Steven Universe: OMG I need to talk about it

​If you've ever spoken to me, I've probably brought up the cartoon,

Steven Universe.

It's on Cartoon Network and you can stream it on Hulu -

​​and you get to watch without commercials cause it's a freakin kids show!!

Now, you might not be into cartoons or kids shows. If not, you're missing out on something really wonderful cause the new ones are super inclusive and they talk about really deep, emotional topics for kids, and none do this better than Steven Universe.

I thoroughly believe this show will make you a better improviser because you'll learn to be a more empathetic person.

So, I'm going to give you my mini-episode guide. Each episode is about 12 minutes, and you can totally watch this show out of order. It can be kind of a tough show to get into if you start right from the beginning, because the show is extremely silly. It's a kid's show. However, this show has so much heart, that I want you to see these specific episodes first.

All you really need to know about the show is this:

Steven is half human on his dad's side, half alien on his mom's. The Alien part of him is called the Crystal Gems who have all sorts of dope super alien powers and he and them protect Beach City. His mother died to have him, and he's the only one of his kind. Okay I think that's it? Yeah that's all you'll need. EEek I'm so excited for you!!!

1. Season 1 Episode 12: Giant Woman

This episode will give you a good understanding of the show to start you off. Very silly, very positive. Oh also this show is sort of a musical! A lot of the episodes have songs, I think you'll like this one.

2. Season 1 Episode 14: Lars and the Cool Kids

A much more serious episode, less to do with the Crystal Gems but more to do with human emotion and our need to be accepted. A lot of it goes into how we don't need to try so hard, we just need to be honest and others will respond.

3. Season 1 Episode 37 : Alone Together

Such an honest and beautiful interpretation of what anxiety can feel like, but also exists my now-favorite quote that I want tattooed on my body someday "You are an experience."

4. Season 1 Episode 39: Future Vision

A great example about not planning, but staying present. And when you listen to information you can see "options and trajectories."

Okay, I'm just going to start you out on those 4. That's about 48 minutes of homework, and then you have an awesome beautiful new show to watch AND THEN WE CAN GAB ABOUT IT MORE! Omg I can't wait to hear what you think.

Finally, please watch this video from Season 4 Episode 4: "Mindful Education."

You'll learn that Garnet is by far the coolest character on the show, and here is one of her incredible songs, "Here Comes a Thought." An overwhelm of negative thoughts come into our minds, so Garnet sits down with Stevonnie to meditate and repeat the mantra,

"Flexibility, Love, and Trust."

Negative thoughts are constantly in our heads, and most of the time we think they're truths. But In actuality, they're just thoughts.

I think this is immensely important in improv, because it will help you judge your choices less and less, hopefully to a point where you don't judge them at all. A way to get there is absolutely through:

• Flexibility: Saying yes to the offers coming your way, no need to get fixated on one way to do things. Adapt to your situation and see how that makes you feel.

• Love: Play with love all the time. Make each other look good by loving what your partner says. Don't worry about who you'll be in the scene, but instead ask yourself, "Who can I be for my partner?"

• Trust: Trust your partners, and trust yourself. Say something, and trust that it will be correct. Even if it's jibberish, we together will make sense of it.

When I get stressed out, I'll listen to this song and repeat the mantra, and I really do feel better. Steven Universe is a beautifully done production, full of love and weirdness. It's helped me a lot.

So enjoy the show, y'all. Please let me know your thoughts, I'm dying to talk with people about this show!