Hedy Gutfreund Co-editor in Chief   I know it’s hard to believe that at this time last year you were listening to Adele’s “Someone Like You” on repeat in a world where your science classrooms only had one whiteboard, but it’s true. 2012 has been quite a year for the world and for the Latin community. And if the world really does end on December 21, at least we can remember this past year fondly.   1. We hashtagged everything. So when you remember your 2012, make sure you remember all the good Twitter/Instagram times you had (or the good times you had inappropriately using hashtags on Facebook). @LatinHonPol is full of good hashtag memories. I, for one, am not going to stop hashtagging in 2013. #sorrynotsorry #whoneedsaspacebaranyway #YOLO #WAGDA   2. We SnapChatted everything. Even though the app is commonly denounced as a “sexting app,” it’s really just an outlet for shameless selfies here at Latin. (The ephemeral nature of them makes them perfect.) So we can all take a vow of not judging people making duckfaces in the hallway, right? (Probably not, but whatever. That’s stopping no one.)   3. In a more productive use of technology, we got a science center. Freshmen, it may seem impossible that 411 and the empty office at the end of the fourth floor hallway were once science rooms, but they were. But that was the past. Now, we have the beloved Omniglobe and whiteboards everywhere.   4. In that same vein, freshmen now take physics, and eventually, juniors will take biology. Academically, we’re going through some major changes (goodbye, APUSH; hello, HUSH), and we can only look forward to hearing more about how people are going through these changes.   5. Advisory changed. For better or for worse, advisories are now a place to have quality bonding time with our grade. And now we get paired advisory, too. Again, the transition is still going, but the administration has our best interests at heart.   6. Finals changed — at least for first semester. So as we head into the next week of “end of semester” (or “end of days,” appropriate for these pre-apocalyptic times), let’s all have a moment of silence for exam conflicts and absurd stress levels.   7. Kony 2012 happened. And then un-happened. Our activism was tested and then quickly faded when we found out the secrets of the people who made the Kony 2012 video. Maybe we didn’t help capture Kony, but we did think about the value of global citizenship, which has been LIFE’s theme this semester. Look out in 2013 for more on LIFE’s global citizenship program — and we can keep thinking about our responsibility in sensationalist situations like Kony 2012.   8. Not only did Gangam Style happen, but we also learned all about Korean culture in Asian Student Alliance presentations. I know that sounds like a joke, but this has truly been a big year for both Psy and for affinity groups at Latin. Men’s Alliance proved itself with its presentations on No-Shave November, ASA had its first speaker ever, and LAW has had great turnouts.   9. Hurricane Sandy happened. Even though it didn’t have a huge reaction at Latin, it showed us all the damage that global warming can cause and the vast destruction it can cause in a city as seemingly invincible as New York.   10. Obama was reelected, and Latin students made their political voices heard. Even if you’re not William Pritzker or Matt Lucas quite literally being the candidates, it seemed like everyone in the high school got fired up, no matter whether we could vote or not. The extreme liberalness of Latin was addressed, and we can look forward to the Young Republican club making its mark in 2013.   All in all, it’s been a year replete with social media and changes (both here at Latin and in the world around us). As 2013 approaches, let’s hope that we neither reach the end of the world nor the edge of the Fiscal Cliff. Have a great “end of semester” week and a great Winter Break!]]>