The holidays are fast approaching, and soon the year will be at a close. Whenever this time comes around, people love to spend time with family and friends, reliving past memories. The Mustang took advantage of this opportunity and asked students to retell their earliest memories. Stories ranged from World War II to this morning’s breakfast.

“My first childhood memory was catching my first wave when I was 4-years-old.” – Sophomore Fletcher Mitchell

“When my parents were Santa Claus and were putting presents under the tree. It definitely wasn’t Santa Claus because there is only one Santa Claus, and there were two of them.” – Senior Sam Lamirand

“My first childhood memory was sitting under a tree for a few hours and just kind of [hanging]  out.” – Senior Hannah Wolfe

“My earliest childhood memory was  Christmas. I remember making cookies and putting out a note for Santa Claus. ” – Sophomore Megan Scherer

“I broke my arm in second grade at elementary school.” – Sophomore Nico Wankier

“I kind of have this memory, but I’m not sure if it is real. It is of me in the Caribbean and I was looking at a snake that was on a tree. I was probably only a few years old.” – Senior Janine Sherman

“When I was five or six, my family went to the zoo in Michigan and there was a spot where you could paint your own faces. My aunt painted my brother’s and my faces. I was a tiger and he was a lizard.” – Junior Parker Rytz

“When I was three I snuck into my mom’s bathroom, stole her scissors, and I cut my own hair. I was really scared that my mom was going to get mad at me so I hid behind a chair, but she found me.” – Junior Elizabeth Ryall

“My earliest memory is I’m sitting in my living room and I’m sticking my hand in plain butter and eating it just nonstop. And then I see my mom coming down stairs just giving me this look, and then I blank out.” – Senior Wesley Wittlesey

“Probably sleeping in the laundry basket. There were warm clothes so I just fell asleep. My Mom said I did that a lot.” – Sophomore Elizabeth Fountain

“Watching my sister eat cake off the floor on her fourth birthday. I definitely remember that.” – Junior Samantha Steinberg

“I remember my parents were singing a recital and I was in charge of pressing the play button on the stereo.” – Junior Samantha Laurent

“Horseback riding in Griffith Park when I was really little.” – Senior Rachel Terry

“I climbed to the top of the stairs on the outside of the railing and my parents got really scared and mad at me.” – Senior Hayley Earnest

“When I was hospitalized when I was three for some crazy infection,” – Senior Irena Weaver

“I was one and a half and I decided I wanted to stand on top of a swing. I realized that it was a bad idea when I flew off it.” – Senior Elizabeth Tarangelo

“When I was about 10, I told my younger sister being 6 at the time that counting in bed would make you go to sleep faster. But she would always go to my bed at night and asked me if I was counting. I still don’t know if she thought if I counted then we’d both fall asleep faster or not.” – Junior Gavin Broughton

“My mom showing my sister how to change my diaper and I’m looking up at them.” – Junior Elisa Barrett

“Sitting in my apartment when I lived in Utah and doing the slinky down my steps.” – Junior Kennedy Anderson

“I just learned how to ride my bike and all my neighborhood friends would make ramps out of bricks and ply wood. One time, we built one and we put six bricks and everyone was scared to do it and while everyone was turned around I did the jump… And I landed and hurt my butt but no one saw me do it.” – Senior Alex Mentado

“So, last week I was speaking in front of this class and I hit my head.” – Junior Austin Chester

“I remember I went to Disneyland and I saw my best friend at the time and I was at the Peter Pan ride. You know those rope things that keep the lines separate? I clothes-lined myself on that so I went to the ER at Disneyland.” – Senior Jill Pickrell

“I remember sleeping in my room in Delaware and it was really really big and the crib was white and I think the blankets were pink which makes me mad.” – Senior Cassie Chung

When I was one or two, I remember walking through a really shallow blow-up pool with my older cousins. I remember being really scared. It was the first time I had ever stood in the water on my own.” – Junior Nicolas Cook

“[My first memory is] a dream I had where I walked into a full wall mirror, from the mirror’s POV.” –Senior Collin Johnson

