This is What the Emo Kids of the Early 2000s Look Like Today

Before (10 years ago) and After (one year ago).

Reddit user Okkido:

"Then I was studying to become a designer listening to Brand New, Death Cab and Blink.
Now I'm a designer listening to Brand New, Death Cab and Blink and having my first kid in a week."

Reddit user Moosemaster21: (Left) “Look at me bein’ all sad n shit. Took this picture with a motherfuckin DSLR camera. Held it away from my face (took tremendous left arm strength let me tell you) then pretended to look all sad and thoughtful. This is blunderyears material, folks.”

(Right) “Idaho vacation with my now-fiancée. One of the engagement photo things that normal not-emo people do. Brought my long hair back for a little bit, but it’s shorter again now and I can’t find the good photos of it short, so this’ll have to do.”

Reddit user: Unicornigist

Reddit user BaS3r: “I’m in the US military now as an MP. Specifically US Air Force. This was all I could find. I know I had worse… oh boy. I still keep BMTH, TDWP, Attack! Attack!, Escape the Fate, Job for a Cowboy, etc. on my gym playlist though. It’s my guilty pleasure.”

Before (Ninth Grade) and After (Teaching Ninth Grade).

Reddit user: snazzychica2812

Reddit user Tyfo: “I’m now 27, started my family earlier this year, moving into a house in 9 days, and I’m studying to become a laboratory technologist. Woo-hoo!”

Before (2005) and After (2015)

Reddit user docshultz: "Well, I am a normal, fat 28 year old that started his family early. I own my own home, make 50,000 a year in a medical field, and I am really enjoying life.
Here is a picture of me from 2005 and now."

Reddit user validate_me_plz: “I work in the funeral industry as a removal technician.”

Reddit user Gudgrim: “I was about 15 when I had a phase of about two years where I was a emo kid. Started a new school and tried to be different. I dyed my hair black and had burning pentagram t-shirts and sad stories. My normal hair colour is red, as I’m a ginger (I’m Norwegian), so this was quite the change.”

“Well now I’m 26 years old. I got a masters degree in geography and a job for my local government working with GIS analysis. Pay is about 60k a year. I’m also married, have bought a fairly big house, a sailboat, a car and a cat. As to my new hobbies, it’s mostly gaming and larping. Nordic-style larp that is, where there is less of a beat down battle and more about atmosphere and acting.”

Reddit user yumyumhelen: "I'm a proper grown up now, working as a trainer for the bank, buying my first property, paying the mortgage. Still feel like a filthy wee emo though. As I'm enjoying everyone else's before/after pictures so far, here's mine:"

Reddit user RealTerse: “I became a fireman, if I talked to myself eight years ago and said you would cut your hair and become part of the fire department, I would’ve never believed myself.”

Reddit user: cwowtittybang

Reddit user Snickersthecat: “Went to college, voted Republican, drive a Camry, working 9-5 doing medical research and in a stable 2-plus-year relationship. Nothing makes me hate myself more than filing taxes. The man got me.”

Reddit user Hysterria: "Emo to Heavy Metal blogger. I used to listen to Billy Talent and claim to be a struggling writer because it sounded cool. Now I listen to Led Zeppelin and I am a struggling writer.
It's not as cool as it sounds."

Reddit user an0r4k: “I became the police. I also now send couple Christmas cards.”

Reddit user Psykopatik: "After the whole emo stuff I went to a videogame school, learned to code, and now am working at an awesome startup. Definitely a phase. But I really had good times. And also did very stupid shit, especially with drugs. Created issues that would be harder to deal with later, but I guess that's how life works sometimes."

Reddit user AhhaNewb: "Im super late, but considering no one ITT knows what emo really was, I give you ten years ago me happy go lucky server at Applebee's. Just loved the emo look. Yoday me Golfer, and events coordinator for the golf course I live on."

Before (age 16) and After (age 30)

Reddit user theoutlet:

“Got a haircut a long ass time ago. I listen to more top 40 music than teenage me would tolerate. I can’t tell if top 40 has gotten better or if I’m just lazy about finding new music. I’ve been known to say on many occasions that I hope I’m never too old to enjoy Taking Back Sunday. The Postal Service will always hold a place in my heart. Oh and Stay What You Are by Saves The Day is still one of the best albums ever to me.

Honestly, emo music was a huge part of a lot of things that were going on in my life and was a really cathartic part of dealing with shit. Emo music told me it was ok for me to feel bad about how shitty things had been. I needed only to look back at my LiveJournal recently to see how genuinely shitty things were for me back then. With a father that committed himself out of fear of his own thoughts of suicide and a schizophrenic mother that I was left home alone with; I was pretty sad, angry and confused.”

Reddit user: PotatoKT

Reddit user JustTheT1p_0: "I was pretty damn weird in high school. After I graduated high school I joined the army infantry because I didnt know what else to do with my life after a certain girl left me. I got my ass kicked into a man. Went to Afghanistan, came home, spent another 3 years in the army (6 years total) and now I'm out. I work at home depot on the night shift trying to figure out what to do now."

Reddit user: krisDEMON