Posted on Mar 29, 2024

40 Forgotten Pandemic Trends From 4 Years Ago That Feel Like They Are From An Alternate Universe

Yeah, we were all losing it.

by Matt Stopera

BuzzFeed Staff

by Brian Galindo

BuzzFeed Staff

Sign reading "SCHOOL CLOSED" in front of a building, indicating a temporary closure

Person's hand drizzling whipped coffee over milk in a glass, surrounded by scattered coffee beans

3. The "nature is healing" meme:

with everyone on lockdown, the lime scooters are finally returning to the river. nature is healing, we are the virus. pic.twitter.com/I0IbCfiMnj
— ronnie (@taladorei) March 26, 2020

Twitter: @taladorei

5. Changing your Zoom avatar to something like a potato:

my boss turned herself into a potato on our Microsoft teams meeting and can’t figure out how to turn the setting off, so she was just stuck like this the entire meeting pic.twitter.com/uHLgJUOsXk
— clegg (@PettyClegg) March 30, 2020

@PeggyClegg / Via Twitter: @PettyClegg

Person raising a glass in a virtual toast with friends on a tablet screen

Smiling woman in floral print outfit at an event

9. Celebrities making songs about washing your hands:

Gloria Gaynor washing her hands to I Will Survive is the hand washing video I didn’t know I needed pic.twitter.com/3HotD7RsS6
— grant👨🏻‍🦱 (@urdadssidepiece) March 12, 2020

@GloriaGayner / Via Twitter: @urdadssidepiece

10. Hoarding toilet paper:

OK Seattle, I literally just needed like a roll of toilet paper? 🧻 🤷🏻‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/oMiGBoCdgR
— Jess T-R (@torrezriley) March 3, 2020

@Torrezriley / Via Twitter: @torrezriley

A shopping cart filled with packages of raw meat

12. Basically, hoarding basically everything except Corona beer:

Corona: The perfect drink for social distancing because no one wants it #coronavirusuk pic.twitter.com/NWUH2Ck9i4
— James Hurley (@jameshurley_) March 21, 2020

Twitter: @jameshurley_

13. Stores being sold out of all bottled water except Dasani:

Y’all. Is Dasani really that bad?!

This is literally the only water left of the shelves. 🤣😂 pic.twitter.com/Dfkk2P3Nip
— Ty Jackson (@Ty__Land) March 12, 2020

@TY__Land / Via Twitter: @Ty__Land

Sign on store shelf limiting disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizers, and face wipes to 6 per guest due to high demand

15. The former Governor of New York's daily presentations:

It’s Saturday. Wear a Mask. pic.twitter.com/9dvJ0Gxu4z
— Archive: Governor Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) June 27, 2020

Twitter: @NYGovCuomo

16. Everyone joining TikTok and doing dances, like the "Blinding Lights" dance:

@the.mcfarlands
You asked for it... Here it is 📸 #blindinglightschallenge #blindinglights #happyathome
♬ Blinding Lights - GREG DAHL

@the.mcfarlands tiktok.com

17. March 1 vs. April 1 memes:

march 1 / april 1 pic.twitter.com/3zZpyutTGd
— no (@zedonarrival) April 1, 2020

MGM/ Twitter: @zedonarrival

Exercise bike in a living room with a TV and bookshelves

Person kneading dough on a wooden surface

Person holding a game console with 'Animal Crossing' on the screen

23. Clapping for essential workers:

I hope this video of Priyanka clapping gets referenced on the WAP remix pic.twitter.com/BhceyDrymr
— Frank Costa (@feistyfrank) August 19, 2020

@NickJonas / Via Twitter: @feistyfrank

24. Making fun of celebrities for clapping to empty fields for essential workers:

when Priyanka Chopra asked Nick Jonas to record a video of her clapping her hands on her balcony pic.twitter.com/uLYq7AJCRR
— Hurt CoPain (@SaeedDiCaprio) March 24, 2020

Twitter: @SaeedDiCaprio

Package protruding from an overstuffed mailbox at a roadside

26. Doing lots of puzzles:

Throwback to that time I spent the first months of the pandemic working on a 9,120-piece puzzle. 😵‍💫 pic.twitter.com/WHJBLLs17c
— Jennifer Public Radio (@AmbientSynthy) February 21, 2022

