By Julie DeFrancia and Michelle Hernandez

In the early 2000s, “Can you take a picture of us?” was a very common question. After the click of a button you would hand the digital camera back to see the group of girls smiling and talking about how good the picture came out.

The early 2000s was the era of low-rise jeans, “Harry Potter,” and hip-hop. These were also the years the use of digital cameras and vinyl records were at their peak, two outlets that shaped how people captured memories and listened to music.

Smartphones, however, offered cleaner photos, instant sharing, and streaming music, pushing analog technology off to the side.

Something that is very evident, though, is that trends come and go. When records were introduced in the early 1900s, there was nothing to contest its functionality until the more modern technologies emerged. But nostalgia has power, and analog trends often cycle back.

Sometimes trends return because they’re practical again; other times, because people simply miss the feeling they bring.

Since the mid-2010s, vinyl records and digital cameras have become especially popular with Gen Z. 

Students here at Granada Hills Charter (GHC) have incorporated the resurgence of this technology into their own hobbies from collectors to casual creators. 

Due to the phone policy at GHC, students need to find different ways to secure memories. Digital cameras have found their way back into the spotlight for the fun of using them and the “nostalgic aesthetic” their pictures emanate. 

Senior Isabella Teopaco owns three digital cameras and strives to capture as many memories as she can, wherever she goes.

“I take my digital camera with me everywhere,” Teopaco said. “I think it’s important to capture these memories so we can all look back when we’re older and know that high school was a fun time. We can all bond and see the pictures together.” 

Additionally, Teopaco, along with seniors Alyssa Teopaco and Vivian Salute put together a “Senior DigiCam Page” on Instagram to capture moments of the Class of 2026. 

“For school days, we take the cameras so we can take pictures of  many seniors in all the different decorative frames we made,“ Teopaco said. 

Even with the convenience they provide, digital photos and streaming can feel temporary, while analog technology feels tangible and lasting. 

Nowadays it’s cool to have the new Tyler the Creator, or Sabrina Carpenter vinyls, and these items allow people to connect with one another about similar interests. 

 Students who collect records often build collections that reflect their tastes, whether modern artists, older classics, or a mix of both.

Senior Connolly Rake is someone who grew up with this enthusiastic hobby. 

“When I started growing my own personal collection, I got my own record player, and it all started expanding from there.” said Rake. “I also think going to places and doing activities, for example, going to record stores, can help expand the range of music you listen to. Because online, you always get the same kind of albums or artists recommended to you. But making physical discoveries, trading, buying, and even taking recommendations from other people impacts you a lot.” 

It’s not just students here who appreciate this nostalgic culture. Many teachers grew up with this technology and are now experiencing the timelessness of all of it coming back full-circle. 

Social Science teacher Robin Moreno is one of these teachers who commends this generation for embracing older tech. 

“I like the idea that students are going back to old school things,” Moreno said. “Technology has made it easy to get so much content that I think that this is kind of a blast from the past. You can see how the older generation lived, but I still love it.” 

This wave of nostalgia has revived technologies many thought were gone for good, and for both students and teachers, it’s heartwarming to see them return.

Who knows what the next trends might be? But for now, the shutter clicks and Gen Z keeps finding new meaning in old technology.