main reasons I have such a drive to help people. As a teacher, I want to guide my students and help them through things in life. One person can make a difference. If I change one person’s life, or one small thing in this world, I will be reaching my goal.

So, I know not everyone is driven to change the world after one documentary—or even after every documentary (like me). However, there is true power behind what a filmmaker can create for the public’s eye. There is no shame in learning, gaining a new perspective, and sympathizing for another human while relaxing in your hour of free time.

In my opinion, the best way to spend your time is doing something you’re passionate about. And you never know, your passion could be changing a situation shown on your screen through a documentary.