Twitter: @AmbientSynthy

27. Hyper realistic cakes:

These Are All Cakes pic.twitter.com/ejArkJHaid
— Tasty (@tasty) July 8, 2020

@Tasty/ @redrosecake_tubageckil / Via Twitter: @tasty

28. The memes about thinking everything is a cake:

I know a cake when I see one. https://t.co/iS3y3BPywD
— 🤙🏽🎟 TeeJay™ 🎒🤟🏽 (@AintEeenTrippin) July 12, 2020

Twitter: @AintEeenTrippin

29. Never knowing what day of the week it was:

When someone asks me what day of the week it is pic.twitter.com/tNH5QNucyC
— R4 (@kupiy) May 9, 2020

Twitter: @kupiy

30. The "hope this email finds you well" meme:

"hope this email finds you well" pic.twitter.com/GtR4NhxLLF
— emmad - عماد (@emmadmazhari) July 12, 2020

Twitter: @emmadmazhari

32. Cottagecore:

I am living my cottage core fantasy today. pic.twitter.com/Wb3klm5D0W
— Veronika (@mediocre_legend) May 2, 2020

Twitter: @mediocre_legend

Five tie-dye shirts hanging on a line, indicative of past fashion trends

Person trimming their bangs in front of a mirror

Person shaving head with electric clippers, visible hair growth on sides, smiling

36. Taylor Swift Folklore/woods memes:

Taylor Swift out here really doing the most during a pandemic pic.twitter.com/nX1qBVvwgt
— Nora Dominick (@noradominick) July 23, 2020

NBC / Via Twitter: @noradominick

37. Celebrities doing random online events:

4 years ago today, Charli XCX does a Instagram Live DJ set for Grindr. pic.twitter.com/XQg2plaMzE
— hourly charli xcx (@hourlyXCX) March 27, 2024

Grindr/ Twitter: @hourlyXCX

38. Everyone you know doing Instagram Lives:

Jill Zarin is doing an Instagram Live with Cindy Barshop and everyone thinks it’s Carole Radziwill. pic.twitter.com/eNdfjXkyJm
— Brendan (@notbrendan) July 3, 2020

Twitter: @notbrendan

An assortment of various styles of Crocs footwear displayed on a retail store rack

40 Forgotten Pandemic Trends From 4 Years Ago That Feel Like They Are From An Alternate Universe

It's blowing everyone's minds that we are four years out from the p*ndemic.

Because it seems like "pandemic nostalgia" is a thing right now, let's take a look at all of the forgotten trends of the time...

1. Making dalgona coffee:

2. People doing the "Pillow Challenge" on Insta:

3. The "nature is healing" meme:

4. Changing your Zoom background to something "quirky":

5. Changing your Zoom avatar to something like a potato:

6. And obviously, the dreaded Zoom Happy Hour:

7. Obsessing over Tiger King:

8. And also Carole Baskin:

9. Celebrities making songs about washing your hands:

10. Hoarding toilet paper:

11. Hoarding meat:

12. Basically, hoarding basically everything except Corona beer:

13. Stores being sold out of all bottled water except Dasani:

14. Not being able to find hand sanitizer anywhere:

15. The former Governor of New York's daily presentations:

16. Everyone joining TikTok and doing dances, like the "Blinding Lights" dance:

17. March 1 vs. April 1 memes:

18. Buying a Peloton:

19. Getting a quarantine dog or cat:

20. Baking sourdough bread:

21. Making fun of celebrities for doing embarrassing things:

22. Buying a Nintendo Switch and playing Animal Crossing:

23. Clapping for essential workers:

24. Making fun of celebrities for clapping to empty fields for essential workers:

25. Becoming addicted to online shopping:

26. Doing lots of puzzles:

27. Hyper realistic cakes:

28. The memes about thinking everything is a cake:

29. Never knowing what day of the week it was:

30. The "hope this email finds you well" meme:

31. Love is Blind:

32. Cottagecore:

33. Tie dye:

34. Cutting your own bangs:

35. And gay guys buzzing their hair off:

36. Taylor Swift Folklore/woods memes:

37. Celebrities doing random online events:

38. Everyone you know doing Instagram Lives:

39. Buying Crocs unironically:

40. And lastly, the #2020challenge:

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