Don’t you remember being a child? When you played outside all day with your friends, or when Christmas actually felt magical? There’s something about being a child that everyone seems to miss—maybe it’s freedom—or the absence of problems in our world. When we were younger, we had little to no worries because even getting in trouble didn’t hurt as much as it does when you’re older. Maybe you’d eat the last cookie and get chastised, but compare that to talking back to your mom and see where that gets you.

Your childhood is the most important time of your life, mainly because it helps you learn how you would wish to be when you get older. Even the little moments that you might not remember impact how you view the world today.

Whenever someone gets stressed, they can find themselves reminiscing about the past—the sense of nostalgia you would get from thinking about things you did when you were little would bring a warm blanket over you. Sometimes, it would bring a somber feeling, a bittersweet emotion, because you might realize that you overlooked how lucky you were when you were younger. “As a kid I hated the idea of going shopping together as a family after church, or just on a normal Saturday shopping at Costco, but looking back now at 16 years old—I sit and watch many families, whether its my friends family, or random families just out shopping together, bonding,” said Hailey Drenth, “It makes me sit back and just admire from a distance, kind of wishing I could go back and be able to enjoy being out with my family like that more than I did as a child.” That feeling can shape how you move on with your life in the future, even if it is something small; every moment counts.

In your childhood, you experienced many things, and there are several moments that stick out to you more. It doesn’t always have to be something funny or embarrassing, it can be something heartwarming or upsetting, Hailey Drenth, shared, “A core memory that I think shaped me is when I was running a race; I saw one of my friends running slow and as much as I wanted to be first and get a trophy I stayed behind and ran  by her side so that she wouldn’t cross the finish line alone.” When we were younger, everything was competitive, but it wasn’t as unhealthy as it is today. We would be willing to make little sacrifices for other people just because we want to make someone happy. It was because we were young, everything was about having fun and being happy. When you think about the world today, can we really say that it isn’t competitive?

Sometimes, there are memories that people have in common: field day, Christmas parties in school, and celebrating the 100th day of school. It didn’t even matter if you went to the same school or not; it’s just the fact that we can bond about it as a generation without even knowing it. It’s what brings people together from all around. “A core memory that I had when I was younger was field day. I used to love going underneath that huge blanket thing and pulling them under and having teachers chase me down until the rainbow fully fell down,” said Heydi Campos. I remember doing that too.

Thinking about the past is bittersweet, especially when you do something for the last time without realizing it, but the fact that it is bittersweet is just what makes you appreciate it more. “Maybe like, wanting to grow up so fast. I miss being a kid now, so I wish I didn’t think about wanting to grow up so fast and enjoy my time as a child,” said Jazlyn Castro. I remember wanting to grow up too, mainly because I wanted to get a job, but now I definitely wouldn’t mind being a child again.

A few students were asked, “If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?”

Angela Cantu answered and said, “I would tell my younger self not to let people discourage you or stop you from achieving your goals,” and Jazlyn Castro said, “I would tell little me to enjoy being a kid.”

Growing up means that you start to take on a lot of responsibilities, especially when you become a teenager. One moment, you feel like you can do whatever you want, but then the next moment, you feel overwhelmed with the stress of high school. Being older doesn’t take away your ability to enjoy your life; you just have to make the effort. Stop worrying about the social trends and appreciate what you have in the moment because eventually, when you’re way older, you’ll look back on your years and high school and reminisce about those as well.