By,

Kayla Sworthout

It has been nearly a decade since the first Trolls movie hit theaters, yet for many students at Reedsburg Area High School, the year 2016 feels like a distant, "simpler" paradise. Across RAHS hallways and the social media feeds of its students, a new trend, like the one sweeping the United States, is emerging: a collective desire to bring back the vibes, slang, and style of "the good old days" known as 2016.

For many, the appeal lies in the world as it existed before the global pandemic.

“It was pre-COVID, and life just felt peaceful because most of us were kids,” said student Brooke Kvalheim.

This sense of peace often stems from the different way we lived just a few years ago. Before the total dominance of online shopping and the intensity of modern digital life, many in the RAHS remember a world that felt more open.

“I think the trend is saying even as kids we see that the world is becoming a lot every day,” added Study Hall Teach.

Some of the most popular 2016 trends include look back at the things that happened in that year, including:

-The start of Pokemon Go

-The fad of dabbing began

-The mannequin challenge

-Hamilton built a cult following

-Stranger Things took Netflix by storm

-Hoverboards were super popular

While students look back with nostalgia, some RAHS teachers are left scratching their heads. “Sometimes I wonder, why that year?” asked Ms. Margaret Howe, an art teacher.

However, other educators see a deeper purpose in this "time travel." Mrs. Kramer believes that by revisiting the past, students are actually searching for themselves.

“I think it is important because when they are revisiting history, they are able to see if there is anyone who has the same ideas, thoughts, and feelings,” Kramer said. “Even though they are in the past, they can connect with them.”

A major factor in this nostalgia is the evolution of technology. Many students and teachers agree that 2016 was a "brighter" time because social media had not yet become the overwhelming force it is today. Students specifically point to a lack of cyberbullying compared to the present.

“It was a brighter and more happy time,” said Kaden Schara.

The goal for some isn't just to remember 2016, but to use its best parts—the fashion, the slang, and the simpler social connections—to make 2026 a better year.

Yet, for the youngest members of the student body, 2016 is more of a myth than a memory.

“I was six years old when it was the year 2016,” said Savanna Ewers. “When I think back to that year I remember nothing. I can barely remember what I had for breakfast yesterday.”

Whether it’s a clear memory or a borrowed style, the 2016 trend proves that sometimes, the best way to handle a "heavy" present is to look back at a lighter past.