I have always had a great fondness for cartoons and animation in general. When I was young, I would spend hours watching cartoons on the weekends. This past week, I was feeling nostalgic and decided to re-watch some of my favorite shows from when I was younger. As I watched, I realized that most of these shows had hidden messages within them and what they taught me really shaped me into who I am today. So, here are some of my favorite cartoons, and the lessons that they taught me.

1. Recess

Recess was one of those shows that almost anyone could relate to. Recess taught me about picking your battles. In almost every episode, there was some kind of problem that the gang had to face. Sometimes their plans to combat these issues didn’t always work out the way that they hoped. Other times, they learned that sometimes, your impressions of people aren’t always accurate.

2. Kim Possible

Kim Possible taught me that you should never let anyone hold you back. Though Kim was just a teenager in high school, she never let that stop her from saving the world. When people were against her, Kim always held her head high and continued to do what she knew was right. Even her best friend, Ron Stoppable, never gave up on himself when it seemed like he could never do anything right.

3. Teen Titans

Teen Titans had such a diverse cast and complicated characters. I learned something different from each of the main characters of the show. Starfire taught me that it’s good to be different; your real friends will stand by you no matter what. Raven taught me that it’s okay to be ashamed of your past, but remember that you can ask for help if it overwhelms you. Beast Boy taught me to remember to have fun and to not take yourself too seriously. Robin taught me to not be afraid to trust others. Finally, Cyborg taught me that looks don’t matter; it’s what’s on the inside that counts.

4. Sailor Moon

Though Sailor Moon is technically an anime, but I’m including it as a cartoon because it is an animated series. Sailor Moon basically taught me about girl power. The Sailor Scouts never let the fact that they were girls stop them from fighting. I learned about the importance of love and friendship. Each character had a unique quality that made them special, and each person was valuable to the group. They also taught me that you could be a girly-girl and still kick butt!

And last but not least…

5. Avatar: The Last Airbender

Avatar: The Last Airbender (ATLA for short) is still my favorite animated series to this day. I have re-watched this series many times and it never ceases to impress me. ATLA taught me many life lessons, such as having respect for others and the importance of friendship, but the most important thing I learned from this show is that you must always have hope. Even though things may seem bad at the time, things are bound to get better eventually. So hold on, and don’t give up on yourself. Aang and his friends literally had the fate of the world rested on their shoulders. But, they remained positive, believed in themselves, and saved the world. Though there were many times it seemed like it was all over, they never gave up hope and stuck it out to the end.