Five years ago the world stood still for a moment. T Hoarding oil paper as if your life depended on it, elbow greetings and hugging with a piece of construction plastic in between – welcome to 2020. What started as “a few weeks of working from home” turned into years of lockdowns, press conferences and uncertainty. For many people, corona was not just an inconvenience, but a severe period of illness and loss. Some people are still struggling with the consequences, such as long covid. At the same time, that time also brought bizarre trends and habits that we never thought possible. But what is left of that now, in 2025? A dive into Google search history reveals surprising insights.
1 - Face masks: from necessary evil to fashion statement
In 2020, you suddenly found yourself being looked at if you weren’t wearing a mask. Searches for fashion masks shot through the roof – more than ten times more than for other masks. We no longer have to fumble for a forgotten mask in our jacket pocket, but they remain a handy accessory for long flights, flu-ridden days and incognito supermarket visits.
2 - Sourdough: the hype that stuck
Ah, sourdough bread. In March 2020, the baking bug hit hard, with search interest increasing 150% in a month. What started as a quarantine project has become an enduring hobby: by 2025, we’ll be searching for sourdough recipes more than ever. Apparently, weeks of feeding a living blob taught us something about patience and perseverance.
💡 Tip : Want to learn how to make really good sourdough bread? Then take a look at the sourdough bread baking workshop by Happlify Crew Keukenboeren.
3 - Virtual outings: from museum visits to online drinks
When we were not allowed to leave the house, we flocked to the internet for virtual adventures. 'Free virtual museum tours' was one of the most popular searches in March 2020. And let's not forget the online pub quizzes, virtual Friday afternoon drinks and digital King's Day dresses via Instagram. Most of us are now happily offline social again, but Zoom and Teams remain a regular fixture for work meetings and... well, that one family member on the other side of the world.
4 - Exercising at home: from emergency solution to habit
Gyms closed? No problem, just roll out a yoga mat in the living room and work out at home . Or train your biceps with two cartons of milk. No joke. 'Virtual workout' became extremely popular in 2020, and surprisingly enough, this trend has stuck. In January 2025, the search for it was 80% more frequent than in January 2020. Apparently, we've gotten used to doing burpees in our pajamas between Zoom meetings.
5 - Rutte & Van Dissel on Tuesday
Who doesn't remember that regular event on Tuesday evening? The press conferences of Mark Rutte and Jaap van Dissel in which we heard, with a mix of tension and resignation, what measures awaited us this time. 'Keep 1.5 meters distance' became a national mantra and who would have ever thought that 'a curfew' would become something from our daily lives?
Five years later...
Five years into the pandemic, we look back on a time that has shaped us all. Some trends have faded, others are deeply ingrained in our systems.
One thing is for sure: if another pandemic ever breaks out, we will at least know how to keep a perfect sourdough starter alive. And how to still get a little human contact with a construction plastic hug.
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