In recent years, Netflix has become not just a glorified time waster, but instead, a new relationship maker.

The phrase “Netflix and chill” was not used until a tweet in 2009 from the user NofaceNina, which said, “I’m about to log onto Netflix and chill for the rest of the night.”

Netflix and chill did not become a euphemism, however, until November 2014, when a photo began floating around Tumblr and Twitter whose caption read, “The Netflix and chill starter pack,” and featured pictures of comfortable clothes and a condom.

Netflix and chill is, according to fusion.net, defined as a code phrase for hooking ­up, whether between people in a relationship or simply as a booty call.

Despite the sexual connotation, Netflix hasn’t shied away from the phrase. In early February 2016, Netflix even conducted a survey about Netflix and chill for 1,008 people from ages 18­29.

According to the study, 72% of people say staying in and watching Netflix is one of their favorite casual date nights. In addition, 51% believed sharing a Netflix password means the relationship is serious, and 58% of people bond over Netflix.

As of late 2015, Netflix had around 69.2 million subscribers according to fool.com.

And if 58% of that number really do bond over Netflix, then that means that around 40 million people can bond over Netflix, which gives us a clue about how Netflix and chill has become so popular.

But is the phrase Netflix and chill actually ever used by students at New Trier? A senior girl who wished to remain anonymous didn’t believe it wasn’t used as anything more than a joke.

“I had a guy ask me to come over to his house to watch a movie and chill, which I guess is the same thing, but he didn’t actually say Netflix and chill. I think when people say Netflix and chill it’s more of a joke than anything else,” she said.

Senior Ceejay Xiong agreed, saying that Netflix and chill is never actually used seriously.

“That’s a weird way to ask someone to hook up,” Xiong said. “Netflix and chill just sort of happens, you don’t really plan on it.”

Netflix and chill is mostly used as a euphemism because people might feel awkward about actually asking someone to straight up hook­up, but according to senior Jamie Knippen, people are probably not shy about asking to hook up.

“I’m sure people do it a lot, 100%. It’s just another way to basically booty call someone,” Knippen said.

As to why the phrase became popular, Xiong said it was only a matter of time before someone came up with a clever saying to describe what was happening.

“I know people that have been Netflix and chilling for years, and I think somebody finally put together a funny phrase to describe what is actually happening. It’s one of those

things that if a few people start saying it, it becomes mainstream fairly easily,” Xiong said.

Despite Netflix and chill being a clean way to ask someone to hook­up, it has become more of a joke around New Trier than anything.

“It’s a funny phrase,” Xiong said. “But it can’t be taken too seriously.”