Six Social Media Trends that Dominated Quarantine Emandra Garavito

By Emandra Garavito

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, people were forced to convert their daily lives into a remote environment. With the stress and anxiety that arose from quarantine, social media acted as an escape from the struggles that were felt around the world.

QUARANTINE REALLY GAVE US THE ABILITY TO RECONNECT WITH OUR SURROUNDINGS.

1. Showing off skating skills and stunts. Roller skating videos filled everyone’s “For You” page on TikTok at the start of quarantine. People from all over the world were posting quick tutorials, showing off their tricks and flips, and even showing how to do things like roller skating dancing. This trend was so popular that there was a shortage of roller skates, according to Vogue. Even now, it is still difficult to get your hands on a pair of roller skates.

4. Watching and creating fitness tutorials. Fitness tutorials and fitness result videos also skyrocketed throughout quarantine with creators like Chloe Ting gaining thousands of followers and the #fitness tag on Instagram gaining millions of posts. At-home gyms were all the rage, especially with TikToks and IGTV videos showing off what people’s workout routines and setups looked like. With all of us in lockdown, social media usage increased about 49%, according to The Harris Poll. With it, social media trends grabbed our attention and gave us something to do. In an interview with Instagram influencer Kiara Espericueta, she stated, “On apps like Instagram people have to actively look you up but on TikTok you’re constantly exposed to different types of content.” Here are six memorable trends from quarantine.

2. Taking care of one’s skin to take care of one’s self. YouTube and TikTok were at the forefront of the skincare trend as people researched the best products for their skin type while also trying to figure out what steps are needed to establish a skincare routine. Espericueta discussed the importance of skincare and how this was one of the top trends of the year. ”Skincare has become a huge part of my daily routine and I think quarantine has inspired so many people to give it a try. It gives people a routine and everyone needed that type of stability because of the pandemic,” she says.

5. Learning to deal with distance communication. Another trend that took social media by storm was the number of people finding ways to talk to their loved ones who had either been exposed to COVID-19 or who were trying to remain isolated. Some of the most popular ones were of elderly couples communicating through the glass of a nursing home, families setting up clear shower curtains to allow their kids to hug their grandparents, or simply setting up a Zoom call. This trend warmed the hearts of the nation. 3. Finding sustainable solutions to better the environment. Despite the isolation, quarantine gave us some unexpected positive effects. One, in particular, was the fact that air pollution decreased and waterways were cleared of trash and other debris. On TikTok and Instagram, many people were displaying the best ways to be eco-friendly, such as using bamboo, metal, or paper straws. Users also created tutorials showing people how to make their own reusable masks, and even doing DIY videos on how to make your own reusable paper.

6. Finding and appreciating hidden locations around us. With people being stuck at home and not able to travel, users began to make videos of hidden locations in and around their own neighborhoods. They even highlighted small businesses, parks and important people in their communities. This trend made us realize that we’re oftentimes too busy looking at outside locations that we sometimes overlook our own towns and cities. Quarantine really gave us the ability to reconnect with our surroundings.