In 2016, we were only kids, embracing our youth, living carefree, and not worrying about the weight of reality that would eventually hit us years later.  As we grew up, we watched culture happen to us. Now, it’s a decade later, in 2026, and we’re finally stepping into adulthood and changing the way the world around us once was. Being that we were nine and twelve years old then, we are now nineteen and twenty-two years old. For me, this moment doesn’t feel like a repeat of the past; it’s a return. A return with full awareness of purpose and freedom, to become the change we observed. We are an optimistic generation that carries the weight of being carefree, but now we move with intention for the greater good of others. 2016 was the background noise of our childhood; 2026 is our year to step on the court and take home team advantage.
“IT’S THAT PHONE!” Chronically Online, But Not Lost.
I can admit I rarely do anything without my phone or some kind of noise in the background. I can eat with it, sleep with it nearby, study with music playing, or simply go for a walk. To older generations, this often appears to be overconsumption or distraction. But it’s a sense of connection, growing up with social media, a generation built on community. We have studied the internet, down to what we do and don’t want to see. Growing up with Vine, Musically (TikTok), YouTube, Instagram, DubSmash, and music culture, we developed our sense of humor, dark or sentimental, our fashion and creativity, and our openness to different walks of life.
Nostalgia As Confidence, Not Escape
When we say “2026 is the new 2016,” we aren’t trying to go back but rather reshape how society has become too serious and doesn’t show compassion for how we embrace who we are; instead, it has compressed us into who the world expects us to be. In 2016, we were safe, curious, and free in our own individuality as kids are; in 2026, we want to let go of social anxiety and remember who we were before. Embracing that we’ve grown up with social media, Vines, TikToks, YouTubes, and songs embedded in our minds, we randomly repeat for a week out in public, a start of getting rid of the social anxiety, which we currently call “vocal stims” out in public.
Why 2026 Matters
We have now entered adulthood, been introduced to independence, discovered our voices, and taken risks. We’ve been through a pandemic, attended school on Zoom, learned to empathize with people thousands of miles away, debunked misinformation, and realized that the system designed for us is not perfect and needs improvement. Now that we are old enough to not just comment on situations that don’t align with our values, we also get to step up and say what and how we feel. We are the most creative and generous generation to come, turning childhood inspiration into the hope that we can find and fix the open cracks that were left and forgotten.
2016 rose to become the change agents of 2026. Yes, we have our fun, live through it all, and it’s not a repeat; it’s to live with purpose. To show the future that we are the reason they sleep peacefully at night.