2020 was supposed to be OUR year. It was supposed to be the modern roaring twenties, I was supposed to walk the lawn for graduation, it was supposed to be good. Even the number 2020 is clean, even, almost perfect some would say. However, that is definitely not what happened. The year started off with Australia ablaze, threats of World War III erupting, Kobe Bryant being taken too soon, devastating floods in Indonesia, and then we got hit with a global pandemic. Corona is a lot of things—unknown, scary, unprecedented (this will be the most used word of 2020). It is also downright weird. For many of us, this feels like the weirdest thing we have ever lived through with the whole global pandemic keeping us on an indefinite coronacation from everything we know and love. However, we have lived through A LOT of weird things that you may have already forgotten just in the past decade. So here are some weird things that happened in the 2010’s—to comfort you?
- Clowns were a security threat: schools were shut down for public safety after people started roaming the streets dressed as threatening clowns.
- Lindsay Lohan streamed herself trying to kidnap children over Instagram Live.
- Lady Gaga wore a meat dress. Granted, with all of her other outfits over the years and her cementing herself as a household name, this has become less weird. But at the time? Definitely weird.
- On the topic of clowns, Robert Pattinson said he witnessed a clown being blown up at the circus. Years later he revealed that this was a lie encouraged by sleep deprivation and the desire to be memorable. Look up this man. There’s a LOT of weird things happening here.
- The music video Friday which was followed by too many preteen girls creating music videos such as My Jeans and Hot Problems (although Rebecca Black is making a comeback and really deserves a second chance. Please don’t hate on her because the worst thing she did was recording a catchy song at thirteen years old).
- Planking: we made a trend out of laying on the floor.
- Kony 2012 went viral: you are lying if you did not watch this entire thirty minute video and then ask your parents to buy you a shirt (and then the organizer got arrested for indecent exposure and urinating in public)
- The world didn’t end in 2012: none of us REALLY thought it was going to happen, but there was always a chance.
- What Does the Fox Say?
- Malaysia Airlines plane disappeared: the fact that this happen still haunts me every time I get on a plane.
- Pokémon Go to the Polls
- Ted Cruz liked porn on Twitter.
- Chris Christie cancelled Halloween (this was very traumatic for the children of New Jersey) however his entire career as governor should be called into question.
- People started eating tide pods: is this natural selection?
- YouTube thought Marina Joyce was kidnapped and being forced to make videos while held hostage.
- The cup song from Pitch Perfect: I am not saying that it wasn’t inventive, but why did we all have to do it? Constantly. The cafeteria became one big a capella convention. Can we discuss acapella in general?
- Ariana Grande licked a doughnut—did this start the trend of licking things that is all too prevalent now?
- Miley what’s good?
- Decade of Taylor Swift versus Kanye West (why is this still happening but #teamtaylor)
- Harambe/ Deez Nuts/ the entire 2016 election
Honorable mentions to: Heelys, FarmVille, Crackle nail polish, Silly bands, Wrecking Ball, Keep Calm and Carry On, Nyan Cat, THE dress (blue/black or white/gold), fringe, duck lips, “I mustache you a question”, Alvin and the Chipmunk covers of every single pop song, dystopian teen movies (feels like we are living in one right now), “rawr xD”, and Instagram challenges which we have now brought back out of complete boredom.
So there’s my "twenty weird things that happened in the 2010s" to make you feel slightly better about all the weird things to come in the twenties. I am sure there are things that I have missed so please feel free to remind me in the comments.
