Sophie McTear | Design Editor
Updated: April 11, 2015 at 1:36 a.m.
From politics to pop culture, 2015 will be memorable for more than just your graduation. Here’s a look back at what happened at the same time as your other big milestones.
When you were in the fifth grade (2004)
– “Napoleon Dynamite” was released in August
– Facebook launched in February
– “Friends” finale aired in May
– Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston were still together
– Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake had a Super Bowl halftime peepshow
– Britney Spears got married twice
– You exclusively wore your velour Juicy Couture sweatsuit October through March
– “Mean Girls” was released in April
– The Red Sox won the World Series for the first time in 86 years
– Razr cell phones and iPod minis and the Nintendo DS
– Bush/Cheney vs. Kerry/Edwards
When you were a freshman in high school (2007)
– Stephen Colbert tried to run for president
– Miley Cyrus was 15 and went on tour as Hannah Montana with the Jonas Brothers
– Barry Bonds was indicted for using steroids
– The first iPhone was released in June
– Rihanna and Jay-Z released “Umbrella” in March
– Kanye West released “Stronger” in July
– “The Sopranos” ended
– Jordin Sparks won “American Idol”
– LOLcat and “Don’t taze me bro” became popular Internet memes
When you came to GW (2011)
– Charlie Sheen had his “winning” meltdown (and he was fired from “Two and a Half Men”)
– Adele was nominated for six Grammys for her album “21” which included “Someone Like You” and “Rolling in the Deep”
– James Franco and Anne Hathaway hosted the Academy Awards
– Prince William and Kate Middleton were married in April
– “Bridesmaids” was released in April
– “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2” was released in July
– Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries were married … then divorced after 72 days
– “Game of Thrones” premiered
– President Barack Obama repealed “don’t ask, don’t tell”
– Occupy Wall Street protests
When Obama was re-elected (2012)
– “Girls” premiered
– “The Hunger Games” movie was released
– Mitt Romney said he wanted to cut funding for PBS
– Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s baby Blue Ivy Carter was born in January
– Instagram became very, very popular #nofilter
– YOLO became a thing
– Facebook held its initial public offering for $26 a share
– The Summer Olympics were held in London and swimmer Michael Phelps won four gold medals
– “Call Me Maybe” and “Gangnam Style” each hit the Billboard Hot 100 charts for about 10 weeks
– Election included right-wing superstars like Michele Bachmann, Jon Huntsman, Rick Perry, Herman Cain, Mitt Romney, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Ron Paul
– The Mayan calendar ended and we all survived!
When you graduated (2015)
– “Birdman” won the Oscar for Best Picture
– The dress (is it black and blue or white and gold?) took over the Internet
– Beyoncé’s Video Music Awards performance gave a nod to feminism
– “Broad City” premiered
– The New England Patriots faced off against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX, where Katy Perry performed a halftime routine with dancers dressed as sharks
– Zayn Malik left One Direction
– News organizations got on Snapchat – your mom is next, and then it will no longer be cool
– “Mad Men” wrapped up after seven seasons
– Kate Middleton had her second baby, a girl named Charlotte Elizabeth Diana. She is fourth in line for the British throne
– Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Ben Carson, Carly Florina and Mike Huckabee announced their presidential campaigns