As I’m nearing my eighteenth birthday, I’ve sort of been thinking (nonstop) about what it’s been like growing up in the 2010s. I’ve come to the conclusion that it was an experience like no other. It was so different from my parents' childhood, and my grandparents of course had no idea whatsoever how to relate to us. I’ve heard tons of people say that it was a sad time to be a kid, compared to the 40s or the 60s. My parents were disappointed in the fact that instead of going to the movies every weekend my generation had YouTube and Netflix to log into when we wanted to relax after school. They had Joni Mitchell, and we had Miley Cyrus. They had Mary Tyler Moore, we had Debby Ryan. But– it was a magical time for us. We had our own world back then. Our own universe.

The very beginnings of Minecraft, and Netflix, and Facetime, and all these magical, strange things just came to fruition as my generation was old enough to appreciate it. It was literally like one year this whole metaverse came to the table and we suddenly had Ipad’s all to ourselves, and these overwhelming group chats where all the girls from school talked endlessly about how they shopped at Justice for their birthday or were in love with Justin Bieber. Remember Justice? I was completely obsessed with that store in 2013. My life revolved around the possibility of buying a new sparkly emoji sweatshirt for school, or a big fuzzy pink lunch box that had my first initial in gemstones on the front. My first day of fifth grade I was entirely decked out in Justice gear. I had on a glittery long sleeved shirt with a big black star on it, and little shorts that said “SWIM” with a purple peace sign on the side and cheetah prints. I felt like the coolest ten-year-old in the world. And of course the constant hand-me-downs from various older cousins made their way into my closet – numerous navy Aeropostale jackets, more Justice graphic tees with little cartoon pandas on them, pink undershirts with the uncomfortable bra sewn into them that I totally hated.

But I feel like the 2010s were really defined by Disney Channel and the stars that came out of it. I mean, who didn’t come home after kindergarten to watch ICarly and Hannah Montana obsessively? In the mid 2010s, my lineup religiously consisted of Good Luck Charlie, Jessie, Austin and Ally, Dog with a Blog, Phineas and Ferb, and later on, Girl Meets World and Bunk’d. It was a universe that was familiar to only us… the kids of our generation. I idolized the cast of Jessie, and even sent away for an autographed picture when I was eleven and hung it on my bedroom wall. The Disney Channel movies that came out of this time, like Radio Rebel, Lemonade Mouth, Princess Protection Program, and so much more were filled with all the stars from the shows we loved, so it was familiar and comforting. I think I watched Lemonade Mouth five times at least.

We were the generation that started with YouTube but somehow ended up with Spotify. I was at a friend’s house in 2012 when I witnessed Spotify’s magical world for the first time. Up until this point it had been strictly CD’s, or the occasional perusal of YouTube with a parent’s supervision. “You mean to tell me you can get any song in the world on here?” I asked with my mouth literally hanging open. I was shocked and oh so delighted. I looked up the Sound of Music soundtrack immediately. From then on, whenever I had friends over from school for an afternoon or a party, I curated my own Spotify playlist of the greatest hits of that year. In 2012, it was Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepsen, Good Time by Owl City, and We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together by Taylor Swift. In 2013, it was Roar by Katy Perry, Come and Get It by Selena Gomez, and Heart Attack by Demi Lovato. In 2014, All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor, Fancy by Iggy Azalea, and Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars topped the charts. 

I never realized it when I was in the middle of my childhood but I realize now that those years really were the best of times. There are certain perks to being a 2010’s kid that other generations can’t relate to– blasting Hurricane by Bridgit Mendler in the shower, coming home from school and playing Club Penguin, Moshi Monsters and Animal Jam for hours and hours on the computer. All those crazy trends like having to learn The Cup Song from Pitch Perfect, buying hoards of silly bands and rainbow loom to be exactly like everyone else, viral videos that you still know every word to like Gangnam Style and What Does The Fox Say– and of course getting your very first IPad or IPod and downloading Fruit Ninja and Temple Run excitedly. Our days were filled with playing four square and roleplaying “Mentor” and “Apprentice” roles like in the beloved Warriors book series, playing with American Girl dolls and Monster High, Zuzu Pets and Littlest Pet Shop figurines.

I went food shopping with my Dad after school and picked out my favorite treats– Annie’s mac and cheese that came in a little orange box, and the classroom favorite of mine that I had in my lunchbox daily– Annie’s fruit gummies (the pink lemonade was my personal favorite). There was Amy’s frozen pizza and frozen enchiladas that I adored, those little Wallaby or Chobani yogurt cups, and string cheese that I had as my after school snack most days, and those Rice Dream Bars that I craved all summer long. Remember the thrill of seeing a Broadway show? Matilda and Wicked were ALL the rage back then. It certainly was a glorious time to be a kid. Pippin blew my mind when I was 10.

But now, as I realize my childhood is technically completely over after my eighteenth birthday in six months (not a scary thought at all), I’m also somewhat sick of only reminiscing and desperately wanting to go back. And who wouldn’t want to go back? This pandemic has made all of us dream of the past. But.. you can only move forward if you want to get anything out of life. So I suggest we all try and be slightly excited at the idea of not having to be a kid anymore. It’s time to move on, right? At eighteen we can start making our own decisions, be taken somewhat seriously, and begin to have thoughts of future independence. But… Honestly, I might still be playing Minecraft eating Annie’s mac and cheese out of a box when I’m thirty. And you know what? That is perfectly okay. They say the child in you lives inside for the rest of your life. I look forward to watching Good Luck Charlie with a Rice Dream Bar in hand as a grandma. Onward and upward.