A few weeks into the new year, memories from the past year have begun to settle—whether they were particularly positive or negative, global or local, 2023 was a monumental year for the world and for our Ayala student body. Staff at the Bulldog Times have done their own reflection of sorts, expressed in the form of an alphabetical review of the biggest events and trends of the previous year. From Barbenheimer to the Eras Tour to Shohei Ohtani, we’ll look back on the things that made last year one to remember.

A – AI (Artificial Intelligence)

Throughout all of this year, AI has been both a blessing and a curse to society. When Open AI released Chat GPT to the public, it was like the dot com bubble burst for a second time, only this time it was for AI learning models. People around the world have been using AI as a tool to save an incredible amount of time; however; its usage in schools has been an issue. The unprecedented plagiarizing of content for essays using AI has even caused the Common College Application to add a notice for people to sign stating that their work was theirs, and not AI’s. Whether for better or worse, AI has changed the world. [Ryan Wu]

B – Barbenheimer 

In late July, both the Barbie and Oppenheimer movies were released into theaters causing a major battle between the two among many moviegoers, which became best known as Barbenheimer. During this time, many fans were insulting each other about the movies and much more to boast about how their favorite was so much better than the other. There wasn’t much of a comparison though, as the Barbie movie was aimed at people who like a movie with a more upbeat tone, while Oppenheimer was a movie made for history lovers and people who like more realistic movies. This movie conflict was an enormous highlight of everyone’s summers and 2023 as a whole. [Madison O’Neill]

C – CVUSD 

In 2023, the schools within the Chino Valley Unified School District faced many adversities. The district was once a symbol for education, but has since spiraled into a hole of drama and division between the community, contradicting its “unified” title. They’ve not only introduced new policies that violate student and teacher rights, but have also started to creep towards more corrupt diplomatic functions. CVUSD’s right-winged majority has established a strong grip on how the lives of thousands of students should be lived, including basic education rights, gender-identification, and now most recently, reversed their policy of rotating board presidents on a yearly basis. The numerous questionable legislative changes have challenged community members’ trust and divided the affected population based on political belief. [Angelina Zhao]

D – Dodgers land Ohtani

The biggest free agent in baseball history, and perhaps all of sports, signed a 10-year, $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers in early December. After a confusing series of events that almost convinced the world that he had agreed to a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Angeles (of Anaheim) superstar Shohei Ohtani shockingly announced on his Instagram account that he had chosen the Dodgers as his team of employment for the next 10 years. The deal includes unprecedented deferrals of his $70 million average annual salary, retaining only $2 million over the course of his contract– chiefly to maintain the competitive flexibility of the team–with $68 million due to be paid yearly over the 10 years succeeding his contract. [Avery Rosas]

E – Eras Tour

Taylor Swift kicked off her Eras Tour concert on March 17, 2023, performing in major cities of the United States, as well as in Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil. During the concert, Swift performs 45 songs from all ten of her albums, putting on a spectacular show with different outfits and sets for each era. The Eras Tour garnered so much attention that she sold out most stadiums, as the attendance for her shows averaged 72,000 people and grossed about $13 million per night. Fans attending the tour dressed up in elaborate costumes representing different eras and traded friendship bracelets with other fans. With its popularity, it’s no surprise The Eras Tour was one of the most significant events of 2023. [Stephanie Lyn]

F – Fires in Maui

Amidst the concerns of droughts and rising temperatures in August, the island of Maui experienced blazing wildfires that originated from hard winds onto utility wires in Lahaina. During its continuous escalation, evacuations were initiated and many losses were dealt to the community. Since its occurrence, the Lahaina fires are known as the deadliest U.S. fires in more than a century. Five months later, citizens of Lahaina are continuing to experience displacement and trauma from such a catastrophic fire. However, hope lingers as individuals across the globe contribute to relief donation platforms and fundraising efforts to rebuild the beautiful island of Maui, thanks in part to various social media influencers who raised awareness. [Adrielle Dumandan]

