One awesome thing about being autistic is having a special interest or two! For autistic people, we tend to go ALL IN on a specific subject that brings us immense joy and stimulation.
My special interests are neuropsychology, science, philosophy, 2000s nostalgia, art, and SpongeBob SquarePants! But for the last couple of weeks, I’ve been super into everything to do with Y2K aesthetics.
So What Have I Been Doing to Keep Up with My Interests Lately?
Besides watching 2000s shows like Psych, Arrested Development, and Malcom in the Middle whenever I get the chance, I’ve been big into collecting nostalgic trinkets and photographs as well recently.
From game pieces that model those from the I Spy book series, to translucent colored plastics, to Monster High, Bratz, and Barbie dolls, I’ve been accumulating quite a hoard (in a good way!).
Some of my favorite finds so far have included:
- Mini translucent colored hair clips in the shape of flowers 🌸
- A pink Fisher Price Doodle Pro that uses magnets to create easily erasable drawings 🖊️
- A tiny “brick” cell phone and a flip phone 📱
- Beanie Babies – Chocolate the Moose, Pumpkin’ the Pumpkin, Inch the Inchworm, and Rex the Dinosaur 🧸
One of my favorite times of year is the Halloween season, and I never pass up the opportunity to dress up in an outfit that represents my love for Y2K. Some years, I dress in full emo-inspired fashion, and others I dress in the bright, “trashy” style known as McBling that flooded the decade.
While I don’t have a huge budget for clothing, I try to make the most out of upcycling, crafting, and repurposing. I love collecting little charms for earrings or necklaces, different beads for bracelets, and scraps of fabric to make patches out of. I keep an eye out for anything with animal prints, glitter, or star patterns.
I’ve also been trying to grow a list of favorite tunes from the 2000’s. Some of my top picks lately (in no particular order) have been:
- Till I Collapse by Eminem feat. Nate Dogg 🎵
- Survivor by Destiny’s Child 🎵
- I’m With You by Avril Lavigne 🎵
- Speed of Sound by Coldplay 🎵
- Boston by Augustana 🎵
- Breakeven by The Script 🎵
- Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me) by Train 🎵
- Bad Day by Daniel Powter🎵
- Backstabber by Kesha 🎵
- Let’s Get It Started (Spike Mix) by the Black Eyed Peas 🎵
I was born right in the middle of the decade, so while I can’t say I’m a true 2000s kid, the 2000s definitely shaped a large portion of my childhood, and I can appreciate both the things I missed and the things I was around for.
Although I’d much prefer living in 2025 (for a lot of reasons), I always enjoy immersing myself in 2000s pop culture. I love the idea of living in a way that makes you happiest. Be you!