Keep Calm and Woogity! Woogity! Woogity!

Being an Entry-level adult is exhausting, daunting, and downright miserable some days. I can remember a number of times I have come home defeated and uninspired by the life I live. The yoga and strict routine aren't enough to help me feel zen and focused and happy. Some days going right back to bed is the thing I want to do the most out of anything in the world.

This past week I did something a little different after being a little nostalgic scrolling through some saved BuzzFeed links with click-bait type titles that usually I try to avoid. I found an article about the Rugrats and this crazy theory I never knew about Angelica Pickles making up all the babies except for Dill and the entire series being all in her head as a coping mechanism. While I refuse to even entertain something so dark in a time where the world needs positive vibes, it got me thinking about how the highlight of my childhood was that some of these shows had a great deal of substance. It wasn't about being some famous person living a double life or a wizard hiding among humans. It was lessons about normal kids and teens going through things we all deal with. These shows were entertaining, but none ever came with some of the ridiculous messages plaguing the next generation.

I am so grateful to have had these entertaining and relatable shows and sometimes with an open weekend, I like to drift back into time and watch them and feel like I'm still the little girl with crazy dreams.

I'm going to do you a favor. If you're really young, pick up these millennial cult classics I'm going to obsess over and find yourself on the screen and realize the person you are is just fine. There is absolutely no one else on the planet you need to impress.

GUTS

How can we focus on the summer Olympics happening and not remember the kid version? My whole dream growing up was to climb the Aggro Crag and win the trophy piece of the mountain and take home the prizes. I was never an athlete growing up, but Guts made me feel like I could be. Don't even get me started on Global Guts. If the American team didn't win, the fix was in for me!

Legends of the Hidden Temple

Riddles and stories were the themes of Legends of the Hidden Temple. As a nerd, this was my wheelhouse. If I didn't win on GUTS, there was always my brain and resourceful strategy skills to fall back on. The only problem is that I don't think my younger self would have the patience to vet the entire world looking for the mandatory male partner who would be a perfect fit to help me win. I knew in my heart I could make it to the end, punch the temple guards, retrieve the treasure, and take all the glory as a red jaguar. Olmec was the MVP.

As Told by Ginger

"Someone once told me the grass is much greener on the other side." I may be more Olivia Pope now, but I was Ginger Foutley in so many ways. Unsure of every decision, constantly trying to feel normal and fit in, crushing on boys that didn't matter, and going through my awkward years with friends who did. There was never a moment I didn't feel like I could relate to her. From her creativity to losing touch with her old life and friends when she moved to high school, I was going through it with her. Ginger Foutley is everyone. What girl didn't look like Ginger, Macy, and Dodie when they put makeup on for the first time?

Rocket Power

I think I should start living my life by ancient Hawaiian sayings more often even though I'm not sure if Tito had any clue of what lesson he was supposed to be conveying to Otto, Reggie, Sam, and Twister. Growing up, he seemed to be very credible even if the story didn't really seem to go with the lesson. I wanted to be as cool as Reggie Rocket was when she was writing and publishing the zine at 11 years old.

Rugrats

How can a toddler in diapers be wiser than a 22-year-old me? The adventures whether in their mind or actually happening are those that remind us of all those times growing up playing in a big cardboard box. The box is where you could imagine being in your own world. I could be a pirate or on the moon. It was fun to revisit the babies later in All grown up and see what they shaped up to be as adolescents. After watching this did anyone's Dad have a hard time finding a screwdriver?

Are You Afraid of the Dark?

The Midnight Society is something I would have been too scared to be a part of, but would secretly want to join. The tales and something as nerdy as hanging out in the woods story-telling by a campfire with mystical smoke is what I was all about. Some of the endings were terrifying and who can forget that clown episode?! It was a great way to watch something that felt more mature without your parents getting mad because the rating was still TV Y7. Don't forget how each episode ends with the iconic line "I declare this meeting of the Midnight Society closed." It seems like a lot of good TV was Canadian based and also who couldn't resist baby Ryan Gosling!

The Wild Thornberry's

I don't think I would've ever grown to be so opinionated about anything in life if it wasn't for Eliza Thornberry. Upon reflection, I realize my poor older sister was Debbie Thornberry to a tee. She would've wanted to escape the wild the entire time and spent most of our time growing up wondering what the hell I was. I was that younger sister with so much energy, a little eccentric at times, and getting away with anything just like Eliza, but hey someone has to save the animals and stop the poachers.

God bless #SNICK, #SlimeTimeLive, #FigureItOut, #AllThat, #KennanAndKel #TheAmandaShow, #Doug, #AaahhRealMonsters, #HeyArnold, #CatDog, #TheAngryBeavers #TheBrothersGarcia, #100DeedsforEddieMcDowd, #RockosModernLife and #NickNews for trying to make to aware of the world around me. Linda Ellerbee, you tried your best.

Don't be a Shoobie,

Shani

#90sKid #Nickelodeon #Rugrats #Buzzfeed #00s