Killer clowns, mannequin challenges, Beyonce’s “Lemonade” — all of these are things that come to mind when picturing 2016. It was a year that marked a tumultuous presidential election, the controversy of Brexit and the deaths of pop culture icons.
Recently, a social media trend has emerged that aims to return people to the chaotic year through nostalgia on its 10-year anniversary. Numerous videos on platforms such as Tiktok and Instagram Reels feature trends like classic filters, full glam makeup and timely memes, with the claim that 2026 is “the new 2016.”
Caroline Cofer, a junior majoring in communicative disorders, said she remembers a lot of the trends that were popular at the time.
“I remember 2016 as a time of peak trends and media, from the Unicorn Frappuccino to The Chainsmokers,” she said. “It was also the era of ‘Andy’s coming,’ like even my teachers joined in on the fun.”
These trends have given users a way to embrace a time in which the world felt lighter, romanticizing nostalgia for a pre-COVID world. Despite the online popularity, students have differing views on whether or not the year is worth returning to.
“2016 was kinda stressful, because it was the first time I became aware of a presidential election,” said Taylor Rainey, a senior majoring in Spanish. “I was being told a bunch of different things from my family, and I desperately wanted to know what was going on. It was also the first year I started getting into a lot of pop culture stuff.”
The stress of the political climate seems to be what a majority of Gen Z remembers. The presidential election caused students to become politically aware, pushing them into a high-stakes environment that hasn’t dulled down since.
Some students hardly remember the year itself, although its innovative pop culture sticks out. 2016 marked the release of chart-toppers like Frank Ocean’s “Blonde,” David Bowie’s “Blackstar” and Kanye West’s “The Life of Pablo.”
“I don’t really remember anything,” said Kera Kirskey, a sophomore nursing major. “I mean, I remember the music.”
When faced with nostalgia for the trends of the year, many find that it is the sense of hope that keeps it fresh in our mind. Cofer said that times were “simpler” then.
“I was stressing about a surprise clown appearance while walking to practice after school unsupervised,” Cofer said. “I also had the Snapchat dog filter on nearly every photo, and a flower crown completed most outfits.”
The rise of social media has combined with our general descent into mainstream dread. However, the highlights of the 2016 era focus on casual fun, without a need for monetization or politicization. It is this feeling that students want to return to, instead of the year itself.
