It’s hard to deny that Nickelodeon peaked in the ’90s with shows that catered to the adventurers (“The Wild Thornberrys”), thrill-seekers (“Rocket Power”) and wordsmiths (“Hey Arnold”) inside of us. Now, as the viewers-turned-college students with these personalities, there’s just one nitty-gritty detail we all must overcome before we can be as great as the cartoon characters of the ’90s: class registration. Seniors can begin to register for classes starting Nov. 12. Luckily, Nickelodeon launched The Splat, a nightly time slot from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. that shows reruns of 14 favorites from the decade. Before you get too distracted by this nostalgia, check out the classes some of your favorite Nick characters would register for next semester if they were college students at SU.

Angelica

The spoiled antagonist of “Rugrats,” Angelica was the bully you loved to hate. Stir up some mischief and let your inner devil-child free by taking classes about the youngster you used to be.

 

PSY 335:  ”Psychology of Childhood”

Growing up with jealousy problems, a disposition to bully her cousins and difficulty making friends, Angelica has some social and emotional issues of her own that she needs to reflect on as she grows up. To address her seriously problematic character flaws, she needs to dive into what PSY 335 teaches — the intellectual, social and emotional development of children. If you’re a parent, babysitter or an older sibling/cousin/aunt/uncle with an Angelica wreaking havoc in your life, get inside the headspace of the punk to outsmart them before they pull a fast one on you.

CFS 331: “Play, Childhood Development and Early Education”

For Angelica to get a leg up in her rivalry with Tommy Pickles and the others, she needs to be a step ahead in her thinking by learning as much as she can about them. Even though Angelica competes with and picks on Tommy and the crew, playing together is essential for their growth, development and the shaping of their personalities. Every episode, through their trials and tribulations, they learn an important lesson. CFS 331 shows the importance of playing for children’s development from infancy through early school age. This class is great for anyone considering a career in early education.

SOC/WGS 355: “Sociology of Health and Illness”

One of Angelica’s smoothest manipulative ploys is faking sick. In Season 3, Episode 7 of “Rugrats,” “When Wishes Come True / Angelica Breaks a Leg,” Angelica tricks the adults into thinking that her leg is broken so that she gets to sit in bed all day and use the buzzer to get waited on. To more realistically continue these master plans without getting caught again, Angelica needs to educate herself on the roles of illness in society. This class covers the conceptions of illnesses, the institutional/organizational aspects of health in society and the social elements of health.

Gerald

Best friend to “Hey Arnold’s” football-headed protagonist (Arnold), Gerald is ready to guide you through all of your registration woes. These classes inspired by Gerald’s Mr. Cool persona will make you a better storyteller, athlete and maybe even the next best president.

ETS 303: “Reading and Writing Fiction”

Arnold’s best friend knows how to tell a story and specializes in his fictitious urban legends many of the series’ most popular episodes are based around. From the Stoop Kid to the Ghost Bride, the tall-haired kid wove intense details into a master narrative. Learn to tell a story just as intense by taking professor Sarah Harwell’s course next semester. Harwell said students in the class read great works of literature and then write stories modeled off of them. “You can learn writing through the greats: James Joyce, George Saunders and (Anton) Chekov.” Learn to tell a tall tale like Gerald and you could be on TV one day too.

PED 200: “Indoor Cycling – Beginner”

From his red basketball shirt to his skills on the court, Gerald exudes athleticism. But Gerald had a secret: he couldn’t ride a bike. That is, until his football-headed best friend taught him how in an episode titled “Gerald’s Secret.” Fine-tune those cycling skills by taking this one-credit class. This physical education credit will keep you active on a bike during the cold Syracuse winter when it’s easier than ever to blow off going to the gym. Take this class and be “a bold kid.”

PSC 329:  “The Modern American Presidency”

Gerald was known as one of the coolest kids in school, so it’s no wonder his peers elected him class president. Cross-listed in history and political science, this three-credit class looks at the past and future of the nation’s most powerful office. Professor Margaret Thompson, who will be teaching the course next semester, said the class will analyze the upcoming presidential primaries and look at what factors created the modern president. “When people ask me what we should look for in a president, my current best answer is somebody that can deal with the unexpected,” Thompson said. Based on Gerald’s countless adventures, shouts of “Gerald 2016” may begin to ring across campus.

Eliza Thornberry

Go on an epic adventure with Eliza, the globe-trotting, animal-loving girl from “The Wild Thornberrys.” These classes will help you discover your inner explorer and will give you a deeper understanding of your chosen destinations.