G – Gypsy Rose Blanchard

Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s release from prison marked a turning point in a case that received wide media coverage. With a past filled with deceit and tragedy, her case shed light on complex issues of abuse and manipulation. Convicted for her involvement in the murder of her mother, Dee Dee Blanchard, Gypsy Rose’s release sparked debates about the nature of her culpability and the lengths to which abuse can push someone. Her story blurred the lines between victim and perpetrator, prompting discussions on who in the case was really the victim. She is now with her husband, Ryan Scott Anderson, and is living her life to the fullest. [Gianna Spagnolo]

H – Hunger Games Prequel

On November 17, a prequel to the Hunger Games movie collection was released to theaters: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. This movie garnered lots of attention upon its release, making it the 14th highest grossing movie in 2023. Actors Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth both play lead characters in the movie, making fans flock to theaters to see their new role in the popular series. This prequel follows the character Coriolanus Snow in his younger years and how his upbringing led him to become a villain in the later movies. While Snow manages the hunger games, he also finds a love interest, Lucy Gray. [Rachel Dunn]

I – India surpasses China

Recently, it was revealed that India surpassed China as the most populous country in the world. This was due to a multitude of reasons that had varied effects on China. One was the strict laws designed to keep their birth rate low, which included abortions, sterilizations, and fines for having multiple children. Another was the imbalanced sex ratios due to a preference for boys. Men outnumber women by 32 million, causing fewer births as a result. China is expected to continue declining and possibly go below 1 billion before the end of this century. India’s northern states still have population growth and is expected to keep going. In the west states, the population is stabilized and now going to fall down at a normal pace. [David Jung]

J – Johnson, House of Representatives

On October 23, Congressman Mike Johnson was elected the Speaker of the House, weeks after a monumental decision in the House of Representatives to remove Kevin McCarthy from his position as the previous Speaker of the House. Such an ousting is the first successful instance in the history of the House of Representatives. Johnson will bear the pressure of expectations apparently unfulfilled by McCarthy along with a newfound pressure after seeing his predecessor become the first in history to be ousted by his peers—such an event may be the start of a new trend in American government, contingent on the efficacy of this historic series of events. [Avery Rosas]

K – King Charles III

2023 saw King Charles III’s coronation on Saturday, May 6 in Westminster Abbey, London, marking the transition in power from the late Queen Elizabeth II to her son, who became the oldest monarch crowned in British history. Charles III’s ascension to the throne occurred in the midst of controversy surrounding the British crown. Criticism of the British royal family surged with the release of BBC’s documentary, “Charles III, The Coronation Year,” which a majority of viewers felt portrayed the royal family in an overly optimistic light and failed to detail controversy, including dozens of protestors who were arrested during the coronation. [Isabel Sim]

L – LePointsLeader

LeBron James passed Lakers Legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most total points ever scored in the history of the NBA. Over the years, LeBron James passed numerous NBA Hall of Famers, including Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Shaquille O’Neal, and Dirk Nowitzki, to ultimately pass the most points ever previously recorded by a player: 38,387. The Los Angeles Lakers forward broke this record which stood for almost 39 years with Jabbar as the leader, until a game against Oklahoma City Thunder, where James performed a fadeaway to secure a total of 38,888 points. The No. 1 Draft pick star continues to grow this number to this day. [Ayushka Chethan]

M – Matthew Perry (1969-2023)

On October 28, the memorable actor, Matthew Perry, passed away at the age of 54. Perry was featured in many shows and movies including The West Wing and The Ron Clark Story, but was most commemorated for his role as Chandler Bing in the iconic 90s sitcom, Friends. He won the title as Funniest Supporting Male Performer in a TV Series at the American Comedy Awards (twice), a plethora of Primetime Emmy Awards, and countless more. Throughout the years that Perry had pursued his acting career, he has greatly influenced a wide-ranged audience, inspiring people with his humorous comedic skills that will be sorely missed with his passing. [Kaylani Hsu]

