Y2K comeback to NAU | Lifestyle

As the buzzing and fuzzy sounds of electronic bass fuel classic party anthems, NAU students found themselves in a party-centric, carefree environment as they spent a nostalgic night of 2000s in the Du Bois Ballroom .

sun entertainment hosted a Y2K dance party on March 22, where NAU students participated in various activities related to Y2K culture and its aesthetics.

The event featured light snacks and desserts, as well as a DJ set by Doug Quick featuring classic hits from the 2000s. Music from artists like Outkast, Lady Gaga, and Usher brought students to the dance floor.

For students who didn't want to dance all night, a variety of craft-based activities were available. Event organizers provided rainbow loom kits and duct tape for partygoers who wanted to make custom bracelets or wallets.

These crafts were chosen because they were prominent in the 2000s. Duct tape wallets were very common both for their practical use and for their customization opportunities. Additionally, Rainbow Loom bracelets were chosen for their popularity in the 2000s and their status as collectable or tradeable objects.

SUN Entertainment hosts themed dance parties every semester. Emile McArdle, event planner and coordinator for SUN Entertainment, said the organization chose the Y2K aesthetic because: recent relevance About its fashion and culture. She said influencers and social media have the effect of making these trends more mainstream.

“Y2K has kind of come back in a big way recently,” McArdle said. “A lot of it has to do with pop culture and how celebrities are trying to revive pop culture and make it cool again.”

Y2K stands for “Year 2000” and is a broad aesthetic that roughly encapsulates fashion and culture from the late 1990s to the 2000s, as well as other era-based aesthetics such as the 70s and 80s.

This era saw striking colors and expressive fashion, an explosion of new technologies such as digital cameras and new computers, and musical styles such as electronic dance, hip-hop, and nu metal.

The name comes from a computer flaw called . Y2K bug. When commercial computer systems were first programmed in his 1950s, the year displayed would cycle only the last two digits, and the “19” remained unchanged. As the year 2000 approached, programmers were concerned that the system would read “00” as his year 1900, potentially causing problems with databases using outdated computer systems.

When the year changed from 1999 to 2000, the computer's database remained intact. This technological horror subsequently gained notoriety for causing unnecessary panic and was named after the Y2K era.

Y2K was originally used to describe the period when the world transitioned from one century to the next, but it is now much more used to describe trends up to the late 2000s, separated by the 2010s. It's a broad term.

While the fashion and musical styles of the time are some of its more famous characteristics, the technology of the era has also left a lasting impact. McArdle said he has noticed that pocket-sized digital cameras are becoming more popular among college students. These people prefer tangible photos that they can view rather than having them saved to their smartphone's digital camera roll.

As these resurgent trends flourish across social media, their appeal reaches a wide audience. But McArdle said the spread of this aesthetic could be fueled by something much bigger: nostalgia.

“I still think nostalgia has a lot to do with it,” McArdle said. “I love looking back at the shows I used to watch as a kid or the music I used to listen to. It brings me back to a state where I don't have to worry so much.”

For those born after 2000, the nostalgia of this era is comforting. Joy Johnson, an NAU graduate and former SUN manager, said she believes its popularity among Gen Z is because they miss the early Y2K culture.

“We're all at an age where we got a glimpse of this era while growing up, so it's easy to be drawn to this era, especially if you have older siblings who were actively involved in this era,” Johnson said. Told.

Hunter Hoffman, a freshman at NAU, said growing up in the 2000s has made him nostalgic for older trends.

Hoffman said she grew up watching her parents and older children actively embrace the styles and aesthetics of the era. Looking at old photos, these things appeal to him now.

“It reminds me of the types of clothes my parents wore when they were young. They look cool to me,” Hoffman said.

The resurgence of the Y2K aesthetic is one example of this. nostalgia cyclea fad that fades away becomes relevant again 20-30 years later.

One example is how 2016's “Stranger Things” spotlighted 80s technology and nostalgia during its release.

“Historically, it feels like everything comes back eventually,” Hoffman said. “Over time, everything will become cool again. Skinny jeans used to be popular, but now they've disappeared and everyone is wearing baggy pants again.”

The prominence of this era is evident in artists creating music inspired by 2000s hits and companies selling clothing reminiscent of Y2K style. Many college students choose to revisit this era in modern times because they grew up too slowly to live freely in this era. The easy-going, fun-oriented attitude of this era may be refreshing to some.

“There's a very relaxed, 'don't worry about anything' mentality, and I think a lot of people gravitate toward that, even if they're not of that generation,” Johnson said.

The Y2K Dance Party provided students with an opportunity to visit past decades and explore 2000s trends in fashion, music, and crafts.