In search of our identity, we sometimes make decisions that later in life we aren’t particularly proud of.
But instead of burying them in the past, the subreddit ‘Blunder Years‘ invites people to embrace all the regrettable fashion choices, cringe-inducing hairstyles, and just their “personal brand” in general.
We at We agree that finding humor in our idiosyncrasies is a refreshing and liberating approach, so we put together a collection of the most popular recent posts from this wholesome online community.
May they serve as an inspiration for self-discovery and acceptance.
#1 2008 Senior Photo In The Cemetery With My 1976 Cadillac
#2 2006 And I Was 17. The Cure Was My Life
Clinical psychologist David John Hallford, who is also a senior lecturer at Deakin University, Australia, says that according to current thinking, there are two ways in which we recall experiences from our past.
“One way is purposeful and voluntary,” he writes in The Conversation. “For example, if you try to remember what you did at work yesterday, or what you had for lunch last Saturday. This involves a deliberate and effortful process during which we search for the memory in our minds.”
“The second way is unintended and spontaneous. These are memories that just seem to ‘pop’ into our minds and can even be unwanted or intrusive.”
#3 First Time Mom Let Me Dress Myself For Picture Day
#4 2004 In 6th Grade. My Best Friend Wanted A Pic Of Her Crush, So We Devised A Plan For Her To Pretend To Take One Of Me As He Walked Past. It Was A Success!
#5 Glamour Shots Photo From 1994. I Was 8 Years Old (Going On 45 In This Pic)
However, if you too are sometimes struck with sudden flashbacks from your blunder years, don’t worry. Hallford says that involuntary memories are usually more negative than their voluntary counterparts, and negative memories also tend to have a stronger emotional tone than positive ones.
“Humans are more motivated to avoid bad outcomes, bad situations, and bad definitions of ourselves than to seek out good ones. This is likely due to the pressing need for survival in the world: physically, mentally, and socially,” the psychologist explains.
#6 When I Thought It Would Be Classy To Wear A Victorian Suit To Prom ~2010
#7 When Someone Asks How Your Life Is Going…
#8 My Wife Gave Me Permission To Share This Picture Of Her From The Early 90s. She’s The One On The Left
#9 Me In The 80s. Sadly, The Coolest I Ever Looked
For the most part, this is all fine, and we are usually able to remember our past and experience the emotions that come with it without too much distress. But it may happen for some people more than others, and with stronger feelings, too.
“One clue as to why comes from research on mood-congruent memory. This is the tendency to be more likely to recall memories which are consistent with our current mood,” Hallford says. “So, if you’re feeling sad, well, you’re more likely to recall memories related to disappointments, loss, or shame. Feeling anxious or bad about yourself? You’re more likely to recall times when you felt scared or unsure.”
#10 Sophomore Prom Sporting My Hot Topic Best Waiting For My Boyfriend’s Mom’s Minivan
#11 Senior Year Photo (2010)
#12 Are We Doing Goth Prom Photos? Here’s Me In 2007. I Made The Dress Myself, As The Cheap Shiny Satin Does Suggest
#13 Thinking I Was The Coolest 12y/O Cuz I Could Play The Saxophone
The good news is that memories are very adaptable! “When we recall a memory we can elaborate on it and change our thoughts, feelings, and appraisals of past experiences,” Hallford points out.
During a process referred to as reconsolidation, changes can be made so the next time that memory is recalled it is different to what it once was and has a new emotional tone.
#14 16, 25 And Now At 34. What A Evolution!
#15 I Looked Like Tommy Boy As A Little Girl (1995)
#16 Cleanest Bowl Cut I Ever Had
#17 I Was Cast As Rudolph When I Was In Ninth Grade! (2008)
For example, we might remember a time when we were anxious about having to play Rudolf in an elementary school play that didn’t go so well for us, and feel sad or ashamed.
Reflecting, elaborating, and reframing that memory might involve remembering some aspects of it that did go well, integrating it with the idea that we stepped up to a challenge even though it was hard, and reminding ourselves that it’s okay to feel tensed about difficult things and it does not make us a failure or a bad person.
That way, if our dad unearths an old picture of us standing on a stage with a red nose, we might find ourselves smiling at it and recognizing the growth and resilience that have come since then.
#18 1997-Ish
#19 Apparently My High School Blunder Photo I Posted A Year Ago Was Good Enough That A Bot Re-Posted It So Here’s Another Photo From High School. Yes I Wore This Jacket To School, And I’m Pretty Sure I Was On A List With The School Administration For How I Dressed
#20 Grades 3, 6, And 9. Style Has Never Been A Strength Of Mine
#21 Found My Wife’s 1st Grade School Picture
If you need more reminders to reassure you that pretty much everyone goes through this (or simply enjoy this subreddit), fire up our previous publications 50 Times People Who Went Through The ‘Blunder Years’ Phase Posted These Absolutely Hilarious Pics and 50 Of The Funniest Pictures Of People’s Teen Years When They Thought They Were The Coolest.
#22 I Was 14 And Thought I Looked Like Ke$ha. To This Day, My Friend Still Has This Posted In One Of Her Facebook Albums
#23 I Took The Fashion From Clueless A Little Too Seriously
#24 17 Years Old In 2009. I Think I Looked Pretty Damn Good
#25 Me After Fight Club Came Out (2000)
#26 Who Wouldn’t Want Training Bras For Their Birthday?
#27 In Celebration Of Star Wars Day, A Picture Of Me Dressing Up As A Jedi For No Apparent Reason. 2002. Not Halloween. Not For A Showing Of Aotc, Just Wearing It To School Because I Thought It Was Cool
#28 I Sure Was An Angsty Little Firestarter
#29 My Mom Never Displayed This School Photo
#30 It’s Been 14 Years Since I’ve Looked Like This, But It Feels Like Yesterday
#31 Circa 2014 – Watched Goodfellas Too Many Times, Dressed Like This Every Single Day
#32 I Posted This On Facebook When I Was 14 With The Caption “Don’t Look Where You Fall, But Where You Slipped” 💀🤦🏻♀️
#33 Circa 2004
#34 My First Day Of School, Circa 2009
#35 Me In 2006ish. Friend From Highschool Sent Me This
#36 My Valley Girl Mom Back In ’80s
#37 It Was The Bicentennial And A “Special” Picture Day. Mom Made My Hair Extra Special Too
#38 My Mom In 2003 vs. 2023 🖤
#39 I Had To Wear This Bad Boi Throughout Grade Five. I Had To Develop A Personality Fast
#40 This “Edgy” Photoshoot Was So Cool In My Head
#41 I Am Still Upset About This Haircut
#42 I Was So Proud Of This Costume
#43 Myspace Profile Pic, 2008. Can You Tell My Favorite Movie Was Amelie?
#44 You Will Never Be As Cool As I Thought I Was. (And The Name Of Our Band Was “Menstrual Cycle”)
#45 Showed This Old Picture Of Myself To My Fiancé, & She Said, “Edward Stopping The Truck From Hitting Bella In Twilight”
#46 My Freshman Year Pic, 2013. Anyone Got A Pair Of Hedge Clippers?
#47 An Edgy “Photoshoot” In My Grandpa’s Flower Garden
#48 Me In 2012 Filming A Horror Movie That Was Filmed In A Backyard With A Camcorder And I Got Payed With Potato Salad
#49 Back In 1983 When I Was Still A Stud Lady’s Man
#50 16 Year Old Me Really Thought I Could Be The Next Numa Numa Guy/Star Wars Kid. This Was In My Myspace Bio [2005]
