On Dec. 31, 2009, I was a 7-year-old girl waiting to count down the new year. I remember thinking how cool I felt to be staying up until midnight with my parents. I was still so young and I had my whole life ahead of me. As the clock struck 12, it was 2010.

At that moment, 5,256,000 minutes flew by, five new “Star Wars” movies were made, about 4 million people were born each year, one new president was elected, and Apple created about 16 new types of iPhones. In the blink of an eye, I became a senior in high school looking at colleges, and the 10s decade changed to the 20s. I was no longer that 7-year-old girl. Now, all we can do is reminisce over what the decade brought to us.

The only word that I can think of to summarize the last 10 years is bittersweet: a sad goodbye, but a hopeful new beginning. As many Gen Z kids like me, the 10s were the development our childhood. It was the time period where we learned to grow and in the process found ourselves. Wii games, Nintendo DS, Mario Kart, silly bands, Disney, hair feathers, scrunchies, Webkinz and so much more helped shape our young lives. Ten years is a lot of time; it is more than half my lifetime. The emotional farewell to the 10s will be difficult because it was the period that defined our youth.

Not only was it a growing decade for people personally, it was also a progressive era for the world as a whole. The technology boom was a big part of the past years, especially with the company Apple. Now, almost everyone has an iPhone and is active on some type of social media. According to the website Omnicore, since July 2019, 32% of all internet users are on Instagram and 63% of Americans use the app daily. The evolution of technology and the internet has forever shaped our world.

As a result, it was a pivotal time period of change. Change was everywhere, specifically with social issues. Many movements were started in this decade such as Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ, and  Me Too. I believe these changes were necessary. Change is necessary to learn and grow, especially as the world keeps turning.

Overall, I still feel like that 7-year-old in 2009. It still has not processed in my mind that it is 2020. I will remember this decade for its ultimate changes and monumental adjustments.

From mom jeans to new dance trends like the “whip” and “woah,” the decade was one to never forget. As a new decade emerges, I want to remind everyone to make these next 10 years the best because it will all go by so fast. You never know what crazy fashion trends will be in style or if we will have flying cars or talking robots. In the blink of an eye, it will be 2030 already, so let’s make this new decade last.