The Unfortunate 'Gangster' Phase"

So, there I was, comfortably nestled in my bed with my laptop perched on my knees, scrolling through my social media feed, just as any insomniac would do at 3 AM. I came across a rather embarrassing memory that showed up in my 'Memories' section. I laughed, thinking of the sheer stupidity of my younger self.

This was a seven-year-old post of me trying to show off my new 'cool' shutter shades and baggy cargo pants. It was an awful sight. Straight out of a mid-2000s music video, my attire was more laughable than impressive. The worst part was my pose, trying to look badass with a duck face. I couldn't help but laugh at my own ridiculousness.

High off my own amusement, I decided to share this gem of a photo, accompanied by some self-deprecating humor. "Behold, the wannabe gangster," I wrote. I clicked 'Post', closed my laptop, and finally drifted off to sleep. I thought it would be a funny thing to wake up to with a few likes and some light-hearted banter.

Boy, was I wrong.

In the morning, I woke up to a barrage of notifications. My phone was buzzing like a bee hive on steroids. My heart sank with dread as I saw hundreds of likes, shares, and comments. I opened the app, only to be confronted with a humiliating disaster.

My comments section was swarming with friends, family, work colleagues, and even my boss, offering their own hilarious take on my disastrous fashion choice and ridiculous pose. My 'gangster’ pose had become a meme overnight.

My mother's comment was the cherry on top. She wrote, "I thought you'd outgrown this phase. Clearly, not yet." My boss added, "Who knew we had a rap star among us? We're expecting a rap at the next team meeting." I wanted to bury myself under a pile of pillows.

Despite my sheer embarrassment, I had to admit, the comments were freakin' hilarious. People I didn’t even know were leaving comments and sharing the post. I was a laughing-stock, but hey, at least I was an entertaining one.

To make matters worse, my best friend thought it would be fun to photoshop my face onto Drake's "Hotline Bling" cover, with those horrendous shutter shades and baggy pants. It was a monstrosity, but I had to admit, it was pretty damn funny.

So, here's the thing guys, social media memories are a double-edged sword. On one hand, they remind you of great moments, but on the other, they also bring back your cringe-worthy past. So, tread lightly.

Then again, if it gives people a good laugh, maybe it's not such a bad thing. Just remember to check your posts before you share them if you don’t want to become the next meme in your circle.

Heck, I won’t be surprised if my damn duck face ends up on some t-shirt or mug.

If there’s one thing I learned from this, it’s that the internet never forgets.

Stay safe out there folks, and for the love of all things holy, burn those shutter shades.

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