Ah, middle school. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the time when I had to read "A Tale of Two Cities" and had my teacher ingrain that quote into my mind. Middle school television and movies surrounded us in new ways as we started to become more impressionable. Some middle school T.V. shows and movies still surround us and bring us back to those days of braces and awkward boy-girl interactions. We ultimately learned from these shows and movies, and got some good take-aways from them. Here's some of what we learned from the T.V. shows and movies of the good old days:
1. The Lizzie McGuire Movie: believe in yourself and face your fears.
I have watched "The Lizzie McGuire Movie" an absurd amount of times, and an embarrassing amount of those times happened when I wasn't in middle school. Lizzie McGuire shows that if you believe in yourself, you can achieve more than you would have dreamed of. You could even say you can achieve what dreams are made of (ha, get it). Also, Lizzie McGuire shows that just because the guy you think is cute is an Italian boy named Paolo, your true friends will tell you when he's not the guy you think he is, like when Gordo told Lizzie the truth about Paolo's scheme.
2. Harry Potter: the power of love is stronger than the power of hatred.
If you have seen or read any part of the "Harry Potter" series, you know that there are tons of lessons that "Harry Potter" teaches, especially since "Harry Potter" is such an extensive series and covered so much time. It will definitely be a part of my generation's pop culture. That, and the fact that ABC Family, or I guess the proper term is Free Form now, has "Harry Potter" marathons like it is the only movie series available to play. Not that I am complaining.
3. That's So Raven: you can always count on your family.
Raven's family was always shown as being really close. They often got on each other's nerves, but at the end of the day, they were each other's number one fans. Raven also taught us that you should dance at any time that you please. Or sing at any time, like the Boys in Motion.
4. Hey Arnold: love can make you do weird things.
Whether you have a deep crush on a boy with a football-shaped head or just trying to get up the courage to hug your middle school boyfriend goodbye at the end of the school day, "Hey Arnold" can relate. I also learned I wanted my room to be exactly like Arnold's, with a baseball that I can throw up into the air while laying on my bed. That's a whole other story though.
5. Ed, Edd, and Eddy: your friends should be weird.
Ed, Edd, and Eddy were really weird characters. In fact, every character on that show was straight up bizarre. But that's what made it great! They had the most fun just being around people that accepted their weirdness and fed right into it.
6. Codename: Kids Next Door: you should always have your friends' back and they should have yours.
Whether you are fighting The Delightful Children from Down the Lane or just sticking up for your friend when she is getting made fun of, the "Codename: Kids Next Door" crew knew what friendship was really about. They also proved that creativity can go a long way, like their weapons and code names for the weapons.
7. Zoey 101: school can be fun too.
"Zoey 101" taught me a lot of things, actually. I first wanted to go to Zoey's school. The academic environment made me want to go there and learn the things Zoey was learning. It also taught me that some relationships can be unexpected but great, like Logan the pretty boy athlete and Quinn the nerdy girl. In a roundabout way, "Zoey 101" also taught me to not get pregnant, or else your successful T.V. show would have to be cancelled.
8. Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide: it's okay to get help sometimes.
Ned proved that middle school is hard and weird, and things can get confusing, but with some help from your friends, a friendly janitor, and a survival guide, you can push through it. Cookie also taught me that nerdy is cool. I really wanted his glasses that had a computer in them.
9. The Amanda Show: you have to celebrate your accomplishments.
Whether you celebrate by bringing in dancing lobsters or by hanging out with your best girl friends in The Girls' Room, "The Amanda Show" had everyone wanting to celebrate. I feel like "The Amanda Show" was a kids' version of "Saturday Night Live," so obviously, it was one of my favorite shows growing up.
While some of these shows were grazing into the time when I was in elementary school, these shows and movies still taught me life lessons regardless.
