COVER STORY: LOOKING BACK

DECADE IN REVIEW THE

MEMES AARON BASHUK, staff writer

Troll Face: Stemming from the action of trolling, this meme was made to characterize someone who intentionally pranks or comments on the ironies on a post. Trolling started during the rise of social media and can most literally represents a person who intentionally antagonizes people on the internet. Coming from the term troll to describe someone who is intentionally rude or offensive online, this meme was made to show that someone has been pranked or “trolled” or that a post is ironic.

2010:

Nyan Cat: This meme originated as a YouTube video and blended a popular Japanese pop song with a pixelated pop-tart cat flying through space while leaving a rainbow trail close behind. To no surprise, the meme became very popular with several parodies taking shape and even video-games being made with the Nyan Cat as a character. 2011:

Doge/ Gangnam Style: Gangnam Style was the most popular YouTube video for about five years, and was an extremely big influence on pop culture. The video entailed a hilarious music video that was accompanied by a well-known dance. The Doge meme consists of a Shiba Inu dog with colorful text in the background.

2012:

2013:

Harlem Shake: Originally made by YouTuber “TVFilthyFrank” became a viral trend that took over the internet in 2013.

2 | PHOTOGRAPHER14 | GOOGLE IMAGES Apparently Kid/Mom’s Spaghetti: This meme originated from an interview where a kid says the word “apparently”several times which ultimately entitled the child to internet fame. 2014:

Pepe the Frog: This was the start of the current meme culture and was very big in 2015, as well as still having relevance today on twitch.tv. 2015:

2016:

Harambe: This was a viral video of a gorilla abducting a kid that falls into a gorilla pit at a zoo, which then turned into a meme when the gorilla was killed and the gorilla named Harambe was seen as a martyr.

2017:

Hey Beter/B emoji: Stemming from the popular show “Family Guy” this meme took a soundbite of Joe Swanson saying “Hey Peter” and turned it into a extremely popular meme. With this came the use of the B emoji which helped extend the lifespan of “Hey Beter”.

Smash Bros Intros/ Despacito: With the announcement and release of Smash Bros. Ultimate, many memes were created to introduce fake characters such as Danny Devito. Despacito was turned into a meme long after it became popular with fake announcements of Despacito 2 and other fake renditions of Despacito. 2018:

2019:

Big Chungus/ They tryna be crate/Craig/cray: Big Chungus was massive going into 2019 and saw more popularity towards the end of 2019. They tryna be crate/Craig/cray was the meme of the summer and stemmed from the popular song “Kid Cudi” by Playboi Carti and Young Nudy.

A decade in:

Over the last decade, the fashion industry, from its trends to its houses to its creative processes have undergone a world of change. Consumers have seen a shift from 80’s influence and tribal inspired pieces to 2000’s and 1990’s revival, complete with grunge and a revamping of companies like Von Dutch and Juicy Couture. But along with the coming and going of fashion fads, the industry as a whole has seen major changes. Fashion has sped up, and alongside the overproduction of companies like Forever 21 and Zara, “Hypebeast” aesthetics are in and for so many, the classic silhouettes of department stores and high end, slow fashion retailers are out. Sears, Macy’s and Barney’s are just three of the many stores impacted by the transition away from traditional fashion retail. In the past ten years, hundreds of stores have been closed by just these companies, leaving behind empty storefronts as a chill- ing reminder of what t h i s decade has meant for slow retail. Though the constant cycling and recycling of various trends and stores weighs permanently over the entire industry, the 2010’s have placed unprecedented emphasis on this struggle. One stressor of this issue has been the rise of social media, a phenomenon which changed fashion forever. Now, rather than wait for trends to be determined by stores or designers, fashion influencers like the Kardashian-Jenners, Alexa Chung and Harry Styles are providing inspiration for fans and companies. Lines like Fashion Nova are able to turn around imitations in as little as a day, leaving behind the fashion seasons of yesterday and ushering in new expectations. The world and its top-grossing brands have been influenced at a level never seen before. Between Instagram and YouTube, companies have become pawns for influencers. From promo codes to brand deals, brands are now at the liberty of the fans of teenagers and their followings. Seemingly hand in hand with the immediacy of social media, trend cycles have become exaggerated over the decade. “In the 2010’s, there have been so many different trends, f r o m

the revival of the nineties’ to bright neons and latex, and yet, it’s all just repeats of things that have been done before,” said junior Olivia Hayes. Although the new trend pattern has moved so fast, changing almost daily, when was the last time something truly new has been released? Brands are recycling styles, colors, and materials from the eighties to the aughties, forcing consumers to ask: what’s next? Just another revamp? Or something finally different? This cycle is beginning to be upset, primarily due to the influx of new designers encouraged by social media, but the last decade remained predictable in terms of trend patterns. Over the decade, fashion has also remained a political expression for many. Sustainable lines like Reformation have risen to prominence in protest of the cruel practices of mainstream fashion. Other notable protests include the iconic “Meat Dress” from 2010, in protest of homophobic military policies, the Burkini, initially outlawed by France in 2017, only to have the ruling overturned for its perception as islamophobic and sexist and finally, the sea of pink cat ear adorned hats at the women’s marches in 2017. The 2010’s represented an ushering in for many new faces and methods in the fashion industry, but maintained the expression clothing can provide for so many. One can only speculate how the world of fashion will change in the 2020’s, but after this decade, the future looks bright in terms of a whole new world for fashion creators, influencers and consumers. FASHION MAREN STEPHENS, editor-in-chief

