But then Thursday arrives. Thursday, the day when most twenty-somethings are eagerly planning their weekends, and Craig David is supposedly embarking on day two of his 96 hour love-making sesh. Somehow, this is the day that has become the most interesting and genuinely engaging day in my social media calendar - Throwback Thursday.
The trend for sharing old photos is a reflection of digital sharing trends in general (how many Buzzfeed lists you've posted because you remember doing/eating/watching have you linked out to lately? EXACTLY) - but personal nostalgia is something even greater and more endearing than laughing at 90's toys and the amount of chemicals they used to allow in soft drinks. To delve into the past and celebrate how cute/hilarious/hideous (delete as appropriate) we looked X number of years ago is to reveal something about ourselves that contemporary social media doesn't like to reveal - and that is why I love it so. Throwback Thursday like taking a peek into the family albums that no one nowadays will let you see because they haven't been filtered and Afterlit. I've seen unadulterated pictures of my friends as chubby-cheeked toddlers, moody teenagers, loving siblings and adoring grandchildren - all images of them in a context that I wouldn't get from the office, my flat or the pub (yes, these are my three main areas of habitation).
And it's not just the honesty of the pictures that I adore - it's the history. Images of yesteryear give friends who didn't know the poster in that decade an insight into how they became who they are today, and friends who did know them a chance to reminisce and reconnect: maybe even suggest a coffee and a chat, a Friday night drink, an enthusiastic rendition of boyband hits in a Lucky Voice booth or whatever else floats their respective boats. Seeing old photos of happy times makes me feel like I know my new friends a little better, and love my old friends even more.
I am very aware that I'm verging on twee romanticisation of yet another virtual chance to show off (I mean, who doesn't like being told they were awfully cute as a three-year-old?) but this time, reputable sources have got my back. A recent piece from the BBC discusses a study which showed that nostalgia helps us to access positive emotions that can reduce loneliness, give us a sense of meaning and belonging and ultimately improve our feeling of wellbeing. Throwback pictures tap into this by reminding us of childhood, family and home - and not just in the physical sense of a bricks-and-mortar building. As well as giving you a comforting sense of the past, it helps you cope better with your future.
Throwback Thursday adds a dash of much-needed warmth and humanity to feeds that are full of vacuous selfies and endless foodstagrams (um, guilty). They're our vital chance to see growth, family, and some truly shocking 80's home decor. So this Thursday, dig out a snap of your worst ever fringe or best ever friend, and share it with those you love most. And in the spirit of TBT, here's one of mine:
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