“I can’t remember.” –Senior Zach Lighton

“I’m two years old and it’s the birth of my sister. I remember my dad’s friend, Chuck, bringing my mom chocolate covered pretzels.” – Senior Nick Checchia

“I remember pulling my dog’s tail while standing on a coffee table, and then he bit me.” – Junior Ben Ellerbrock

“On my third birthday my sister gave me a stuffed animal. I still have that stuffed animal. It still sleeps in my bed.” – Senior Kendra Brust

“When I was three I fell down the stairs in Arizona.” – Senior Abby Espinosa

“My first memory was celebrating Christmas Eve with my family.” – Junior Jose Rodriguez

“Eating ice cream at some old school diner with my dad and there was an elevator, too. I know, it’s weird.” – Junior Tizoc Gonzales

“Having a picnic at the beach with my parents.” – Junior Alex Lopez

“Drawing ‘The Cat in the Hat’ in Kindergarten. I don’t have any memories before five at all. But really, sixth grade is when my memories begin.” – Senior Adira Fogel

“My earliest childhood memory is probably me eating spaghetti and putting it all over my face.” – Senior Shannon O’Donnell

“I remember when I was maybe, like, 8 months old. I remember I was sitting in a baby chair that had jungle print on it. I asked my mom about this and she completely validated everything I said. She was like, ‘You’re weird!’” – Senior Nina McKendree

“I remember standing on a fire escape in New York City at night, and watching the crowds cheering and screaming for the end of World War II. I was 18 months old.” – Assistant  Principal Jeanne  Jones

“I think it involves my dad playing videos games on the TV, and it was late at night so he told me to go to bed. And I did. But I was sad because I wanted to watch him, but he said no. I was probably 3 or less.” – Senior Brandon Chan

“I was in preschool playing tag, so I was probably around four.” – Senior Lance Johnson

“My first memory is eating ice-cream with my grandmother under a tree with pink flowers.” – Senior Taylor Johnson

“I was at the beach and my brother and I were digging holes in the sand.” – Senior Brittany Adams

“I had cereal for breakfast this morning.” – Senior Danny Vasquez

“I was playing in my backyard with my neighbor, and he threw a plastic tennis racket at my face.” – Freshman Eric Wimsatt

“I was in the bathtub. It might have been a dream though, because all my toys went down the drain.” – Senior Marissa Schuling

“My first memory is my cousin being born.” – Junior Lily Clune

“I was tackling a teddy bear. It was intense.” – Senior Kirsten Walz

“My first memory was being on a changing table. My mom was singing a tune, and there was a blue blanket. That’s it.” – Junior Alia Newman-Boule

“My earliest memory is going to [Paul Ecke Central Elementary School] at night with my parents, who took English Language courses, and being asked my name and age, and struggling to remember how old I was.” – Senior Astrid Gonzales

“[My earliest memory is] when I was three and I was at dance, and we would play outside to avoid our moms so we wouldn’t have to go home.” – Junior Karina Langli

“I remember one Fourth of July blowing up all my toys that I didn’t like.” – Senior Colin Weaver

“I have two I recall as early memories but I am not sure which is first. One is when I went to Maui when I was two with my parents and my grandma. My parents went out for the night and while my grandma and I were in our timeshare condo, we played hide and seek and I remember her opening the kitchen cabinet and finding me in there and both of us breaking into laughter. The other would be sitting on my couch at home, we had two cats and an old dog. The cats would taunt the dog, and he would chase them up the stairs. They would come down 30 seconds later and the cats would go super fast but then Sam would come lumbering down, not a real chase. It was always funny to me because they were so much faster and smarter and would just all play together like that.” – Junior Johnny Menhennet

“I was reading a Batman comic book.” – Junior Alex Smith

“It was when my mom was in the hospital giving birth to my brother so I was staying with my grandma. I asked her when they’d be home. We were in her kitchen.” – Senior Elise Titcomb

“When I was really little and my sister was a baby, I bit her foot.” – Sophomore Chrystal Felipe

“In Kindergarten, I tied my best friend to the playground because she was supposed to be my cat. But I couldn’t untie her when the bell rang. So I left her there.” – Senior Annie Smith