3 Things We Learned From Degrassi: TNG

I’m one of those Degrassi fans. You know, the ones who B!@$# about how much Degrassi sucks nowadays compared to the series from ten years ago? Well, I hate to break it to the Degrassi fans who are undoubtedly in love with the present day series. Degrassi has come a long way from its original cast in 2001. I began watching the show when I was in the second grade. Given, I was too young to fully comprehend the magnitude of the show and the vexed, complicated teen issues at hand. Regardless, every Friday night at 8pm I would sit in front of my old-fashioned box TV and sing along to “Whatever it takes, I know I can make it through!” I looked forward to seeing Manny, Emma, Craig, Ashley, Jimmy (now Drake), Paige, J.T., Toby, Sean, Ellie, Marco, Spinner, Liberty, and yes, even the somewhat minor characters like Hazel, Peter, Chanté, Darcy, Alex, and Jay. These guys made Degrassi, Dee-grass-see. 

For seven years I religiously watched the original cast move from the 7th and 8th grade, partake in endless drama and massive physical transformations, a dozen break ups and make ups, and move onto life beyond Degrassi Community School. It wasn’t until 2008 when several new cast members started shuffling in that I grew weary of the show. I’m pretty sure I cried when the original cast members graduated and/or dropped off the face of the earth (ahem, Jimmy). The show’s not the same anymore. Degrassi: TNG made up a significant part of my adolescence. I wasn’t ready to let the old characters go.

It was a dedication to young teens. It was a weekly anthem that told kids they were not alone, that no matter the circumstance you would get through it. We felt for the characters—their longing to be loved and wanted. Life on Degrassi: TNG said not everything is peachy-clean like the privileged teenage lives you saw on The CW. These were average, middle-class people, like most of the show’s viewers. Despite the drama I couldn’t always identify with (which I presume to be a good thing because who really wants their boyfriend to cheat on them, get a girl pregnant, and end up dating the soon-to-be mother? Ahem, Craig), there was always an episode or character that could connect with a viewer. Degrassi: TNG tackled a multitude of teen issues—rape, sexual abuse, eating disorders, sexual identity, alienation, pregnancy, abortion, divorce, separation, depression, bipolar disorder and death. In other words, it went there. Even though it’s been a good six years since I’ve seen the original cast on screen together, I’m able to recall memorable lessons from the show.

Sleeping with your long-term crush will not guarantee you direct admittance into his/her heart.

We saw this with the whole Manny/Craig/Ashley love triangle in season three. Manny liked Craig long before Ashley developed feelings for him. But Manny reminded Craig too much of a younger sister, so as you can imagine, romance was not on the menu for them. Instead, Ashley and Craig happened. Then Manny decided to ditch the idea of being sweet, innocent Manny, and became hot.

Ashley wasn’t putting out,Craig had needs, and Manny just so happened to be there when Crash had a temporary falling out.  Sure enough, the following school day, Manny thought she and Craig would be together forever since they both lost their V-card to each other, but Craig still stuck with Ash because she’s always been there for him emotionally. That physical stuff Manny provided was only temporary. I’m sorry, but changing your wardrobe at the start of a new school year, being someone you’re not to get a guy (or girl) to like you, and sleeping with someone may not be the best decision. A sexual encounter does not mean the person will drop their current mate for you.

However, not sleeping with your long-term crush and just being friends may be the safer route.

Liberty liked J.T. from the very beginning, but J.T. was too infatuated with older girls too care. It wasn’t until season four when he finally caved and they had their first kiss. Liberty was the same nerdy, smart, and intellectual girl who annoyed almost every character. She focused on her studies and developing lasting friendships. She showed us the most effective way to a man’s heart is through friendship first, and love later. Unfortunately, the couple was in for a hell of a ride. They would eventually give their child up for adoption, and J.T. would be murdered—a choice the writers decided to highlight since actor Ryan Cooley wanted to leave the show and pursue higher education. More power to ya, Ryan.

Bottling things up will only hurt you in the long run.

It’s good to get your troubles out because keeping them inside will only make you feel worse. Talk things out. Express yourself. When Ellie dealt with self-injury, she couldn’t do it alone. When Paige was raped, she had Ashley to turn to. When Marco had trouble coming out, he had Ellie, and eventually his parents to stand by him. Jimmy was shot and put in a wheel chair. With the help of his good friends and band mates, he might have not adjusted well to his new condition. Manny turned to her mother when she was pregnant and got an abortion, and Emma had her mother and step-dad with her through her eating disorder and unpleasant STD. Sean turned to alcohol instead of mending the broken relationships with his estranged family.

Not admitting your feelings and recognizing you need help will leave you hurt, moody, and potentially pushing those you care about away. You may think you may have things under control, but reality and its consequences will say otherwise. Degrassi: TNG has shown us the power of friendship and what lies ahead if we choose to keep pushing through our struggles. It’s taught us to be proud of who we are- gay, straight, single, committed, crippled, struggling with self-image, a member of a broken family, and even a know-it-all. Support comes from places we least expect. If we give up, we limit ourselves to appreciating that access. Just remember positive thinking goes a long way.