Since beginning college, I have begun to resonate with "Spongebob Squarepants" on an even deeper level than before. Sure, as a kid, "Spongebob" was an entertaining cartoon (and I felt betrayed when I found out Krabby Patties weren't real), but it was only when I became a young adult that I realized how truly relatable the story lines were. Take "Squilliam Returns," for example.
This has to be one the most recognizable episodes. Spongebob, being the good friend we know him to be, comes to Squidward's aid when he tries to impress his arch nemesis -- Squilliam Fancyson -- who has become a major success while Squidward wastes his life away at the Krusty Krab. Spongebob commits himself to only knowing about "Fine dining and breathing."
However, while he memorizes everything he knows to be true about fine dining, he forgets everything he knows about anything else. Thus, when asked his name, chaos ensues within his brain.
I feel this episode on a spiritual level because of my own tendencies to do the same thing when studying. If I'm cracking down before a big test, I use all of my energy to memorize every fact known about the subject. For example, I spend endless hours living and breathing the Gettysburg Address, and, by the end of the night, I've forgotten about anything else in existence. Sure, I have the speech memorized forward, backward, and sideways, but I cannot remember my birthday for the life of me. Essentially, I've concentrated all of my brain power on one academic thing, and every synapse that is involved with other topics simply die out. Once I go into what Plankton calls "Maximum overdrive," there's no going back to the previous knowledge I had.
Also, in a larger sense, I feel Squidward on a spiritual level. As a kid, he was the grouchy, snooty character who basically antagonized every episode with his negative outlook. As I've grown up, I've realized that I've become Squidward, in a sense:
1. I'm grumpy at my place of work (aka school).
2. I think I'm talented, but, in reality, I'm terrible at everything I do (dancing, singing, etc).
3. Moreover, I feel more important than I really am, and that, somehow, no one has noticed my obvious greatness.
4. My main emotion is "unimpressed"
5. I'm easily annoyed by people
This article falls under the list of "Endless Reasons Why "Spongebob" Is Essential to Life and Happiness." Hey, you're never too old to indulge in the adventures of a sponge in a pineapple under the sea. If you're ever taking a break from studying, you'd be surprised to realize just how relatable the show is.