Movies and TV often provide a source of entertainment to the public as well as something to look forward to after a long day of work. A select few movies -whether people like them o r not- shape the industry, reflect the times or change the terms of cultural discourse, for better or worse. In the polarized environment we live in, these movies even produce arguments within people that will be remembered for years to come. One movie series that remained at the center of many conversations through the decade was the “Avengers” series, which concluded last year. It represented the ideal movie series, with each movie in the saga gaining an increasing amount of revenue and attention. Conversely, this series revolutionized the movie industry by developing a cinematic universe. “The ‘Avengers’ movies cemented the idea of creating a cinematic universe with overlaying movies and ideas, which allowed many different tones but kept a consistent idea at heart,” said Manuel Matteo, president of Film Club at Johns Creek. Looking back on the decade, the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) transformed from lesser-known movies that several comic fanatics knew about in detail, into the well-known movie titan it is today. Another movie that sparked conversation during the decade was “American Sniper,” a biographical movie that centers on Chris Kyle, a Navy SEAL fighting in the Iraq war. This movie’s controversy stems from its portrayal of the Iraq war and the war on terrorism, which was and still is a delicate subject among many. The movie altered elements of

real events to create a very black and white scene where America is good and Al-Qaeda and the Iraqi citizens are evil. In addition to bringing controversy among the public, “American Sniper” shocked the relatively nonpartisan movie industry with its pro-military and pro-gun ideals. Despite all this, the movie still serves as a household classic and sets a benchmark as a well-directed war movie that will last for decades to come. Many documentaries over the last decade raised awareness of problems otherwise hidden to the public, causing much discussion and controversy. The most famous from the past ten years was “Blackfish,” a documentary that tells the story of Tilikum, the orca who killed three individuals while in captivity. In the documentary, director Gabriela Cowperthwaite investigates the reasons for the attack, and she eventually exposes the unethical practices of several aquariums, specifically SeaWorld. Cowperthwaite’s exposé of the abuse of orca whales at SeaWorld caused what many call “the Blackfish effect.” This led to the public’s realization of the unethical practices occurring in businesses and the types of changes it resulted for the legal system and corporate policies. SeaWorld’s stock is still experiencing a decline, and California passed the “Blackfish Bill” prohibiting killer whale captivity, breeding and trade in California. The documentary “Blackfish” created a ripple effect among the population by redefining people’s attitudes towards large business practices and even affecting the legal system. Overall, the media from the past decade shaped public opinion and introduced new ideas both to the people and the movie industry, leaving consumers excited for the years to come.

A decade in:

ENTERTAINMENT ALEC GROSSWALD, opinion editor

A decade in:

