When you think of “Stranger Things,” your mind is probably flooded with memories of growing up alongside the kids from the TV show.

As each new season of “Stranger Things” approached, there was always a buzz of excitement in the air. Chatter about the show’s unknown outcome flowed throughout the classrooms from middle school to college, providing an opportunity for connecting with other kids our age.

Since the show began while current college students were in middle school, we’ve had the theme of acceptance from the popular show lingering in the back of our minds. Growing up with the show’s encouragement to embrace people outside of your usual friend group set the standard for maintaining a positive outlook on companionship.

The message of “Stranger Things” revolves around creating a welcoming community for children who are considered outcasts in society, which was an important lesson to produce for a younger generation. Visualizing how to be accepting of everyone, despite our differences, is vital for children to understand so they can continue the behavior throughout the rest of their lives.

As current college students reached high school, “Stranger Things” introduced more sci-fi elements to the show, with the superpowers and monsters intensifying as the later seasons progressed. The abundance of visual upkeep may have inspired many of the adolescent viewers to chase a creative career path, whether that be in film editing and production or acting and directing. Many people finished the show with newfound interests in professional creative directions.

“Stranger Things” arguably changed the lives of current college students. It is not only providing us with scenes to reminisce about, but also allowing us to recall the moments shared with the people around us while watching the show, even as each season’s release fades into a memory.

When thinking about “Stranger Things,” we will not only remember the unconventional combination of the 1980s and mind-possessing monsters, but also the people who weaved in and out of our lives as each season passed. We may have enjoyed Season 1 with someone we no longer talk to, but we’ll always remember the feeling of growing up watching this show together.

We were lucky to have something to bond over within our age group for so many years, and now that the final chapter has ended, we will carry the mindset of being accepting of anyone who may feel like an outsider, as well as treasure the memories we made viewing and reflecting on every episode together.