In life, it is only natural to go through changes. People, places, and things all change as time passes. With a brand new decade ahead of us, I have decided to look back at the past, wanting to see just how different my life was ten years ago. 

Technology has changed the world. Even the anti-tech believers cannot argue with that. In the beginning of 2010, two famous apps were created: Instagram and Angry Birds. Seemingly silly now, Instagram revolutionized the world of social media at the time. Replacing apps like MySpace, this photo-centered app filled an empty gap in the world of technology. Any child or teenager today will most likely not remember life before Instagram. The same goes for Angry Birds. Yes, it does seem overkill to call an internet game revolutionary, but it truly was at the time. Once again, one mere app opened the door for so many other games to be created, like Candy Crush and Clash of Clans. 

Pop culture has gone through many changes as well. Ten years ago, Lady Gaga was known as an eccentric singer, whether it be her wearing her infamous meat dress to the VMAs, or her larger than life stage appearance. Today, Gaga is known as a seasoned artist, who is the recipient of many Grammys, and even an Oscar! Going into 2011, we had the famous Royal Wedding of Prince William and Duchess Kate. This parallels Prince Harry’s marriage to Meghan Markle, which occurred just last year. Who would’ve thought that would have resulted in Harry stepping away from his family, and the throne? HBO entered their golden age of television since The Sopranos and The Wire, creating shows like Game of Thrones and Girls. By the end of the decade, both of those shows have ended, with many people feeling unhappy with the conclusion of Game of Thrones. No one in 2011 would have thought that their favorite show of Ice and Fire would have ended badly. 

We have also lost many stars on the way, such as Whitney Houston, Robin Williams, and David Bowie. We even had our hearts broken when both mother and daughter, Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher, passed away together in a matter of days. 

Although we have had many losses, there have also been huge advances in the pop culture world. The MeToo and Times Up movement took full force as celebrity women began to finally report their experiences of sexual abuse from the infamous producer Harvey Weinstein. People finally became aware of what goes on behind closed doors, especially in the world of Hollywood. Today, Weinstein is serving twenty-three years in prison. The brave women that told their stories have finally had justice served. 

This decade has been a whirlwind, with both positive and negative changes. From the United States’ political landscape being altered with a new presidential election, to the “laurel” and “yanny” debate, we have experienced historic changes that will affect the future. As time passes, we will enter a new decade. And another one. And another. Times will change, along with social sentiment and pop culture. But, as long as people are respectful of each other, our core value of empathy will always remain intact.