Spanish teacher Jacob Sexton (top) was in a band at the turn of the millenium. Science and physical education teacher Jodi Mirman (bottom) spent Y2K in Parkland, Florida. Mental Health Counselor Amy Gray (middle, second from right in the photo) rang in the year 2000 with her friends and family in a basement. Y2K, the transition moment into the 21st century, was a time of excitment, expectation and anxiety for those who remember it.
Photos courtesy of Jacob Sexton, Jodi Mirman and Amy Gray.
By Jordyn Cordy
By Jordyn Cordy
February 12, 2025
Spanish teacher Jacob Sexton was in downtown Akron on New Year’s Eve in 1999. He had visited the city every year for the New Year’s celebration, but this time it was different. The turn of the millennium was exciting and felt especially significant. Some people were worried, however.
“Everyone was afraid that all of the computers were going to stop working,” Sexton said. “People feared that when the calendar hit ‘00’ the dates would mess all of the systems up. Right before New Year’s Eve, people were hoarding water and supplies.”
Some people even thought that the world might end. Y2K (year 2000) was the dawn of a new millennium. It marked a turning point in technology, economics, history and culture. The world was coming to grips with the “digital age” and the internet was becoming an important part of everyday life for many people. For Sexton, who at the time enjoyed wrestling, rock climbing, hiking, camping and playing guitar in a band, some of the era’s fashion trends were questionable—in particular, spiky hair with blonde (or “frosted”) tips.
“I looked awful,” Sexton said.
Copley mental health counselor Amy Gray rang in the year 2000 differently. She celebrated New Year’s Eve in her parents’ basement with her sister and their two best friends. They prepped in case the world ended: the bathtub was filled with water and they kept flashlights at hand in case the power went out. Luckily, nothing catastrophic happened after the ball dropped.
“It was very anticlimactic,” Gray said.
Pop culture made a strong impression on Gray in the year 2000, including teen magazines and movies like “10 Things I Hate About You.” Gray remembers that there were many music rivalries at the time, such as NSYNC vs. The Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears vs. Christina Aguilera, and the new Destiny’s Child members. When asked about a slang word that represented that time, Gray did not hesitate.
“Bling,” Gray said.
Biology and physical education teacher Jodi Mirman celebrated New Year’s Eve 1999 in Parkland, Florida. At the time she enjoyed coaching basketball and tennis, along with rollerblading and running for fun. She remembers music being dominated by NSYNC and Britney Spears, and unlike Sexton she looks back fondly on the fashion of the time.
“I miss low-rise pants and bell bottoms,” Mirman said.
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