Social media is getting nostalgic for life BCE (before coronavirus era), as the hashtag #lastnormalphoto goes viral.
Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok users have been sharing photos of the last activity they enjoyed before ordinary life was disrupted by lockdown restrictions.
The trend started on Saturday, when the BBC invited people to share their pictures of everyday life in Britain, before Covid-19 forced the government to issue “Stay at home” orders on March 23, a whole eight weeks ago.
We are quickly becoming so accustomed to this “new normal”, that memories of dancing in sweaty crowds and sitting down in restaurants are tinged with a hint of surrealism. Other memories now feel plain alarming — such as this photo of a Twitter user rubbing his face against a street light.
A concert photographer called on Don Mclean, as he shared a photo of his final gig - “the day the music died”.
Several birthday photos picture a reveller preparing to blow out candles. Today, we either blow over the cake or eat the cake. Certainly not both.
One air hostess recalled setting off to Johannesburg two hours before lockdown was announced.
Another adventurer shared a snap at the top of Sgurr a Mhaoraidh — isolated, yes, but far from home.
Ash Wednesday selfies hark back to a time where church services — which involve shaking strangers’ hands and sharing holy wine — were in full swing.
Kids in a playground, a professional haircut and playing football are all things we'd never have imagined a virus could render impossible.
Meanwhile, some photos probably wouldn't qualify as “normal” during any era.
