Ah, the early 2000s…

I remember them well!

But were they the glory days that some folks on TikTok are remembering them as?

I guess it depends on who you ask.

A viral video with the text overlay “Millennial Optimism Era” showed a bunch of photos from a bygone time.

@millennial.ca

Idc I miss the 2010s #2010s #hipnesspurgatory #hipster #millennialcore

♬ Blood – The Middle East

And this TikTokker posted a video of himself frolicking on a street in Brooklyn and his text overlay reads, “What I imagine being a millennial in 2012 in Williamsburg felt like.”

@souvenirmusic

The way I would’ve THRIVED as a performative hipster😩

♬ Blood – The Middle East

But one TikTokker had a different take.

He said, “I love the Millennial Optimism trend because I feel like it’s TikTok missing the mark in the way only a TikTok trend can.”

He continued, “I assure you that during the early 2010s, I was the most pessimistic that I’ve ever been in my life. I did not think that I was going to make it to my thirties.”

“The cherry on top is using this, like, iTunes commercial music as the background for this trend to just like reduce it to this commercialized TikTokk-able moment.”

@neek4freaks

Thoughts from a millenial optimist

♬ Blood – The Middle East

Another TikTokker posted a video with a text overlay that reads, “Millennial optimism era really had me thinking I could make a living as a part-time barista and live in a six-bedroom house with all my friends.”

In the caption, she wrote, “New Girl lied.”

@thatoldhag

new girl lied #milennials #housingcrisis #genz #fyp #2010s

♬ Blood – The Middle East

And here’s what viewers had to say about this.

This person didn’t hold back.

Another individual spoke up.

And this TikTokker shared their thoughts.

Maybe those years weren’t so great, after all…

Now that you’ve read that story, check out this one about a delivery driver who took a $400 grocery order back because she wasn’t given a tip.