If My Teenage Self Had Instagram: What Would I Post?

Today’s post is just a bit of nostalgic fun—if you enjoy oversharing and awkward teenage photos, you’re in the right place. I keep thinking, thank goodness Instagram didn’t exist when I was a teen. I can’t imagine the things I would have posted to the entire internet (and to my small world of classmates who lived for Catholic grade school drama).

Instead of hoarding that thought, I decided to bring it to life. Digging through old prints taken on a Kodak that required film was equal parts hilarious and terrifying. The photos below are an imagined week of “Instagram” posts from my teenage years. Enjoy the trip back in time.

That caption would have been accurate at the time. I went on my first trip without my family at 15 and felt very grown-up. I brought a roll of black-and-white film and had my friend take serious photos at her family’s lake cabin. I even made my brothers pose to mark the moment—very mature, very dramatic.

I was obsessed with Bath and Body Works’ Cucumber Melon. I had a full collection—body splash at home, a travel spray in my backpack—because teenage me loved smelling nice. I briefly flirted with Country Apple, then wisely returned to Cuke Melon. Ah, the priorities of adolescence.

In middle school, getting a signed note from your parents meant freedom to head downtown with friends. We’d stroll to Starbucks, a PB&J place, and the candy shoppe, feeling so cool even in our school uniforms with untucked shirts because it was after class. Those small rebellions felt huge.

No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you—those were supposedly dwarf rabbits that hopped up the basement stairs into our family room. Audrey and Daisy were the closest thing our household had to dogs. My youngest brother and I got them after my second rabbit died; the pet store guy called them dwarf, but they were hefty and loved roaming the yard in summer.

I spent a lot of time making friendship bracelets. It’s one of those hobbies I return to now and then because it’s oddly calming. Choosing colors, knotting threads—there’s a satisfying rhythm to it that never really ages.

Girl Legos were a big deal back then, and I adored the Paradisa-style sets with their pastel pieces and tiny accessories. Full confession: I played with Legos well into high school. No shame in the hobby—those little towns were a creative escape.

I probably contributed to my school’s strict pen rules by showing up with every bright ink color imaginable. I’d walk to Michael’s and spend babysitting money on pens and stickers—small thrills that felt important at the time.

Perfume was another recurring gift—one Christmas after another I would unwrap a new bottle. The smell takes me right back to thrifted wool sweaters and quieter shopping aisles than the ones we have now.

Of course I’d post a throwback to my Barbie Camper. I loved that camper—one of my favorite Christmas presents ever. I’d joke about being over Barbies, but secretly I’d pull them out and play for hours. Polly Pocket deserved a mention too. Nostalgia is real and delightful.

Looking back at prom photos makes me grateful social media wasn’t as omnipresent as it is now. I was impressionable, pale, and blissfully unaware of online scrutiny. Those formal nights were about friends, music, and neon corsages more than image management.

Finally, here’s photographic proof of why I’ve dressed as Garth from Wayne’s World for Halloween more than once. This sleepy photo—probably taken by one of my brothers—captures the perpetual struggle of getting out of bed in the morning. My mom texted it to me recently, and it felt like the perfect closing snapshot.

I hope this little collection inspires you to dig up your own teenage photos and share a laugh or two. If you’re a blogger, try posting a “then and now” series or a set of imagined social posts from your past; it’s a fun way to celebrate awkward, honest memories and the small moments that shaped you.