We are pages — some penned neatly, some scribbled in a hurry. As we read our experiences, we realize every indent marks a change. Every scratch-out shows a shift in thinking. Subconsciously, our own development mirrors how the world is changing.

   In the dozen years since the senior class of 2026 started first grade, the world has endured a lot.

   The most obvious is COVID-19. The pandemic isolated us and altered the way we connected with each other and ourselves.

   “I felt a little vulnerable during that time … and it changed the habits I took,” senior Trevor Koo said.

   More importantly, technology has altered the way we live our lives.

   “When I was in first grade … playing outside was something I did every day instead of messing around with tech,” senior Zoe Detrick said.

   Additionally, the rise of social media impacted our every day life.

   “Social media has changed the way I do my makeup, the way I dress, and even the way I act,” senior Mailey Wang said.

   Now, AI has seeped into our lives and has become a classroom staple, fearing the future will leave us behind.

   Throughout the decade, pop culture has shifted continuously. The Golden State Warriors have climbed to the top, reigned, and fallen. New slang, like “delulu” and “sus,” appeared out of thin air and vanished without a trace. New music artists like Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, and Benson Boone rose to fame.

   Politics became more volatile. Wars have started, ended, and continued. Promises by politicians were made, kept, and broken.

   Just like the world, the way we write our stories is always changing — looking back, our words feel unrecognizable. Senior Ian Hsiao described his first-grade versus current self.

   “I was innocent, crazy, and stubborn,” Hsiao said. “But now I’m empathetic, ambitious, and driven.”

   Thanks to our experiences, we see the world differently.

   “When I was little, everything was black and white, yes and no,” Koo said. “But today there’s so much more to it than just understanding one or the other.”

   As our stories lengthen, we’ll witness chapters close and new plots unravel. Looking back at the transitions and the change, the world becomes so much more meaningful.