With the return of 2016, nostalgia reminds you of what you were listening to, watching, or reading at the time. What made it an unforgettable year that people are still reminiscing about? At a time before AI and short-form videos, reading culture was way stronger amongst youth. I was only nine in 2016, in Year 4, and I was obsessed with reading. I was at the peak of my reading years, reading everything from Harry Potter, The Chronicles of Narnia, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Geronimo Stilton, Judy Blume, Roald Dahl, and so much more that I bet many of you read too, becoming a staple to many childhoods. However, one book that I had read around that time, whose message feels especially relevant today, is Wonder by R.J. Palacio.

Wonder follows the story of a ten-year-old boy named Auggie who has facial differences and is about to start school for the first time after being homeschooled his whole life. Due to his facial differences, Auggie faces a lot of challenges and difficulties with a lot of people not treating him fairly. The story is told from different viewpoints, but all share the same message in the end about the importance of kindness.

I remember reading this when I was about Auggie’s age, but I was so hopeful and innocent that I never imagined that people could treat others differently solely based on their looks. The book opened my eyes to the discrimination that exists in the world from a young age. It also made me contemplate the lack of tolerance in the world, seeing that all of Auggie’s problems in the book were caused by other people’s unkindness, just like in so many people’s everyday lives. It’s a lesson that I felt deeply at nine years old, but one that resonates even more profoundly today.

When we look back at 2016, a pre-AI, less polarised world, we think of how it made us feel, how it was a more authentic and carefree time with a more hopeful and positive mindset. If we really do want this 2016 feeling back of being free and united, kindness is always the answer. I believe that the lack of empathy and acceptance going around right now is what’s causing this tension and difficult times.

Let’s learn from Wonder and learn to be accepting and to celebrate individuality.

Words by Sofia Simaan Cantuaria

The beginning of a new year always conjures up some good old nostalgia. The internet has recently commemorated this new year by looking at the past decade, declaring that we are going all the way back to 2016 trends. Personally, this was the year I started to take an interest in reading, and one book that stands out to me is the Geek Girl series by author Holly Smale. The Geek Girl books began in 2013, but unfortunately, I didn’t get my hands on them until three years later. The series follows the life of protagonist, Harriet Manners, a socially awkward fifteen-year-old turned model sensation. In an attempt to reinvent herself after relentless bullying at school, Manners takes the opportunity to become a model, embarking on a life-affirming journey of self-discovery after always being labelled an ‘outcast’.

I was first introduced to the series in 2016 by my mum, who bought me the first book to hopefully spark my interest in literature, which it somewhat did, as I am a second-year English Literature student. In the series, Smale addresses themes of neurodiversity, bullying and self-acceptance. As a fellow shy and introverted 10-year-old, the looming start of secondary school was on the horizon, which filled me with utter dread. The anticipation of moving on from primary school was nerve-racking. However, for the first time, Smale’s characterisation of Manners allowed my younger self to feel a common affliction with her struggle to fit in. I could see myself in this ‘geek girl’ as she was recognised for her quirks and praised for the qualities that allowed her to stand out from the rest. This coming-of-age series was a perfect solace for my young self to get lost in.

Now, the internet reminisces about the people we were and what we did. But why do we yearn for 2016 again? If you ask me, it was a much simpler time, with concerns mainly revolving around Loom Band dealings in the playground on Monday mornings. A world without my phone, or social standings relying on online apps, when primary school friendships were the pinnacle of my pre-teen days. In reflection, 2016 brings back wholesome memories of young friendships, childhood nostalgia and boundless fun. This longing for a time that has passed can elicit a comforting notion, as we perhaps mourn simpler days and what we have lost in the process.

Words by Ava Venter

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash. License found here.