10 Times That 'Recess' Described Our Childhoods Perfectly

Recess was one of the greatest kid's shows to ever grace the television after school and on Saturday mornings. It may have been wildly exaggerated, but it was still more than a little relatable for all of us.

It taught us more about life than we realized, and looking back, it did help shape my childhood.

1. Teacher's Lounge

Every one of us always wondered what went on behind the door of the teacher's lounge. It was a somewhat mystical place, where we assumed that they sat there and smoked cigarettes, drank bourbon, and relaxed. In reality, they more likely complained about us, and spent time in the peace and quiet outside of the classroom.

2. The Brain for Hire

What kid doesn't want to earn themselves a little bit of money. When Gretchen wants a new bike she decides to start tutoring other kids for money. It ends up with her doing everyone's homework, and she burns herself out. The smart "nerdy" kids often got taken advantage of when I was in school, and their intelligence is mocked unless it was of use to someone.

3. The Ratings Game

We all feared being judged and made fun of when we were in school. The social structure of the playground meant more to us than what we were learning in the classroom. It's unfortunate that kids still base their self-worth on how popular they are at school.

4. The Substitute

When Ms. Grotke is absent from class for several days, they get a new substitute teacher, Mr. E. Everyone seems to love him, except TJ. TJ has a lot of trouble dealing with the change in teaching. But he begins to realize that change isn't always a bad thing.

5. Buried Treasure

As the gang finds a potential map to a hidden treasure somewhere in the school, they head out on the hunt for whatever it could be. If there is one thing this episode taught us, it is that, "it's not about the destination, it's more about the journey there."

6. Bonky Fever

Mikey is forced to deal with the fact that he is growing up. When he is about to turn 10, he suddenly reverts back to loving a character that is for little kids. It happened to us all, the older we got, the more we had to give up what we used to love in exchange for things that were age appropriate.

7. The New Kid

Not all of us will have experienced what it was like to be "the new kid," but for those of that did, it was a very difficult proposition. How were we going to fit into the already established social hierarchy? Were we going to make any friends? What was life going to be like? These are all questions that would ask ourselves before day one at a new school.  

8. Space Cadet

When Gretchen finds out she is going to be on the next space shuttle mission, the rest of her friends help her to make sure that she is ready. Even though it is one of TJ's dreams to become an astronaut, he still decides to help his friend, even though he is jealous of her. Sometimes you need to put aside personal ambition for that of a friend in need.

9. The Rules

When the kids on the playground find the rule book written by a previous "king," they take the rules to heart, even though they don't understand why. As the times change, people have to adapt to how the world is changing. It showed us that just because something was done a different way in the past, doesn't mean we have to continue to do it that way in the present.

10. The Barnaby Boys

When the gang gets hooked on a series of detective novels, they decide that they want to become detectives and solve "crimes" on the playground. It might not be the same way anymore, but instilling a love of reading in kids early on so that they can learn to use their imaginations to have fun.

What did Recess teach you?