‘Boy Meets World’ still teaches 20 years later

I have a confession to make. I am a 21-year-old junior in college who enjoys watching TV shows that were intended for young adults and/or teenagers. One of my favorite shows of all time is “Boy Meets World.”

Two years ago at Christmas, I was given all seven seasons of the show on DVD, and a couple weeks ago, I finally found the time to finish the first season.

I have been watching episodes from this series for as long as I can remember and I’ve seen every episode at some time in my life, but I’ve never watched them all in order.

“Boy Meets World” is a television drama that premiered on Sept. 24, 1993. It looks into the life of Cory Matthews.

In season one of the show, Matthews is in the sixth grade and we are introduced to his best friend Shawn Hunter, his classmates Topanga and Minkus, his family—mom, Amy; dad, Alan; older brother, Eric; and younger sister, Morgan. We also meet my personal favorite of the show, the sixth grade teacher, Mr. George Feeny, who also happens to be the Matthews’ neighbor.

This show lasted through seven seasons and through the seasons we see a few changes in Cory’s classmates, but Shawn and Topanga stick it out all the way through the college years. Even Mr. Feeny finds a way to stay with the class through their college years, moving up in his career as the students move up in their academics.

The show is one of the few shows I want to force my kids to watch when they grow up. As Cory and his classmates grow up, life lessons that fit with the age are addressed. Granted, this show was filmed and put out in a simpler time. The issues the kids dealt with aren’t the exact same issues even I dealt with when I was in high school or college, but the lessons are still relevant.

In season one, the kids deal with the importance of literature and how it affects our lives, the value of money and working hard to earn money, the importance to being a kid when you are a kid, the importance of spending time with family, finding your true self and not being ashamed of yourself, the consequences of cheating, the importance of helping your friends and sticking by your friends through everything, teaching the sacrifices the parents make for their kids, and about love and relationships, plus so many other lessons.

The show’s lessons progress as the students grow up and the most insightful messages come from Mr. Feeny.

Now years after the show “Boy Meets World” has come to a close, a spin-off, “Girl Meets World” has come onto the television spectrum.

This show, which premiered June 27, 2014, follows the life of Riley Matthews, the daughter of Cory and Topanga. With the same creators as “Boy Meets World,” the show discusses the same issues as “Boy Meets World,” but the issues are more relevant to the times.

“Girl Meets World” can never compete with the original “Boy Meets World,” and I can admit it’s a little silly that I watch this Disney Channel show as a 21-year-old, but it makes my heart happy.

So if you ever need some inspiration, look up an episode of “Boy Meets World” or “Girl Meets World.” The lessons they discuss still affect even those of us who have “turned old” now.