“I only watch television online,” says Philadelphia resident Nelly Arnold. She is part of a growing number of 20-somethings who are getting their favorite content whenever and wherever it fits into their packed schedules.

Arnold is far from the only person who has embraced this convenience. In April, Americans streamed 16.8 million online videos, according to a study conducted by the comScore Video Metrix service. 76.8% of Internet users saw at least one video, with the average viewer watching 6.4 hours of content in a month. Watching on a set is still the preferred method, with Americans watching on average, 151 hours each month, according to A.C. Nielsen.

As with many technological trends, this tendency started on college campuses. Anne Louie of King of Prussia, PA, works as a college administrator and first learned about Hulu from students. Dorm square footage is scarce, and if students can save money and space by only bringing a computer to campus, then why not?

Hulu.com is an advertiser-supported site, so it’s free for users. It legally partners with over 160 content providers, including major networks NBC, ABC, and Fox to give the public access to current and cancelled television shows. To watch, all someone needs to do is set up an account with their birth date, a username, and a password.

Aftter graduation, as young people enter the working world, increasing numbers are eschewing cable in favor of high-speed Internet connections. A survey conducted by Arbitron Inc. says that 56% of 18-34 year-olds subscribe to cable but 64% of 35-49 year-olds do.

As people look for more ways to pinch pennies, cable and satellite TV bills seem more and more outlandish. With the exception of programs on premium networks like HBO and Showtime, many popular primetime shows can be found on Hulu, Fancast, or the web sites run by individual networks, like NBC.com.

Arnold prefers the network web sites, because she can watch shows like “Pushing Daisies” in high definition, a service offered free by ABC. She and her roommate do not subscribe to cable and have one TV set in their apartment. Watching on her computer means no waiting for the television or arguing over the channel.

Convenience is of the main reasons some people watch online. There’s no longer the need to program a DVR or VCR or to coordinate your schedule around your favorite shows. Those of us with laptops can even take our favorite shows with us when we’re on the go, whether it’s to the corner coffee shop or a business trip to another state.

Says Philadelphian Alex Derderian, “I’m usually not around a TV when the shows I want to watch are on.” He catches up on shows like Lost in large chunks whenever he has free time.

Nostalgia is another reason that draws people to the Internet. Kate Podlesney, of Rosemont, PA, occasionally watches episodes of 1980s and 90s shows like “Buffy” or “Doogie Howser” on Hulu.

She says, “I watch them online because they’re offered for free and I don’t need to buy the DVD box set.”

Sitcoms and dramas are not the only content young people get online. Marc Miller, a resident of Rosemont PA, streams highlights from ESPN.com on the computer because he can chose the clips from the teams he follows and doesn’t need wait for Sports Center to come on TV. Although she prefers watching television on a set, Louie will occasionally stream videos on CNN.com if the news story especially intrigues her.

Just as cable revolutionized what we watch on TV, the Internet is revolutionizing when and how we watch TV. It has moved from a passive experience to user-controlled and more importantly, user-friendly entertainment.