GEO 425: “South Africa”

Eliza Thornberry received her secret power to speak to animals from a shaman in Africa. Unfortunately, this class won’t give you the power to talk to your cat, but it will teach you about the history and politics of South Africa and Namibia. Professor John Western said students tend to learn two major lessons from the class. For one, they learn about the terrible past of what Western calls the most beautiful place he’s ever seen. They also get a new perspective on the United States, which he said is quite similar to South Africa.

LIT/JSP/REL 235: “Travel Narratives and Pilgrimages”

Eliza was a well-seasoned traveler after trotting around the globe with her family and famous dad, Nigel. With this class, you can travel vicariously through the writings of travelers and explorers from the past. Students also write their own travel narratives, which professor Ken Frieden said become much more sophisticated as the class progresses. Although students are not able to explore quite like Eliza, Frieden said, “A good travel narrative almost substitutes for travel.”

HST 122: “Global History from 1750 to Present”

During “The Wild Thornberrys,” Eliza was only 11 years old, a little too young to know much about the history of the places she traveled to. Now as college students, however, you both have the power to learn about the issues of the modern world with this class. This begins with understanding the complex relationships between different regions of the world and the processes that made them more integrated. After you take this class, you will be able to globe trot like Eliza with a deeper appreciation for the history of your destinations.

Rocket Power: Reggie

As the tomboy of the Rocket Power squad and Otto’s older sister, Reggie had some serious girl power going on. An athlete, writer and the one of the coolest girls on Nickelodeon, you can channel your inner Reggie with classes on feminism, sports and magazines.

SOC 367: “Sociology of Sport”

Whether she’s skateboarding or surfing, despite being the only girl, Reggie has no problem staying caught up with the Rocket Power gang. Of relevance to Reggie as the tomboy of the group, “Sociology of Sport” examines the roles gender and class play in sports. It also analyzes the relationships between sports, the media and business. The emphasis on media in this class would also be helpful to Reggie in covering big news about skateboarding and surfing for her magazine, “The Zine.”

HOM 473:  “Women, Rap and Hip-Hop Feminism”

Reggie rules Ocean Shores by either keeping up with or surpassing the boys both from her smarts to her athleticism. As the leading lady and arguably one of the more mature members of the group, HOM 473 would give Reggie a greater understanding of her girl power and its connection to music and society. This class discusses the work of women in hip hop and feminist critiques of music culture.

MAG 205: “An Introduction: Editorial, Ethics, and the Business of Magazines”

Reggie is well known for her magazine, “The Zine.” Even though she’s starts “The Zine” as a preteen, Reggie isn’t too young to start out on her career, whether she’s an 11-year-old or a college student like you. Because “The Zine” is a super popular read among her friends, Reggie’s making progress toward her dream job. To hone down her vision further, Reggie should at least take SU’s introductory magazine class to learn the ins and outs of the industry. Students in MAG 205 write a lengthy paper on a specific magazine and have to interview an employee of the publication.

CatDog

From their common misadventures to the basics behind how the two defy their natural animalistic behaviors, the classes behind CatDog resonate with both personalities of these conjoined siblings: the goofball and the stickler.

AST 104: “Stars, Galaxies and Universe” 

In “CatDog and the Great Parent Mystery,” the only TV movie that came out of the four-season show, Cat and Dog set out on a quest to search for their parents, who abandoned them at birth. With only a blanket, a pacifier and a slim number of memories, the two leave the town of Nearburg and in the three segments of the movie find their parents in another universe. In AST 104, students will learn the basics of the stars, galaxies and everything in between, so you know what you’re doing on a cross-galactic quest (or maybe just stargazing in the countryside).

PED 211: “Beginning Swimming”

Like most members of the feline family, Cat hates swimming. But unlike real-world pets, Cat would go so far as selling his soul to ride a jet ski. For the times he falls off, however, this class could come in handy. Designed specifically for those with little to no swimming experience — or like Cat, a mild case of aquaphobia — this class teaches the basics of surviving in the water. And a stickler like Cat would like that the class goes at an individual’s own pace, because hey, water can be scary.

EFB 480: “Principles of Animal Behavior”

There’s no doubt that cats and dogs are different, and the fusion of CatDog is the prime example of opposites having to work together. In this three-hour lecture, animal behavior is analyzed in the context of evolution and the basic biological elements of a cat and a dog. Bonus: It’s offered through the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry and anyone can take it.

Published on November 11, 2015 at 11:22 pm