Although we've officially entered 2026, some people are still reminiscing about 2016.
Pokémon Go, "Stranger Things," and "Hamilton" are some of the major pop culture moments conjured up in people's brains when they think of 2016, a year pivotal to many and nostalgic for others. It's the year that saw everything from clown sightings and the first-time election of President Donald Trump to viral trends and videos that took over the internet, like the Mannequin Challenge and Chewbacca Mom.
Now, ten years later, the year is still remembered as one of significance across generations. But where some people see a year that changed the world for the worse, others see it through rose-colored glasses. That's evident on Google, where if you type "Why is 2016" in the search bar, the fill-in responses include "Why is 2016 the best year," "Why is 2016 so popular," and "Why is 2016 so nostalgic."
Some psychologists say the answer could lie in people's age group and experiences during that year.
The calendar might say 2026, but some people on social media aren't acknowledging it. The new year ushered in a new trend on TikTok where users post pictures from 10 years ago alongside words like "Happy 2016," "Wake up it's 2016," "It's officially 2016," and "2026 is the new 2016."
