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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Vic chapter.

It’s hard to believe that we’ve been in self-isolation for almost a year now. March 2020 feels like it was a month ago and five years ago at the same time. A recent surge of nostalgia for “quarantine season one” on TikTok has prompted me to reflect on where we are with quarantine trends now compared to a year ago. So without further ado, here is my official then vs. now quarantine trend list!

Food.

Then: whipped coffee.

This was the drink of March/April 2020. All you need is to whip instant coffee, sugar and hot water together and pour over your milk of choice. To be honest, I’ll still make this if I need a sugar/caffeine fix.

 

Now: feta pasta.

Another TikTok food trend, this pasta is tried and true. The mixture of olive oil, feta, basil, tomato and pepper blends together for the most delicious pasta you will try. Fun fact: this pasta was so popular that it made Finnish grocery stores run out of feta cheese for a period of time. 

Outfits.

Then: tie-dye sweatsuits.

I love these sweatsuits. Sadly, I’m not that talented when it comes to arts and crafts, so I didn’t attempt to dye my precious sweats. Major props if you were able to pull off brown tie dye!

 

Now: Vivienne Westwood pearl chokers, corsets, and sunglasses.

Extreme Glam > Extreme Comfort. 

Shows.

Then: Tiger King and Outer Banks.

Who didn’t binge-watch these? 

 

Now: WandaVision.

I am not the biggest Marvel fan, but oh my God, this show is good. Recommend 100%.

Workouts.

Then: Chloe Ting.

There was a time where we all thought Miss Chloe Ting was going to give us the abs of our dreams. I lasted like five days.

 

Now: Peloton.

With workout classes still closed, Peloton is truly the next best thing. The instructors are amazing and the live class component helps you stay motivated and engaged. 

School.

Then: Google Classroom.

Ah, what a marvellous time it was when teachers didn’t really understand Zoom and school was just completing an assignment a week. Remember when we thought COVID-19 was going to be over in “two weeks”?

 

Now: Zoom every day.

I truly cannot wait for breakout rooms to be a thing of the past. 

 

 

Hopefully, by next year, trends won’t be based on quarantine! But until then, keep masking up, social distancing, and taking care of yourself. This too shall pass!

Alison is a third-year student at the University of Victoria pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature with a minor in Professional Communication. When she isn't planning her next big article you can find Ali in the dance studio, catching a wave in Tofino, browsing the Aritzia clearance rack, or crafting the perfect oat milk latte.
Emma is a second-year graduate student at the University of Victoria. She's a pop-culture-obsessed filmmaker and aspiring video game designer. When she isn't writing for Her Campus or burning her eyes from staring at a screenplay that just isn't working, she's probably at home playing video games, watching movies (it's technically homework, she's studying them) or mindlessly scrolling through her TikTok feed.