The return of Fortnite’s original winter season has stirred up a wave of nostalgia throughout its community. And nowhere is this more evident than at our school. As our school’s students log back onto the once wildly popular game, many are reminded of their younger years: a time when running home to play the game with friends was a daily occurrence. For many, these original winter events showed Fortnite was more than just a game, but rather as an exciting social activity.
“The season coming back feels very nostalgic … It leaves me with this really homey warm feeling, and I’m really looking forward to playing it,” junior Owen Quentin said.
Walking through our school’s halls, you can overhear the excitement and enthusiasm for what has become a cultural event. And while students can’t wait to play, there is a subtle undertone of sentiment beneath it all.
“I think it would be hard for it to feel the same as it did. Obviously I’m pretty excited and will play, but a big part of it is just the nostalgia,” senior Aidan McCracken said.
Released on December 11, this throwback season not only gives older students the opportunity to reminisce about simpler times, but it gives underclassmen who may not have been old enough a chance to experience that same feeling.
“To be honest, I didn’t get to play the original Christmas season. Around that time people talked about it a ton, so I am glad I will finally get the chance to play it,” sophomore Nathan Abuelafia said.
The main reason that the return of this game mode is so significant is not only the game itself, but it is the memories of playing with friends. For many, this Fortnite season served as a social hub, where young kids could enjoy socializing together. As the season returns once more, the game that facilitated so many amazing memories continues to bring more and more people together.
“My favorite memory of Season 7 [winter season] was flying around everywhere in the planes and dogfighting other players,” Quentin said.
While everyone has had their own individual memories and experiences of the game, this winter break everyone is primed to come back together and experience it for one last time. On the surface, what may seem to be just a silly game means a lot to our school’s student body. And for many seniors, it is a way to relive all the great memories in their last year of childhood.
