We asked young people to send us their dramatic lockdown transformations

And then proceeded to rinse them

3 years ago

It’s officially been over a year since we first went into lockdown, and what a year it’s been. What started as a bit of fun quickly nosedived into an insufferable world of dodgy home haircuts, painfully long Zoom quizzes and banana bread, and it feels like we’ve all had lockdown transformations. Both physically and mentally.

Hair has been crudely chopped off or dyed as beards have been allowed to creep their way around people’s faces, and the majority of us have ended up looking like we’ve been in lockdown for 12 years rather than 12 months. Don’t believe me? Well, we asked a whole load of young people to send photos in of what they looked like last March compared to this March, and the changes are truly something to behold.

Asif

As you can see, Asif has adopted multiple personalities over the course of the last year, going from “I’m going to hit you” to “I’m going to shag you in an 80s porno” and then pulling a full 360 to end up with “I’m going to buy you flowers and a box of chocolates, princess” – all in the space of just 12 months.

It’s 80s porno Asif for me.

Sanjana

Lockdown has been tough for everyone, and nobody has been hit quite as hard as Sanj. The forgetfulness started as a minor inconvenience, but now she has to have her name written on her phone case and the year she was born on her necklace at all times – just in case she finds herself forgetting.

Greg

Not only has Greg fallen victim to the pressures of shaving one’s head when the prospect of spending weeks indoors rears its head, but he’s also simultaneously become a lecturer who specialises in 1920s European arthouse cinema in doing so. Whilst the pints on the left look awfully tasty, it’s clear as day that he now exclusively drinks craft beer packaged in colourfully animated cans.

Or those nasty ales that your da’ drinks.

Lizzy

Lizzy told us that she believes she may have had Covid in the first picture, but that didn’t stop her from tucking into a glass of wine. Lizzy also believes that she doesn’t have Covid in the second picture, and she’s now graduated to drinking by the bottle – it’s been a hard year for all of us, Lizzy.

Harry

This man really said 💡fuck it💡. Yes, this is a rather dramatic trim. Yes, he regrets doing this 50 per cent of the time he looks in the mirror. Yes, this is indeed me.

I really have no leg to stand on when it comes to rinsing other people for looking dramatically different over the course of just a year because I must have adopted around 10 different looks and personalities in that time.

Summer

It looks like Summer is well and truly living her best life at the moment – but doesn’t it go against the whole ethos of the lockdown transformation to be looking happier and more glowing than when it first started? Fun fact – the photo on the right was taken just before I phoned the police and had them arrest all of those in attendance at that party.

George

Not much seems to have changed for George beside the fact that he can’t take obviously pissed photos in scummy Bristolian pub bathrooms anymore. His head hair is possibly looking a little more dishevelled as is his facial hair, but for the most part, he’s come out the other side of a year in lockdown not looking all that bad.

Emily

Emily has had the misfortune of spending what is supposed to be the best birthday in lockdown – her 21st. However, that hasn’t stopped her from making the most of it and she still looks like she’s having a great time.

Whoever is making those cakes has had a LOT of time to practice in lockdown.

Alex

Alex is undoubtedly looking better with this lockdown transformation. He’s got the trim, he’s ditched the KFC, and he now looks like he’d kill you with his bare hands. He’s literally pulled a:

What else can I say? Lockdown has clearly worked wonders for him – this man might even be wishing July doesn’t come around.

Michael

As Michael rightly pointed out when sending the photo in, it’s very embarrassing of him to have owned the same jumper for over a year now in the current climate – it would’ve been far more modern of him to have chucked it, supported fast fashion and bought several more in that time period.

Hannah

Hannah sums up all of our current attitudes towards doing literally anything that will give us a motive. Gloomy picnic on damp March grass? Count me in! Shall I bring factor 30 or is it a factor 50 kind of day?

Jake

And finally, one of the most impressive lockdown transformations is Jakes. Over the course of the year he’s grown quite an impressive beard, grown the sides of his hair out and has finally learnt how to undo that jacket that he was struggling to undo for so long.

I’d bet money on that chain being a Connel-related purchase too.