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21 Memes That Got Us Through 2021

This year was…meh.

Ah, internet memes. They’re perhaps the only things that seem to bring us joy these days. And this year was no different. The internet kept the content flowing and our minds distracted. We couldn’t be more thankful. Our list of 21 memes that got us through 2021 commemorates all of the hilarious memes that came out this year.

1. The happy-side, sad-side bus

This one, sadly, is relatable to most of us. It’s been an up-and-down year as we are still picking up the pieces from the pandemic. Some days we feel ready to take on the entire world—other days not so much. This meme perfectly describes our two moods during this year. 

2. Red flags

This year, 2021, has been one of positive relationship growth. Or more accurately, it’s been a year of relationship advice that absolutely nobody asked for. It’s no surprise to see a relationship-focused meme make the list this year. Plus, it’s taught a lot of people about warning signs in relationships.

3. The Olympics

With 2021 a summer Olympics year, it makes sense to see some Olympic-themed memes this year. The best has to go to the unique bed situation that Olympians were forced to abide by. When Twitter found out, they did Twitter things. And the rest is history. P.S. It’s never a good idea to bust out the Tame Impala sheets.

4. Anakin and Padme meme

This meme was all over the place this year. Since debuting on Twitter in mid-April, the format has taken the internet by storm. With so many different ways that this meme can work, its success is no surprise. 

5. Evergreen shipping

Who could forget the ship that completely stopped shipping in the Suez Canal because it couldn’t drive straight? We’re still feeling the effects of the disrupted supply chain, but at least we can laugh about it. The Evergeen memes were absolutely hilarious. There was no shortage of creativity from Twitter on this one. 

6. The Wandavision Wink

WandaVision debuted this year to critical acclaim. The Disney+ original series managed to keep people hooked. One of the more memorable moments was (spoiler alert) that Wanda’s friend Agatha was secretly a witch the entire time. Thus, the famous wink was born. From there, the internet had a field day coming up with great memes. 

7. Bernie’s mittens

Another year, another Bernie meme. After his famous campaign ad from last year, the internet didn’t waste the opportunity for fresh content. And this year is no different. At the presidential inauguration, Bernie could be seen sitting back in his chair almost as if to say, “This could’ve been an email.” But it wasn’t, and we’re glad that we got a great meme out of it.

8. Don’t worry about what’s in the vaccine

One of the worst things about 2021 is the amount of anti-vaxx sentiment getting thrown around. So, in order to combat that a bit, Twitter started pointing out gross things we’ve all done that are far worse. And we totally agree—just get vaccinated. 

9. Kim K at the Met Gala

When Kim Kardashian rolled up to the Met Gala wearing nothing but a black bodysuit, you better believe the internet noticed. The memes were hilarious and well-deserved. Because come on, who doesn’t like picking on rich and successful people? 

10. The Weeknd maze

The Super Bowl was great this year but one man stole the show—The Weeknd. His halftime show caught the world by storm. It was stunning to watch, but some parts seemed a bit goofy. Namely when The Weeknd is running around a disorienting gold maze backstage. So of course, the internet made it a meme. 

11. Jake Gyllenhaal

This has been a great year for a lot of people—Jake Gyllenhaal is not one of them. As the inspiration behind some of Taylor Swift’s Red, Jake was definitely sweating when the album got rereleased. Not to mention the fact that a rumor has been circulating that he doesn’t shower. Tough look, Jake. 

12. Sea-Shanty Tik Tok

TikTok has become a new haven for internet memes. There’s constantly a new trend cropping up on the social media app. The one that stood out to us this year was Sea-Shanty TikTok. Love it or hate it, the people in that trend are talented. We never expected to enjoy a sea shanty, but TikTok had a different idea.

13. Spotify Wrapped

“This year you understood the assignment 🤪🤪💯.” Thanks, Spotify. I really needed to hear your terrible attempt at sounding young this year. And Twitter agrees. As soon as the Wrapped came out this year, people started calling out how weirdly written it is. But hey, I still like seeing my music for the year so Spotify gets a pass.

14. March 

In March 2020, the pandemic changed the way we live our lives. So when March 2021 rolled around, none of us were prepared. It felt like March just happened. At least we got some great jokes out of it. 

15. The CDC says

With vaccines and boosters out, we can breathe a little easier than we did at the beginning of the pandemic. So, why not poke a little fun at the CDC? 

16. The French Dispatch

With such an iconic cast, it’s no wonder that The French Dispatch became such a huge meme. After showing up at the Cannes Film Festival, the cast took a pic with director Wes Anderson. The result: a brand-new meme for Twitter to jump on. 

17. The Urge

As one of the most open-ended memes of the year, this one went in a lot of different directions. Perhaps the most popular was the “feminine urge” tweets on Twitter. But people have inserted a host of different things into the format. It’s the meme that just keeps on giving. 

18. Did it hurt?

Did it hurt? When you fell from heaven? That cheesy pickup line has never worked, but it did spawn one of the biggest memes of 2021. With so many different possibilities, the internet wasted no time. And yes, it did hurt. 

19. Family

There’s one thing that the Fast & Furious franchise has taught us—family comes first. Vin Diesel’s character in the movies, Dominic Toretto, takes every chance he gets to talk about family. So much so that the internet caught on and began to poke fun at Mr. Diesel for it. But the internet’s weak insults will never be enough to faze him, not while he still has the power of family on his side.

20. A$AP Rocky and Rihanna 

First of all, congrats, A$AP. And with that out of the way, what the hell, A$AP?? Rihanna is everybody’s celebrity crush—you can’t just ruin all of our dreams all at once like that. But I digress. They seem great together and I’m excited to see how they end up. Plus their kids are going to inherit some GREAT genes. 

21. Milk Crate Challenge

For whatever reason, hurting yourself by walking on a stack of milk crates became a huge trend this year. And while a few people successfully made it across the crates, most ended up eating concrete and plastic. To everyone bold enough to try this challenge—thank you so much for all of the content. 

There are so many great memes this year that we had to leave out. But this is the core content that got us through 2021. Hopefully, this list took your mind off the grind for a little bit. Thanks for reading, Terriers! On to 2022.