I always reflect on the past with rose-tinted glasses, seeing things as better than they actually were. As this election season stresses me out every day, I wish that I could turn back the clock to the years between 2007 and 2010. There was a terrible recession and a president who wasn’t a national embarrassment, and I had no idea! I was just an elementary school student who cared far more about memorizing my times tables and beating the islands on Poptropica.
Plenty of children are affected by modern societal issues, and the media makes them hyperaware of these injustices. I hope that today’s elementary schoolers are able to stay blissfully unconcerned about the complexities of politics. It is important to educate kids about the questionable history of the United States, as well as the importance of true equality. However, they should be allowed to be kids. The economy, international trade and other nuanced issues shouldn’t be an emotional burden yet.
It is obvious that the United States is too polarized to ignore the daily discourse. I sometimes dream of avoiding it all, riding my Razor scooter into the sunset while sipping on a Capri Sun. These nostalgic phenomena take me back to when I didn’t care about politics.
I clocked the hours of a part-time job on Webkinz, diligently taking care of my pets. I made sure to spin the “Wheel of Wow” every day, hoping to win cute clothes and fun furniture for my house. The games “Home Before Dark” and “Cash Cow 2” were my streams of income as I raked in that cold, hard Kinzcash.
I always looked forward to visiting Arte, the dog who ran the antique shop. Before I headed into the gem mine, he greeted me in that weirdly deep voice: “Welcome to the Curio Shop. Hope you find what you’re looking for.” I wasn’t worried about Arte’s exchange rate on gems, but in hindsight, they fluctuated quite a bit. Was inflation a big issue in Webkinz World? At least Kinzcash was tax-free! I’m not sure what money kept the Webkinz government afloat, but at least they weren’t granting tax breaks to the elites.
I loved breaking a sweat during “Just Dance 2,” which was the best version of this popular Wii game. “Just Dance 2” featured bop after bop, including “Hey Ya!” by Outkast and “Girlfriend” by Avril Lavigne. Some of my biggest childhood arguments were over the next song to dance to. I assume the world would be in much better shape if that was still a pressing concern of mine nowadays.
I can recall my elementary gym teacher hooking up a Wii to the projector—my class busted down the dance floor to “Tik Tok” by Kesha. I broke out my best moves in an attempt to impress my classmates, and it was definitely not awkward or cringe-worthy in the slightest. Oh, what a simple time.
I was also a Pop-Tart enthusiast, arguing day and night that the “Brown Sugar Cinnamon” ones are superior. I was an innovator in the kitchen—I would spread peanut butter on top after I toasted the pastry. It was deserving of a chef’s kiss.
Today’s elementary schoolers still need the opportunity to play silly computer games and eat weird snacks without worries for the future lingering in the back of their minds. I logged into Webkinz recently and briefly forgot about COVID, the makeup of the Supreme Court, climate change and other pressing issues. I was at peace. If AOC decides to live stream again, she should play around in the Webkinz arcade. Maybe she’d win a cool prize from the “Wheel of Wow!”