Over the last decade, sports fans have witnessed the biggest upsets, the most dominant dynasties, the most exhilarating moments and the craziest records broken. From the best teams of all time to the biggest underdogs, from football to fútbol, from the smallest town to the biggest city, sports has affected all of us at some point during the past decade. Let’s take a look at some highlights. In sports, a dynasty is a team that dominates their sport or league for an extended length of time. Over the last decade, these two dynasties were at the forefront of their respective sports. The University of Alabama’s football team ruled the college football landscape for the entire decade. They amassed five national championships, three BCS championships and two College Football Playoff championships, under the command of legendary coach Nick Saban. Alabama has had 5 Heisman trophy winners, 5 SEC championships, and won 6 bowl games. Alabama reigned supreme in a sport where consistency is extremely rare. The Golden State Warriors were the NBA’s latest dynasty, winning 3 NBA titles in five Finals appearances. Golden State succeeded through the superstar power of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant and the excellent coaching of Steve Kerr. The Warriors brought to the NBA a level of dominance not seen since the star Los Angeles Lakers duo of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. Certain moments define sports as we know it, the famous “Helmet Catch,” Michael Jordan’s famed “The Shot”, Babe Ruth calling his own home run, and more. These iconic events are ingrained in the minds of millions of sports fans across the world. In 2014, Auburn and Alabama were fighting it out in the Iron Bowl, their annual rivalry game. With the score tied at 28-28, Nick Saban, Alabama’s legendary coach, made the fatal decision to attempt a 57-yard field goal with only one second remaining. The result was one of the rarest plays in football, Auburn’s Chris Davis caught the kick in the back of the endzone and then returned it 109 yards for a touchdown to win the game. This incredible ending is widely accepted as one of the most memorable moments in college football history. In the 2016 NCAA championship, Villanova and North Carolina were battling for the right to cut down the nets. With under ten seconds left, UNC’s star point guard Marcus Paige hit a circus shot three-pointer in order to tie the game at 74 apiece. Then, Ryan Arcidiacono, Villanova’s point guard, brought the ball up the court and passed to Kris Jenkins, who nailed a three-pointer as the clock ran out to win the national championship. This game winning shot cemented Kris Jenkins legacy in Villanova history and is remembered as one of the best endings to a national championship game in recent history. Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest basketball players to ever play in the NBA, winning five NBA titles and countless more accolades with the Los Angeles Lakers. In Kobe’s last year, the 2015- 2016 season, the Lakers struggled, only winning 17 games out of 82. However, in the last game of his career, Bryant delivered an iconic moment, scoring 60 points and single-handingly leading the Lakers back for a win. Even though the game had no impact whatsoever, Kobe’s superhuman effort will forever be remembered by all sports fans. Upsets in sports happen every day, but some last forever in sports history. Over the last decade especially, we experienced some unreal, jaw-dropping, historic upsets. The English Premier League is the highest level of professional soccer in England, and during the 2015-2016 season it had one of the largest upsets in sports history. Leicester City, who had finished 14th out of 20 in the previous season, entered the season with 5000-1 odds to win the league. Leicester City ended up winning the league by a decent margin, completing one of the most unexpected seasons in soccer history. The 16th seeded University of Maryland, Baltimore County Retrievers faced off against the one-seeded University of Virginia Cavaliers in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Prior to this game, a one-seed had never lost to a 16-seed in the first round, but UMBC managed to beat UVA, who had only lost two games the entire year, 74-54. This win for UMBC shocked the world, as it was one of the biggest upsets in college basketball history. SPORTS HARRISON BLANK, staff writer

A decade of:

SAM BEAGLE, managing editor

In ten years time, our school has gone through immense transformation, but the building is still what it was then: Johns Creek High School. Fading names and memories from our youth comprise the knowledge for the beginning of our school, however, the students and faculty from this era are simply gone. These individuals also attended Johns Creek for four years (as most of us will) or taught for longer, but their comprehension of Johns Creek was much different than ours. Dissecting this early stage in our school is by no means necessary, but it provides a “throwback” many of you will find compelling. Zack Beagle, part of the John’s Creek first sophomore class and eventually first full senior class, had unique insight on some unfamiliar territory for today’s students. First, he touched on the “emptiness” (or more optimistically “room for growth”) that he could feel day in and day out. He described football games that couldn’t garner more than fifty fans, classrooms left empty all year and trophy cabinets waiting to be packed with medals simply because of a lack of students. “There weren’t even parking passes!” exclaimed Zack. Nonetheless, he did mention a few off campus factors prevalent in the students’ lives. Menchi’s (now replaced by a student favorite UFO Hibachi) was “the spot,” and Zack affirmed that male students only wore “Polos and Sperrys,” as the original Veni Vidi Vici chants. This song, written by some of Johns Creek’s first students as a Chattahoochee “diss track,” is one of the tangible pieces of our school’s past, and its revival in 2017 provides an updated look on the rivalry. Another Johns Creek attendant who has been present since the start is Physics teacher Jordan Smith who moved from North Springs to teach during Johns Creek’s inaugural year. Smith outlined the early days of the Creek in terms of athletics and technology. Being one of the first coaches, Smith claimed that no one attended games because “No one could drive, most of the kids were sophomores and freshmen!” He dissected the importance of the Gladiator Army (the original sports booster club) to inspire school spirit into a group of kids whose mascots had only ever been titans or cougars. The lack of athletes made football awkward to watch, many players were forced to play both offense and defense, but Smith thought the courage of these ‘two-way players’ was incredible. Playing ascending from 3A to 6A in just a few years made rivalries hard to establish, yet they are quite prevalent today. Aside from athletics, the school’s technological landscape originally consisted of “strict cell phone policies and heavy computer lab use.” These characteristics have obviously been phased out (to an extent), but the teachers who implemented the policies butted heads with one another much more than the current teachers do. Coming from two nearby schools, Chattahoochee teachers were “much chiller” while Northview teachers were the polar opposite. This problem naturally resolved itself, but Smith recalled students “either being asked what they were playing on their phones or being sent to detention for using the device.” When Johns Creek first opened, the senior class welcomed less than 100 new student transfers from Northview and Chatahoochee, but some things never changed. Lifted trucks have always lined the back of the parking lot, students have always packed Waffle House after football games and athletes have always made Sara’s a haven after morning workouts. With few remnants of our school’s first few years, it’s important to remember the impact and sacrifice that the faculty and student body made to pave future success for Johns Creek High School.