Feature Photo By: Izzy Honey – Juniors Maddie Heiken and Danyion Reagan share a milkshake at Rosie’s Diner. This ‘50’s themed diner is the perfect venue for a cute date on a budget.

2016 ended with mainstream trends like the mannequin challenge and the water bottle flip challenge, internet meme trends like The Bee Movie and Evil Kermit, and fashions trends like crushed velvet, bomber jackets, and mom jeans. In the new year, some of these trends will die out and others will gain popularity. Let’s just take a moment to talk about a few trends that should really come back in 2017.

“I’m high-key shook because hunty thinks she’s woke but I’m actually dead because she’s so extra,” said Dahn Gyavira, Rangeview junior.

This sentence contains many recent slang words that may be recognizable. The slang we use today is dense. Slang from the 1920’s (just roll with it for a second) was so much funnier. Think about it, instead of saying something is ‘lit’, we could say it’s the ‘bee’s knees’. Bees don’t even have knees– that’s what makes it so funny. You could be a real hepcat – a real stylish person – by using some of these spiffy ‘20’s slang words in your everyday life:

• Horsefeathers – used to express disagreement, disbelief, or frustration
• Heebie Jeebies – a state of nervous fear or anxiety.
• Hokum – nonsense
• Swanky – stylishly luxurious and expensive

Today’s slang isn’t the only thing inferior to the trends of the past. Remember when people used to go on adorable dates to get milkshakes and go roller skating in the ‘50’s? It was the cutest thing. The students at Rangeview are lucky because there is a ‘50’s themed diner just down the street and a skating rink not too far away. Take a step away from today’s hookup culture and get to know somebody face to face over a sweet milkshake.

Rosie’s Diner is a 50’s themed diner that makes for a perfect meal on a budget.

“It’s so adorable and takes you right back to the fifties. The people are also really nice and I feel like I’m living in the movie Grease,” exclaimed RHS junior Maddie Heiken.

The diner’s website is complete with a menu and prices, check it out at: http://www.rosiesdiner.com/ .

You may remember going to Skate City with your elementary school, but roller skating is fun for all ages. For less than $10, you can rent skates and enjoy a two hour session. http://www.skatecitycolorado.com/page/show/382522-aurora-skate-city

The 50’s were prime time for cute dates. Two words: drive-in theaters. It’s true that there are movie theaters that are much closer and more convenient, but drive-ins are more intimate . It’s almost like having an entire movie theater to yourself.

According to junior Kensi Vue, drive ins are perfect for dates because they are private and romantic.

Driving to Denver to see the nearest drive-in is a big commitment, but it’s worth it to go at least once. Drive-ins are usually only open during the summer, but they play current movies for very affordable prices. The link below will take you to the website of one Drive-ins in Denver that will have movies and showtimes once the season starts: http://www.88drivein.com/88_Drive-In_Theatre/Welcome.html

On a more serious note, there are a few important trends that need to come back from the late 60’s and early 70’s. This was such an influential era for society in the United States. The Civil Rights movement was at its peak, people protested for minority rights, the second wave of the feminist movement came back with more power than before, LGBT social movements inspired gay pride, and the counterculture revolution led the country to take a step away from the conservative norms of the time.

This year especially, we need this proactive attitude of change. If the government does something that you don’t agree with, get out and join a movement. Don’t just rant on Twitter. Peaceful protest is the most effective way to make a difference. In the words of Martin Luther King Jr, “Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that”, Participate in a march or start a petition. Try to educate yourself on what your government is doing and make a difference instead of complaining. Please bring back peaceful, non-violent Flower Power.

Now, back to the fun, and what could be more fun that the ‘80’s? Trends in the ‘80’s were very risky; fashion included lots of neon, people had very big hair, and technological advances allowed music artists to incorporate many new sounds into their songs. These trends are fun to look back on, but none of them really need to come back.

One trend from the 80’s that really should come back though is playing board games. Some people have this weird stigma against board games.

“I don’t like them because they’re boring. Most of them take forever to play and aren’t interesting,” said junior Langston Smith.

Some games do take forever and some games are boring, but with the right people, board games can turn a bland night into an amusing one. In the 80’s, groups of friends would come together for a night of playing board games. Since then, more fun games have been created, so there are even more reasons to play some with your friends. Some favorites include:

• Clue –  a murder mystery game
• Trouble –  a classic race-and-chase game with the PopoMatic die-rolling bubble
• Cards Against Humanity – the adult version of Apples to Apples

Sure, trends may die out for a reason, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t come back. This year, let’s go on cute dates like people did in the ‘50’s, lets protest like they did in the ‘60’s, and let’s have fun with our friends at drive-ins and with funny slang words and with board games.