Remember when?

Let's say you were lookin through an old picture album with one of your oldest best friends. As you're flipping through the pages, there are many comments and phrases you are bound to say, one of those being "oh those were the days". That's totally ok, almost everyone says something similar to that when reminiscing. But how true is that statement really.
Recently I was flipping through some of my older Facebook albums and my friends and I were commenting on the funny faces and thinking back to those certain days, and someone said the phrase, "Man, those were the days, how great was all of that". Now while I somewhat agreed, I couldn't help but think, what's wrong with today? We're seniors now, but we were looking back on our 8th grade photos. Why is it about the past and being younger that appeals to so many of us. Why do we feel like everything was always better than it is now?
In 8th grade I had a solid group of girlfriends, good grades, braces, skinny bod, frumpy clothes and more. Now I have a larger group of close friends, iffy grades, ok teeth, could be better bod, solid style and more. Thing is I can't find one lifestyle better than the other. But what made 8th grade more appealing to the senior mind is that I had more of my life ahead of me. I didn't know how I was going to turn out or what my options were. In 8th grade, I had all of high school ahead of me, while now, the past four years feels like they happened in the blink of an eye. To senior Mary, 8th grade Mary's problems were squat and I didn't seem to have a care in the world. But at the time, I can remember worrying about people bothering me for my braces or my pretty ugly clothes, what if any boy likes me and if I'll catch the bus in the morning. Those were pressing issues back then, ad I probably thought 5th grade was the prime time.
But if I think about it, while the problems and issues may be a little more extreme at this age, I don't think I'll look back on 8th grade thinking it was better. Now I can drive myself around-no more parent dependence, I have a job where I make money I can spend, I make more pressing decisions, my face has cleared up, can be out and about anywhere on my own, no parental curfew and more. These are fun and great times too, with our whole lives ahead of us. College is like highschool to our 8th grade selves.
Those were great days, but so are these.