The Esthetic Class of 2020: Looking Back on the Positives

It’s been a crazy year – we hope you’re all staying safe, hanging in there with these last few weeks of school, and staying motivated and ready to tackle anything that comes your way.

We wanted to use this time to make it all about you guys, and what better way than to focus on the Class of 2020 esthetic? You’re familiar with the negatives of 2020 already – things like having online classes, being in quarantine, not being able to see your friends, etc. We know that this really stinks right now, and we understand your frustration, so let’s focus on something positive instead.

Trends during the Pandemic

Your generation really influenced this and helped bring in this positive outcome, and we want you guys to remember that you did that.

A popular trend that went around this year was the hydroflask, which is a type of reusable water bottle. If you're from the class of 2020, chances are you have one of these, since it's something popular that a lot of people your age focused on. Something else that was popular last year was metal straws, aka the “save the turtles” movement. Your generation really influenced this and helped bring in this positive outcome, and we want you guys to remember that you did that. Something else that we can use as an example of 2020 trends is TikTok. There were all of the TikTok dances that you guys really liked, and a lot of you spent your time in quarantine perfecting your moves. There were lots of other things that made 2020 special, so add anything else you can think of to the list of positives, whether they be fashion trends, food, Instagram, or anything that was popular that impacted you guys.

Happy Memories

This is why we really want you to make a montage of your year, not only to document the pain of missing out on your "senior experience," but also to show what life was like for you in the pandemic.

Even though the year seems a little difficult to deal with right now and things are really challenging, the events of this year will impact you for the rest of your lives. This is why we really want you to make a montage of your year, not only to document the pain of missing out on your "senior experience," but also to show what life was like for you in the pandemic. The real purpose of this is to focus on what the class of 2020 represented and what was popular, because in a few years you’ll look back, and maybe you'll be embarrassed by what you wore or by the TikTok dances you did, but that's the whole point of it - it's to make you smile as you reflect on this time in your life, maybe even to make you laugh from embarrassment, but the memories will will still be positive nonetheless.

Personality and Passions

Every high school represents something different, and that is why it would be a great idea to create a montage for the class of 2020, not only for what they have accomplished, but for who they are as individuals.

For the yearbook staff, if you’re still working on a yearbook, this will be a great addition to your project. However, if you’ve completed your yearbook already, you can submit this idea to your social media page, either as a fun interactive activity for the students or as a free idea for your colleagues in the yearbook industry. Every high school represents something different, and that is why it would be a great idea to create a montage for the class of 2020, not only for what they have accomplished, but for who they are as individuals. While we can all have the same fashion trends or music tastes, that doesn’t mean that we all share the same goals. You can use this idea to show what your class was passionate about, as well as the goals that each student wanted to accomplish.

Another idea, since this generation is really tech-savvy, is to show what shaped these students into who they are, whether that be Vine, Instagram, popular TV shows, or their online community. We really want to hone in on who the class of 2020 is, and what they mean to you guys. So, let’s use this time to show how the class of 2020 is unique, how they’ve been shaped into who they are now, and who they will become.

We’re sure most schools have finished up their yearbooks already, but just in case you’re still working really hard to finish yours, you can subscribe to our April newsletter, where Dr. Katy and Dr. John go over more than 20 tips on how your yearbook staff can finish the yearbook at home. You can sign up for the newsletter at www.unitedyearbook.net. Stay safe, and stay motivated!

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Alyse Mgrdichian, Senior Editor

Alyse Mgrdichian holds a B.A. from Biola University, having majored in psychology and minored in philosophy. She is a senior editor for TSE Worldwide Press, the parent company of United Yearbook Printing, and she applies her expertise and love of stories to the role.

Anny Reyes, Content Contributor: Marketing Intern at United Yearbook, CA