The Class of 2013 first arrived on campus Aug. 21, 2009. The world was still in shock nearly two months after the unexpected death of Michael Jackson. Twilight was still popular and Miley Cyrus looked nothing like Draco Malfoy. No one had heard of Tinder, Lulu, Snapchat, Instagram or Pinterest, and Twitter was used solely to stalk celebrities. Since then, "tweet" has been added to the dictionary, taking pictures of yourself in public has become perfectly acceptable, you can get an iPhone for a penny and Snooki is a mom. Clearly a lot can change in four years and the world today is a very different place than it was in 2009. Oh, and we survived the Mayan Apocalypse.
2009:
- June 25 - Michael Jackson dies
o The King of Pop was planning a comeback tour and was rehearsing in Los Angeles when his health took a dramatic turn for the worse. The world went crazy, causing websites such as Twitter, Wikipedia, the Los Angeles Times, TMZ and even AOL Instant Messager (which people still used, apparently) to crash for short periods of time.
- August 21 - Welcome to college
o You were a naïve freshman back then, still used a map to navigate campus and had nightmares about losing your friends in the dining hall or dropping your tray (ok, you probably still have these). You also met your Domerfest Date, who you continued to awkwardly run into over the next four years.
- September 13 - Kanye TSwift "Imma let you finish ... "
o Taylor Swift was in the middle of accepting the MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video when Kanye West pulled a classic Kanye West. He climbed on stage, grabbed the microphone from Swift and uttered the now-immortal words. His rant ran out of steam fast and ended awkwardly, showing once again he's not that great in live performances.
- December 18 - "Avatar"
o Viewers were awe-struck after walking out of the 3-D theater because of the amazingly realistic animation and unique story line of the futuristic film. Also, the animal-like characters inspired Ben Stiller to paint himself blue at the Oscars and made great Halloween costumes the following October. Creepy, if you ask me.
2010:
- February 19 - Tiger Woods scandal
o Following months of tabloid speculation and more than a dozen women claiming affairs with him, Tiger Woods makes a television statement admitting to spending the previous month-and-a-half in a sexual addiction therapy program. Woods, once the No. 1 golf player in the world and highest paid player in professional sports between winnings and sponsorships, lost most of his lucrative sponsorships following the scandal and has won only one PGA Tour since.
- July 13 - "Inception"
o Exploring the Freudian concept of dreams and the capabilities of the human mind, "Inception" successfully confused crowds and became one of the most talked about movies of the year. Earning over $800 million worldwide, Christopher Nolan's film became one of the highest-grossing movies of all time.
- September 17 - "The Town"
o Directed by and starring Ben Affleck, this dramatic crime film was set in Boston and depicted a gang of robbers and their interactions with the FBI. It earned a worldwide total of $154 million and was made on a budget of only $37 million.
2011:
- May 13 - "Bridesmaids"
o SNL comedians Kristin Wiig and Maya Rudolph played on-screen best friends in the hilarious, dare I say it, "Mean Girls" equivalent of the decade. Quotes from the film sneak their way into at least half of all my conversations, most of them coming from the hilarious Australian actress Rebel Wilson. Brides everywhere are imitating the cover art, which shows bride-to-be Annie and her five clashing bridesmaids in their matching dresses.
- July 15 - "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 2"
o Every 90s kid died a little bit at the midnight premier of the final Harry Potter film. Ten years after the release of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," the final film brought tears to the eyes of all the teenagers dressed up as Harry and Hermione sitting in the theater. Although the ending was slightly cheesy with the attempt to make the actors look 10 years older, the film marked the end of an era and was the highest-grossing film of 2011.
- October 5 - Steve Jobs dies
o When the co-founder of Apple Inc. died, the world just might have stopped as everyone was left in shock. It is difficult to imagine a world without Macs, iPhones, iPads and especially iTunes, and Jobs can be credited for each product. At the young age of 56, Jobs died of pancreatic cancer and the world lost a genius.
2012:
- July 20 - "The Dark Knight Rises"
o The final film in the Batman series, "The Dark Knight Rises" had high expectations from fans. The superhero film brought droves of people out to the midnight premiere, but its release will always be tainted by the memory of the shooting in a theater in Aurora, Colo. Identifying himself as the "Joker," the gunman opened fire during the midnight premiere and sent terror across the nation.
- November 6 - Obama reelected president
o After months of campaigning and tense debates, the 2012 election took place on Tuesday, Nov. 6. Media outlets portrayed the election throughout the entire day, and the results weren't released until the early morning hours on Wednesday. Obama won with 332 electoral votes while Romney lagged behind with 206.
- December 17 - "Gossip Girl" series finale
o Ever since watching the very first episode of the racy The CW Network show, every teenage girl has been anxiously awaiting the moment where the identity of "the one and only source into the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite" Gossip Girl was revealed. The final episode was both emotional and intriguing with the big revelation. Viewers who had grown up with the Blair, Chuck, Serena and Dan felt like a chapter of their lives was ending. Monday nights just aren't the same without the drama of the Upper East Side and the voice of Kristin Bell. Xoxo ...
2013:
- January 31 - End of "30 Rock"
o NBC's hit comedy "30 Rock" came to an end after seven seasons and was well-received by its fans. Tina Fey's acting and writing came together perfectly for the show, and no matter how perfect the ending may have been, viewers were sad to say goodbye to its beloved characters.
- February 24 - Jennifer Lawrence falls at Oscars, wins best actress
o "Hunger Games" and "Silver Lining Playbook" starlet Jennifer Lawrence continued her reputation of being your relatable girl next door by taking a graceful fall on her way up to claim Best Actress award at the Oscars. Resembling Cinderella on the stairs to the ball, Lawrence tripped over her dress and opened her speech by saying, "You all are only clapping for me because I fell." She is hilarious and down to earth, especially in interviews when she sassily responds to generic questions.
- May 19 - Commencement
o Welcome to the real world.
