2020 was the year that made us question everything. From bush fires to flooding to a global pandemic, we have most definitely seen the extremes of the world. People have grown together whilst apart within the realm of online communication, where zoom has become a trigger word for most.
The lonely nights in and the yearning to see loved ones have pushed us to our limits and forced us to become creative in how we interact and entertain ourselves.
The Year Of Why
Social media’s prominence in our lives continued to grow and at times, became one of the only ways to communicate with one another. Along with the struggle to stay in touch, our growing curiosity about the world we live in has been dubbed by Google as the year of “why”. Never before have we questioned things as intently, with a constant want to know more.
When COVID-19 hit our shores, we persevered with positivity. With the growth of the Black Lives Matter movement, we came together to protest and educate ourselves on important issues over social media. We reached out for fellow Australians after the devastating fires, searching for tags like “buy Aussie now”. We questioned the political landscape, with the US Election being the most searched topic all year.
The Year Of Creativity
Lockdown and Isolation left us to our own devices, where boredom consumed even the most hopeful. DIY and cooking searches went through the roof with Sourdough Bread being one of the most searched recipes, succeeded only by Hand Sanitizer (take what you want from that). We searched for DIY Neck Hammocks and Foot Spas to wind down from our zoom fatigue.
Dating became a whole new arena, with creative new ways to go on a first date and find true love. Tinder’s ‘Year in Swipe’ shed light on some of the witty and ambitious methods employed by lonely singles, desperate enough to flirt about the fact that they have a pro Zoom account. There was an overwhelming amount of toilet paper related pickup lines but the winner in my books has to be:
“One ply…two ply…three ply….waiting for that re-ply ”
I think many of us expect things to change when the calendar ticks over to next year, but what we can do for now is stay safe and continue to innovate.
