The 2016 Resurgence 10 Years Later: Sarah Lawrence and Beyond
Colette Paterson ‘28
Graphic by Colette Paterson ‘28
With a new year comes a new wave of nostalgia and 2026 was no exception with an outpour of 2016 throwbacks. Ranging from celebrities to everyday individuals, feeds were flooded with photos of Kylie lipkits, Lush bath bombs and choker necklaces synced with songs like Lush Life by Zara Larsson and Drake’s One Dance. With trend cycles moving at a fast-paced speed and an intense longing for what we perceive as better times I want to explore the reasoning behind this resurgence and how much of it we see on Sarah Lawrence’s campus.
2016 was a year of cultural impact. Music was on a high with the release of Beyonce’s Lemonade and Rihanna’s ANTI. It also hit lows, mourning the losses of icons Prince and David Bowie. The 2016 presidential election was causing tension while things like the Rio Olympics and Pokemon Go were bringing communities together. Meanwhile the Justice For Harambe movement and #TaylorSwiftIsOverParty was trending on Twitter. It was a weird and fun time for pop-culture. While the year had its highlights I don’t know if 2016 being great is the real reason for this revival of American Apparel disco pants and boxed water. It is no secret that while we are living in an incredibly accessible and connective world with social media the youth is still lacking a zest for life.
Tuyên Nguyễn '17 hitches a ride with Emma Sadowski '15 at an exhibition of student work in Heimbold Visual Arts Center.
Image: Ellie Brumbaum '17
Times have always been hard, but in moments of some of the worst political unrest my generation has seen blatant breaching of human rights along with an economic collapse everyone is expecting us to navigate with little to no guidance. I mean even look at Superbowl advertisements. A decade ago it was new Doritos flavors launching, ASPCA guilt trips, and car commercials during game breaks. This year was incredibly representative of our nation’s current state, showing mainly AI companies, GLP-1 promotions and a disturbing Ring doorbell video about using new facial recognition technology that essentially invites the government to survey you disguised as a “find your lost puppy” sob story. With the current state of media I guess one can say it is not surprising why generations are so hooked on nostalgia and glamorizing the past like a new drug.
Sarah Lawrence's improv comedy troupe, Lampoon, performed a Superman-inspired sketch.
Image: Ellie Brumbaum '17
So what was 2016 like at Sarah Lawrence you ask? Well thankfully we have past articles from The Phoenix to show us a little bit of what life looked like on campus. One opinion editorial piece in particular highlights some of the student life at the time. The Black Squirrel (now home to meetings for The Phoenix) was used for open-mic nights compared to now where they are usually hosted in The BWCC living room or the Remy. Students gathered together to celebrate and listen to each other’s work just like today. Heimbold was still displaying student work from our talented artists at Sarah Lawrence. Comedy troupes performed and friends hung out in dorms just like we do now, though a big difference in pictures is looking at how many chokers and chelsea boots you can find. The student residence once called “Gilbert” finished renovations and opened in Fall 2016 and is what students now know as OSilas, thanks to the contributions of Si and Vicki Ford. An interest of the students that has not dwindled since 2016 is the political activism on campus with students. Campus seemed to be incredibly active as the 2016 presidential election dominated articles written for the school at the time, with interviews of voters and even personal stories of supporting candidates like Bernie Sanders. There are reviews of local food spots still around like the Bronxville Diner. The opinions section even hosts an article about online dating culture at the time. A comparison of the dating plights then vs. now is highly entertaining. Many of the same activities students love now were also enjoyed in 2016, even if there is less Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow.
Students applaud the performers at an Open Mic in the Black Squirrel,
Image: Ellie Brumbaum '17
As uncertainty lingers and prices rise for everyday fun activities the younger generations cling to a time that seemed more hopeful. Nowadays, online you can find almost any time period being romanticized. The Y2K revival and glamour of flip phones and juicy couture, McBling era with shutter shades and zebra print and of course summer 2016 where everyone online is convinced it was the pinnacle of human nature. Even “millenial optimism” is coming back as videos of people wearing mustard yellow dancing around cities watching BuzzFeed are coming up in social media feeds. Is romanticising 2016 necessarily a problem? No, but it is interesting to think about why this sudden outpour of attention to a specific year is happening. Were the Drake albums really that good? Or did we just not have to worry about student loans yet? Life documented at Sarah Lawrence in 2016 is fun to look back on for the sake of memories, but it also can make us excited about what’s ahead.