N – NATO

As of April 4, the nation of Finland has been recognized as a new member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Depositing its instrument of accession to the U.S Headquarters, Finland had been in the process of formal alliance protocol since July of 2022. Finally, all 30 national parliaments ratified the country’s membership, welcoming Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto of Finland with a flag-raising ceremony by the Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg. As we look forward to Finland’s impact in NATO, the intergovernmental alliance expects their new ally to contribute to its defense and regional stability as a collective organization. [Adrielle Dumandan]

O – OG Fortnite

Through the boredom and gaps of time that accumulated during the year, many people did not know what to resort to during their extra hours. This was until Epic Games decided to bring back the original map for one of their most popular games, Fortnite. This update brought back the “OG” players, as well as a lot of excitement and newcomers. Some believe that this change was used as a marketing technique for players to adjust to the game before the newest update that incorporated Lego, Rocket League, and other alterations that could have been unusual for regular players. Overall, the return of the old game format brought an abundance of nostalgia, and joined people together to reminisce on the past. [Laila Kumar]

P – Panera Charged Lemonade

Panera Bread, one of the most popular after-school study and hangout locations in Chino Hills, is also home to the infamous Charged Lemonade. On October 9, about a year after a similar incident, a man named Dennis Brown drank about 7 of these drinks within a month, ultimately leading to his death. The drink contains 237 milligrams of caffeine, over half of the recommended amount per day. Panera marketed the drink to both children and adults meaning any student from Ayala could fall prey to the high content of caffeine without prior knowledge. Panera responded by moving the drink behind the counter to attempt to prevent further disasters, and according to the company, “stands firmly by the safety of [their] products.” [Elisabeth Lee]

Q – Queue crashes, Ticketmaster

In 2023, many major music artists went on worldwide tours that had record-high demands for tickets. The fans waiting in queues to purchase these tickets found themselves experiencing crashes on the Ticketmaster site due to large traffic, spreading frustration among buyers who could not secure a seat. The crashes were especially prevalent for those purchasing tickets to Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour, causing the site to undergo a Senate hearing and later release a public apology. Angered fans would protest, demand money back for antitrust violations and publicly put Ticketmaster under fire online. Besides Swift, the site also stripped tickets from fans of Olivia Rodrigo, SZA, Beyonce, and Harry Styles. Ticketmaster has always been a site with much controversy for their high fees, long wait times, and website outages, but in 2023, their inabilities finally tipped the public over the edge. t

R – Rihanna Super Bowl performance

At the 57th Superbowl, Rihanna performed one of the most iconic halftime performances in history, wowing audience members with her live vocals, choreography, and more. Not only did Rihanna take the stage during halftime for the first time in seven years, but she did so pregnant, dancing 60 feet in the air at the State Farm Stadium in Arizona along with dancers from the well-known Royal Family Dance Crew. Rihanna also made headlines when she touched up her makeup using Fenty’s blotting powder in the midst of an intense choreography section, showing her dedication to the success of her beauty brand. Rihanna’s performance made for some of the year’s most iconic moments and raises the bar for this year’s Superbowl performance by Usher. [Jiaying Hou]

S – Stanley Drinkware upsurge

With water being one of the three most vital things for human survival, water bottles are most definitely necessities. Water bottles have continuously been improving with their technology, paving the way for the water bottle industry. In 2023, there has been a new company that has completely taken over the community: Stanley. The brand’s durable bottles are supposed to be for people who are tough and outdoorsy, but somehow has become a TikTok trend for millenial women and teenage girls. The ever-so-popular Stanley Quencher H2O FlowState features double-walled vacuum insulation, a comfortable square handle and removable straw, and comes in a range of trendy colors. This iconic tumbler has definitely left its lasting mark on the community. [Janelle Lim]

