In the early weeks of 2026, social media feeds were populated by posts ringing in the new year. But one after another, each picture seemed strangely familiar. Was it the hazy purple tones of the Rio de Janeiro filter? Or maybe the smooth beats of Fetty Wap’s “Trap Queen” playing in the background?
A decade later, millennials and Gen Z alike are feeling a pang of nostalgia for that culturally rich year. For Boston College students, nostalgia might creep up on them for another reason: 2016 marks the last time BC men’s hockey won the Beanpot.
A decade later, we are taking a look back to reminisce on our finer days and a year worth remembering—and, maybe, make the case for why 2026 (aka 2016 2.0) is the year the Eagles bring another Beanpot win home to Chestnut Hill.
The 2016 Game: #GoalsAF
On Feb. 8, 2016, the BC men’s hockey team defeated Boston University 1–0, the lowest score the tournament had seen in its 64-year history. Since then, the Eagles have not gotten their talons into another cup, despite seasons spent with No. 1-ranked teams and star players.
What was that game like? Attendees might recall a night racked by technical difficulties and delays, or the rising tension as each team fired shot after shot without success.
In all likelihood, BC fans remember the joy that erupted in TD Garden after three grueling periods and a few minutes of overtime when BC forward Alex Tuch found the back of the net to score the game’s lone goal.
Lowkey Lit Trends
Some are looking back to 2016 for its (semi) offline appeal. Social media certainly captured mass audiences, but it was a time before TikTok or doomscrolling. It’s also the year when Instagram stories came out—feel old yet?
From a worldwide obsession with Pokémon GO to the #FreeHarambe movement (RIP) to the whip and nae nae, 2016 was filled with viral moments that remained relevant long after the year ended.
Everyone remembers bottle flipping and the thrill of landing a flip in front of a group of expectant friends—or, for current BC students, who were in middle school at the time, in front of a very exasperated homeroom teacher.
If you subconsciously freeze at the opening notes of “Black Beatles,” you’re not alone. The #MannequinChallenge, set to Rae Sremmurd’s 2016 hit, featured a group of people creating a freeze frame out of themselves for a minute. It’s also safe to assume that a majority of these videos were filmed on the rose-gold iPhone 6 before being uploaded to YouTube.
Returning BC students might remember recreating it at Swae Lee’s 2025 Modstock performance in April—perhaps predicting the resurgence of 2016 vibes to come months later? We might not have started the 2016 trend, but we are certainly prepared for it.
Keep Calm and Watch On: Movies, TV, and Music
2016 was a significant year for more than just memes.
Marvel fans were forced to take sides when Captain America: Civil War released (were you Team Cap or Team Iron Man?), while films like La La Land and Moonlight became beloved by critics and fans alike.
Fans visited Hawkins, Indiana, for the first time when Stranger Things season one released on July 15, 2016, while Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton took Broadway by storm and became a global sensation.
In a world where pop culture seems to move at the speed of light, 2016’s musical landscape feels like another world. Timeless albums were released, like Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo and Beyoncé’s narrative masterpiece Lemonade, while songs like Drake’s “One Dance” or The Chainsmokers’ “Closer” dominated the radio waves.
Perhaps a few listens to these songs can manifest a rerun of all of the 2016 highlights, especially that win we want most—to quote Hamilton, with a little luck, we won’t “throw away our shot” when we take on the Beanpot this year.
Style Slays: Skinny Jeans, Chokers, and More
Alongside jerseys that sported names like #30 Thatcher Demko or #19 Ryan Fitzgerald, students attending the game might have thrown on a pair of high-waisted skinny jeans, or the thin black choker found in every Hot Topic that year.
Utility jackets, including the nearly ubiquitous bomber style, were seen with dramatic Anastasia brows and a puppy-dog Snapchat filter. 2016’s eclectic style also featured festival patterns and floral crowns, adding some whimsy to the wide variety of trends throughout the year.
Celebrities and influencers alike are reincarnating the year with dumps of their 2016 photos. Some are taking it further, with Kylie Cosmetics releasing a throwback ‘King Kylie’ line, focusing on bold, matte makeup. Most haven’t been quite nostalgic enough to paint on dramatic cut creases, but if you are, Kylie has the line for you.
2026: The New 2016?
That phrase has dominated the internet in recent weeks as people reminisce on the positive aspects of the culture, style, and vibes of that year.
In some ways, the phrase is more than just a nostalgic wish for a time long gone. From newly-recorded renditions of the #MannequinChallenge to Zara Larsson’s “Lush Life” entering the charts for the first time in 10 years, aspects of the 2016-era are making a tangible resurgence.
But let’s hope that the “2026 is the new 2016” trend isn’t limited to grainy Instagram filters and nostalgic Chainsmokers songs—if BC plays its cards right, it might also mean the school’s first Beanpot victory in a decade.
