Hearing that one nostalgic tune, revisiting old games, and eating a favorite childhood snack are ways that take me back to the good days of when I was a kid. I often find myself reminiscing about my memories and comparing them to the present; everything has changed immensely.
In the late 2010s, YouTube was known for its memes and gaming, which played a massive part in my childhood. After school, the first thing I would do was immediately binge-watch my favorite YouTubers, ItsFunneh, TheOdd1sOut, Kavra, ChadAlan, and so many more. Looking back, YouTube held an unforgettable spark that would reel me in every time.
Before the 2020s, YouTube created end-of-the-year videos called YouTube Rewinds, where they’d showcase the trends of the time. This would excite me as each year ended because everybody would get together to see who and what was featured. They’d cover slime, Fortnite dances, memes, and TikTok trends, which was a highlight of my year as they covered as much as possible without leaving any trend out.
However, whenever I compare the present with the past, it brings gut-wrenching remembrance due to the enormous difference between the new trends. Instead of hearing the usual teen language that consumed my childhood, I find myself hearing “Getting sendy,” “67,” and “Labubu,” which are entirely different from what I had grown up with.
It felt as if each saying was different, yet it’s so similar to what there once was. The truth is that every kid is ready to grow up quickly, but when you step into high school, you suddenly wish to be a kid again.
Often, I find it aching to recall that I will never experience the joy of being a kid and using childhood jargon. Each expression would consist of “XD” and screaming 2010 brainrot, where kids would dab every chance they got, making me realize that time keeps moving even when you’re not ready. Even old songs that were labeled as “nightcore” (song remixes that were much faster and higher-pitched than the original) had changed to “sped-up songs” in this new era.
Those moments in time are so memorable; they united people, and I made friends through being cringey and sharing our similar interests. In each online platform of union, such as Roblox, I had an exciting experience connecting with others.
I think back to the late 2010s Roblox experience and find myself longing for it. Whenever I search for a game, it’s all a bore, and the old games have been abandoned or deleted.
The games I once enjoyed no longer contain the same vibe as before, which caused them to become forgotten. Additionally, it was the aesthetic that the games conveyed that made them so enjoyable, and the fact that I was a kid.
I, along with many others, wish to time-travel back to those days, but that’s because as you grow, you lose interest in what you originally fixated on. If I went back to 2016 with my current mindset, I wouldn’t watch the same YouTubers, play the same games, and I definitely wouldn’t dab every second I could. However, living in the present is the best way to enjoy life.
