In my younger years, there was a third Nickelodeon channel called "The N." Now it is rebranded as TeenNick, I remember staying up late to watch episodes of Degrassi. Around the time I was eight, "The N" began showing episodes of cartoon that were definitely not appropriate for children.

That show was "Daria." An MTV-original cartoon series that was a spin-off of "Beavis and Butt-Head," there was absolutely no reason for this show to be good. And yet, there was something about the main character's deadpan and monotone voice spoke to me.

At 8-years-old, I didn't understand the jokes or any of the plot lines, but Daria's character seemed so cool. She appeared to be above it all, smart and clever. On her feet were the bulky Doc Martens that I would soon become obsessed with. By her side was her best friend Jane, an artist from an unconventional family. Together they walked the line between rebellious and mainstream.

I watched the series in its entirety during my senior year of high school after a box set was released. With the perspective that comes from being 17 and unsure of what to do with my life, I found that the show meant even more to me than it did as a child. Daria was a girl who was covering extreme anxiety with a monotone voice and sarcastic quips. She both hated the system that churned out the adults in her life and understood the fact that she would probably end up exactly like them.

I observed Daria attempting to relate to her peers, date boys and apply for college. I saw her sneer at the ego of adults and then hate herself for the same thing. I watched her long for attention and disdain it. In Daria, I saw myself both as I was and as who I wanted to be.

It is odd that something so poignant and clever came from the same channel that started reality television as we know it. However, as it happened, "Daria" was a gift and has aged surprisingly well. I'll forever see it as the show that helped me develop my personality.

R.I.P "Daria" (1997-2002)