T – Titan Submarine 

The Titan was a submersible owned by the company OceanGate Expedition with the goal to take a pilot and four other passengers down to the Titanic shipwreck. The Titan submerged June 19 and about 1 hour and 45 minutes after it left, the submersible lost all contact with the Coast Guard. It was reported to have been overdue about 435 miles south of St. Johns Newfoundland. The remains of the five passengers and other parts of the Titan were found 12,500 feet. It was found that the Titan had suffered an implosion resulting in the death of all five passengers–pilot Stockton Rush, Shahsada Dawood, Suleman Dawood, Hamich Harding, and Paul-Henri Nargeolet. [Roxy Kalantari]

U – Ukraine-Russia war

The Ukraine vs. Russia conflict stands as a global political predicament with dire worldwide repercussions. Now, as the war enters its third winter, the lack of substantial territorial gains has led to debates over a potential stalemate. The cooperation of political forces stresses the need for continuous international involvement and diplomatic efforts to navigate such an intricate situation. As debates in the U.S. Congress influence aid delivery and the potential shifts in the political landscape, the conflict’s significance in this past year impact not only matters within regional borders, but also impact global geopolitics, security, and humanitarian concerns. [Lia Dimapasok]

V – Violence in schools

Over the years, violence throughout the world and specifically in schools has gotten worse and worse. However, this past year it has been at its highest. In 2023, there were 340 school shootings all over America. This is a significant amount higher than the year before; however, unlike that year, less people were injured or killed during these shootings. The main difference between violence in schools in the past years versus 2023 is that the perpetrators of these violent actions have no connection to these schools and the action was more than likely random. This being said, school shootings are becoming more common across the country, and in some cases are leaving students in fear of going to school. [Aniya Grant]

W – Writer’s strike

The Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on a writers strike from May 2 to September 27. Multiple writers for television films and talk shows have been affected because of labor disputes. With the disagreements about AI and staff and their levels of creativity, it became the reason for the lack of agreement on a new contract between the WGA and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). This affected streaming companies from the production of films and production decreasing, causing multiple studios to close down. On September 27, the union leadership voted to end the strike, and on October 9, the WGA contracts were confirmed, leading to WGA winning the writers strike. [Kaitlyn Angeles]

X – X (Twitter)

On July 22, 2023, Elon Musk changed the name of the text-based social media network Twitter to “X.” One of Musk’s earliest startups, PayPal, previously went by X.com, but that domain now belongs to Twitter. This rebrand has been in the works for quite some time and is part of a bigger project to create an “everything app” under X Corp. There are many changes happening with text-based social media on the whole, and with the new “everything app” that X Corp is striving for, additional features like long-form video content and more extensive social networking applications will be introduced to the platform. [Kaitlyn Luu]

Y – (Michelle) Yeoh

Known for her groundbreaking performances in Crazy Rich Asians, Shang-Chi, and Everything Everywhere All At Once (EEAAO), it was only a matter of time before Michelle Yeoh would make history at the 2023 Oscars, becoming the first ever Asian best actress winner for her performance in EEAAO. With her win being highly anticipated, many saw her as a trailblazer to the Asian community as she paved the way for more Asian representation on the big screen. Whether it was playing the evil mother-in-law from a wealthy background or transforming into the role of an immigrant laundromat owner-turned-superhero, Yeoh continues to serve as a role model to aspiring actors while moving her audience with the roles she takes on. [Madeline Khoo]

Z – (Gen) Z

As the world youth transitions to Gen Alpha, it’s important to highlight the challenges overcome by Gen Z—mainly, having experienced high school/an introduction to college from an under-stimulating online learning period to the rise of college competition and a simultaneous increase in rigor required to get accepted to these schools. While millennials are reaching middle age and Gen Z is reaching an age of meaningful contribution to the world, the most educated generation we’ve ever seen is ready to take center stage and thrust civilization into (hopefully) a new age of invention and technology. [Avery Rosas]