What Your Favorite Song From The Early 2000s Says About You

1. “Angel” by Shaggy

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWJrPzAUzAs&w=584&h=390%5D

You were content floating below the radar throughout the early 2000s, because you’ve never needed that much attention. You became the cool kid in college who people described as “pretty chill.” You may have smoked a little bit here or there, but just socially, and you are the refreshing breed of vegetarian who doesn’t advertise it at every meal. You will most likely work for an agriculture NPO or for a conservation agency this summer.

2. “This I Promise You” by *NSync

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6thmPrTxBtI&w=584&h=390%5D


You had a huge thing for Justin Timberlake and watched the music video on repeat at your 12th birthday party. You are a hopeless romantic and are waiting for the perfect guy who will use phrases like “each loving day” and “forever has now begun” on a daily basis. Your taste in music is questionable, but your taste in metrosexual male hairdos is on point.

3. “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cwkej79U3ek&w=584&h=390%5D

You major in philosophy or some abstract subject that nobody understands, and you like to raise existentialist questions during dinnertime conversation. You spend hours pondering the meaning of your existence and thinking about your past and your future. People use phrases like “head in the clouds” and “daydreamer” to describe you, but just keep making your way downtown, walking fast, because you’re homebound. It might take you a little longer to get there, but you’ll be so busy reading Thoreau and taking the scenic route to notice.

4. “Hollaback Girl” by Gwen Stefani

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kgjkth6BRRY&w=584&h=390%5D

You wore Uggs and sweatpants in middle school when it was the cool thing to do, and you still wear Uggs and sweatpants because the outfit reminds you that you were the most popular you’ve ever been in 6th grade. You are the type of person who elbows their way to the front of the bar, probably muttering “shit” over and over again, and you tricked yourself into believing this song was intellectual because it taught you how to spells B-A-N-A-N-A-S. Last weekend, you had a “girls night” (#girlsnightout on Instagram) and made a toast about not needing men.

5. “Ocean Avenue” by Yellowcard

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9fLbfzCqWw&w=584&h=390%5D

You grew up in a small town and are one of those strange people who still believes that their high school years were the best of their lives. The sad thing is that there is probably some merit to that; you had an awesome 16 birthday and may have actually dated some winners back in the day. In fact, you still harbor hope that you will rekindle the flame with your prom date when you return for your 10-year reunion.

6. “Sk8er Boi” by Avril Lavigne

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIy3n2b7V9k&w=584&h=390%5D

You were either a “good girl” or a “bad boy” and you believed whole-heartedly that there was no in-between. You were genuinely afraid of turning down any questionable love interest who might one day be successful that you gave everybody a chance. None of your past flames ever made it to MTV fame (or local cable television for that matter) but hey, you didn’t want to risk it. You still wear a good amount of eyeliner but have found other ways of dealing with your angst than skateboarding and hanging out on street corners with 8th grade boys.

7. “I’m Just a Kid” by Simple Plan

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GOR5gvQwDI&w=584&h=390%5D

Your parents always said you would flourish in middle school, and then when that didn’t happen they said high school, and then college. You were never athletic enough to play sports with the neighborhood boys, or cool enough to be the drummer in the garage band organized by the first kid in 7th grade to smoke. You probably spent a lot of time on the internet posting on random forums about how nobody understands you. Don’t worry though: Even though you’re just a kid and life is a nightmare, you will one day wake up. And then you will be 30, and it will be more socially acceptable to not have many friends.

8. “All the Small Things” by blink-182

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ht5RZpzPqw&w=584&h=390%5D

You just like to have a good time and don’t overthink life. You may not have been the brightest of the bunch (“my little windmill” strikes you as a genuine term of endearment) but you have good intentions and like a simple life. You’re probably happier than your more philosophical friends, so whenever life starts to get rough just remind yourself of your mantra: “na na na na na na na.”

9. “The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKsxPW6i3pM&w=584&h=390%5D

You are eternally optimistic and earnestly believe that everything (everything) will be just fine. People will be cynical of this attitude and you will be the victim of a lot of eye-rolling, but your go-getter attitude will actually take you far. Keep doing you and ignore the haters, because if nothing else you’re perfectly qualified to make greeting cards or those inspirational posters hanging in locker rooms.

10. “Stacy’s Mom” by Fountains of Wayne

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZLfasMPOU4&w=584&h=390%5D

You like to question the norm, whether it be through your style choices, political opinions, or definition of an acceptable romantic age gap. You are the “fun one” in your friend group, who may have some questionable life views but is a safe bet to have by your side for a night out. If you are a guy and love this song, you are still waiting for the day when an older woman hires you to do her landscaping work. If you are a girl and love this song, then you are very secure in your looks (and probably think you are much hotter than your mother ever was.)