When I originally sat down to write, I wanted to go into my recently-acquired Netflix subscription, the first of any subscription that’s really been mine. I was going to make this whole big connection between adulthood, nostalgia and the good ol' days of watching cartoons. It was going to be deep. It was going to revolutionary. It was going to be hilarious.

But then the words just wouldn’t come. Instead, my mind started to wander back toward the topic of cartoons.

Let’s just get one thing out of the way right now: I love cartoons. Always have. Always will. I think it’s the wave of nostalgia that hits me whenever I sit down to watch. When times get tough, I think we all seek out things that remind us of simpler or better times. For me, that’s cartoons. As finals get closer and my stress mounts, you’ll find me hiding under my covers with Netflix buzzing nearby.

And, without further ado, here’s what I’ll be watching:

1. “Animaniacs”

I am nuts about this show. Absolutely nuts. In case, you’re unfamiliar, “Animaniacs” revolves around the zany antics of Warner siblings Yakko, Wakko, and Dot, who were supposedly drawn in the 1930s and locked in the Warner Bros. water tower until they escaped in the early ‘90s. The show aired from 1993 to 1998, and later in reruns, but I was born in ‘95, so it was a while before I could catch and fully understand most of the jokes. Catching reruns of this classic is still fun for me, because a lot of the humor was directed at an adult audience. As such, the show constantly makes references to history and '90s pop culture.

I also hold this cartoon close to my heart because it spawned a spin-off, “Pinky and the Brain,” about two genetically-altered lab mice and their misadventures. Great.

Also, both “Animaniacs” and “Pinky and the Brain” have insanely silly, catchy theme songs. Enjoy.

2. “Captain Planet”

Gooooooo Planet! “Captain Planet,” which also aired in the early ‘90s, follows the stories of five “Planeteers,” teens chosen to defend the earth from disasters like pollution, nuclear power, poor sanitation and crime. Each Planeteer bears a ring that allows them to include an element of nature: earth, fire, wind, water and heart.

You may be asking, “Heart?” Yes. Heart. That Planeteer’s name is Ma-Ti, and he is great. The show is five teens with five special powers, who represent five different international regions and populations, and is pretty amazing.

This amazingness is bolstered once per episode when the Planeteers inevitably get in over their heads and are forced to call upon Captain Planet, a blue-skinned, green-haired superhero with a mullet scarier than any of the show’s villains.

It’s important to note that the show isn’t perfect. Some of its ideas are really outdated and easily misconstrued, and some aspects of plot and animation don’t really stand up well, but I still enjoy a re-watch every now and then.

Bonus: “Captain Planet” also has a great theme song.

3. “X-Men: The Animated Series”

4. “Super Friends”

I wanted to be a superhero when I was little. In some ways, I still do. Sue me.

(Yet another great theme song.)