Photo Essay: 2000s Nostalgia
Laine May ‘22 displays a colorful High School Musical purse. The Disney Channel original film, which became an instant hit when it aired on TV in 2006, just celebrated its 15th anniversary.
The High School Musical purse, which reads “The future is a BIG place,” conveys a message of anticipation for a bright future. This idea is reflective of the film franchise, which emphasizes following one’s dreams and explores the struggles of Troy Bolton, pictured on the purse, as he reconciles his passions for both basketball and singing and makes big decisions about what to do with his life.
Margot Schneider ‘22, with wrists covered in Sillybandz and Rainbow Loom bracelets. Both jewelry items were popular during the time when Margot was in lower school.
Closeup of Sillybandz and Rainbow Loom bracelets. Sillybandz, popular in 2010 with children who traded them on the playground, are small rubber bracelets cut into various shapes. Rainbow Loom, a 2013 sensation, is a bracelet weaving system involving small rubber bands and a plastic loom.
Rachel Luce ‘21 holds up a technological relic, an iPod. The music listening device isn’t the only element of this photo with nostalgic power; the location itself holds memories for Rachel. “I have to stand in this spot because I’m right in front of my lower school locker,” she explains as she poses.
Closeup of Rachel’s iPod. The iPod Nano, first introduced in 2005, is a small device with music and photo capabilities but no internet connectivity.
For us students who are nearing the end of our careers at FSS, the time ahead will likely be filled with reflection as we transition from childhood to adulthood. Gen Z is coming of age, and in my photo series, I wanted to document a sampling of the items that defined the collective childhood of many of my classmates. High School Musical, Sillybandz, Rainbow Loom, and iPods aren’t simply expired trends; they’re cultural artifacts that stand as a testament to how kids grew up in the 2000s. The backdrops of these photos are also part of the nostalgia. The junior and senior students photographed, who were small enough to fit inside the lower school lockers not too long ago, now tower over them. As we near the end of our time in these spaces at FSS, I hope looking back at the forces that shaped our youth can bring us some of that same joy we felt as carefree lower schoolers filling our ears with iPod music and covering our arms with rubber bracelets.
Annie Rupertus is a member of the class of 2021. In addition to being a class officer, an athlete, and a participant in various social justice-related...
