21 Lessons Mario Lopez Wishes He Knew During His Saved By The Bell Days

It’s been more than 30 years since Saved by the Bell first aired on NBC, and Mario Lopez, who played jock A.C. Slater, tells Elite Daily the crew still keeps in touch today. “I’ll see Tiffani [Thiessen] with her kids, Mark-Paul [Gosselaar] and I will train together in jiu-jitsu, and Elizabeth [Berkley] and I will do stuff,” he says.

That tight-knit Bayside High crew reunited for the new Box Tops for Education’s “Saved by the Box Tops” campaign, celebrating 30 years of giving back to schools. Right now, fans can find perfectly ’90s-inspired boxes of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cheerios, and Lucky Charms cereal featuring throwback photos of Slater, Zack Morris, Kelly Kapowski, and Jessie Spano. General Mills is also donating $10,000 to 30 schools in need.

“Our show being a bit nostalgic and people resonating with it kind of hits different when you’re a parent, so I’m glad to be able to continue to raise the awareness level,” says Lopez.

That nostalgia for Saved by the Bell is exactly why Peacock rebooted the series in 2020 with a new cast of characters, including Off Campus’ Belmont Cameli and The Buccaneers’ Josie Totah. Lopez and the OG cast reprised their roles too, so fans got to see Slater take on the role of athletic director at Bayside. “He’s one of those dudes that are stuck in their era, which I kind of like. Those people are funny. He’s stuck in his era, listening to the same playlist, and hanging out,” he says.

Looking back at his time on Saved by the Bell and finding fame in his teens, Lopez has a few things he would go back and tell his younger self. Below, he shares 21 of the life lessons he wishes he knew back then.

1. On Parents

Your parents are right about more things than you want to admit. At 21, you think you have all the answers. The older you get, the more you appreciate their wisdom. I didn’t necessarily question my parents, but I just wanted to butt heads. My dad led with fear, so I didn’t really question too much.

2. On Important Traits

Being reliable is an underrated superpower.

3. On True Success

Success is a lot more fun when your family gets to enjoy it with you. Success means being healthy, happy, and surrounded by people you love.

4. On Childhood Friends

If you’re lucky enough to still have your childhood friends, keep making time for them. Whether it’s old friends from school or reuniting with the Saved by the Bell cast like I am, it’s a gift to pick up right where you left off.

Time with family is the real luxury.

5. On Teachers

The older you get, the more you realize that teachers don’t get enough credit. They can change your life by changing the trajectory of what you want to do.

6. On Artistic Dreams

Every kid deserves the chance to dream big. I wish my school had more of the creative arts program and the theater program. Outside of your typical education subjects — like math, science, and English — the arts are very important.

7. On Giving Back

Don’t underestimate small acts of giving back. A little action — like scanning Box Tops — can make a big difference in someone’s future.

8. On Comfort Foods

The foods you loved as a kid never stop being comforting. I grew up on General Mills cereals and was a self-proclaimed Honey Nut Cheerios king. They’re still just as delicious today.

9. On Quality Time

Time with family is the real luxury. You’ll spend years chasing accomplishments and eventually realize the most memorable moments are the ones when you’re huddled in the kitchen enjoying freshly baked Betty Crocker brownies.

Reuniting with old friends is one of life’s greatest gifts.

10. On Social Media

It’s easy getting your friends together now with social media. You can always connect with someone by sliding into their DMs and just start a group chat. Back in the day, we didn’t have a way to get a hold of each other. You just had to wait for the 10-year or 20-year reunion. Now, you can kind of reunite every day if you wanted to. That is one of the positives of social media.

11. On Your Roots

Reuniting with old friends is one of life’s greatest gifts. It reminds you where you came from. Never forget the people, places, and teachers who helped you get started.

12. On Other People’s Opinions

You don’t need everyone to like you.

13. On Planning The Future

It’s OK if you don’t have everything figured out. Nobody has life figured out at 21.

14. On Style

Fashion trends will repeat whether you like it or not, so embrace the nostalgia. I don't know if there’s any trends that I wish would make a comeback from the ’90s. What’s funny is my hair was atrocious back then, but now, all these kids are rocking that broccoli haircut or the alpaca haircut. They want perms. I was ahead of the curve with that.

15. On Time Management

Being busy and being productive are not the same thing.

16. On Jobs

People may hire you for your talent, but they’ll bring you back because of your character.

Never be too cool to hustle. Working hard will take you far.

17. On Priorities

Always say yes to spending time with friends and family. My family’s my No. 1 priority. I always say my four F’s in life are family, fitness, faith, and food. If it doesn’t align with those buckets, then it’s not really worth my time or energy.

18. On Being Cringe

Never be too cool to hustle. Working hard will take you far.

19. On Travel

Travel as much as you can. The world gets bigger the more of it you see.

20. On Living In The Moment

Take a second to appreciate the good moments while you’re living them.

21. On Work Friends

The whole experience of Saved by the Bell was a lot of fun. I’m most happy that I came away with great friendships.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.