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Everyone's posting throwback pics from when they were 20, and we're all for it

A new throwback trend hit a quarantined internet.

Tim Marcin

on April 16, 2020

A whole heck of a lot of people are stuck at home and looking at screens, which has seemingly led to a very specific trend: sharing a photo of when you were exactly 20 years old.

As far as we can tell, the whole thing took off with a relatively innocuous post from Twitter user from @202natt asking what people looked like at 20.

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It was really only a matter of time before we reached the throwback phase of quarantine. We've got nothing but time and, for some people who may be cooped up with family, also access to long-lost photos.

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We've collected a few of our favorites below.

Just an absolute flex from Freaks and Geeks star Busy Philipps

Actress Nicola Coughlan had a lot of the craic at 20, which is an Irish thing (look it up)

Goal pointed out soccer star Kylian Mbappé had it all figured out before he was 20 years old

British baker Ruby Tandoh threw a little shade in her post

Author Garrard Conley posted about all of his touching and licking at 20

British comedian Luisa Omielan posted about "haterz"

Screenwriter Sarah Phelps didn't have the photographic evidence but you've just got to take her word for it

Actor Eddie Marsan posted a heartwarming picture

Sports personality Spencer Hall posted a pic where he had a strong resemblance to a certain Assistant TO the Regional Manager

Filmmaker Erin Lee Carr called herself a "nightmare of a person"

Comedian Patrick Monahan was extremely 20 at 20

Comedian Mike Drucker definitely posted pictures of himself at 20

And, just to be fair, here was my foray into the "20-year-old" pic trend. I stand by my hat choices.

Topics Memes

Tim Marcin

Associate Editor, Culture

Tim Marcin is an Associate Editor on the culture team at Mashable, where he mostly digs into the weird parts of the internet. You'll also see some coverage of memes, tech, sports, trends, and the occasional hot take. You can find him on Bluesky (sometimes), Instagram (infrequently), or eating Buffalo wings (as often as possible).