The votes are in and millennial optimism is back with all its props: avocado toast, BuzzFeed quizzes, a stomp-clap-he y playlist, and, of course, a Coexist sticker.
A blue tsunami swept the 2026 midterm elections. The Democrats won their first senate seat in Kansas since 1932 , and flipped the notoriously red state of Texas blue, taking the governorship and a senate seat, and won control over both chambers of congress, sparking widespread celebration.
The blue festivities continued beyond the late-night victory parties, flooding social media platforms with thousands of posts where users reclaimed the bygone era of optimism and the collective feeling of hope and possibility.
“This is what millennial optimism felt like,” one user said on X , with another adding , “as an elder millennial, I’ve forgotten how to handle optimism.”
For most, translating the feeling into a post is easiest done by referencing iconic pieces of media at the time, from the websites one visited to the songs that filled their playlists.
“Millennial optimism is back baby. I’m blasting Florence and the Machine bass boosted the dog days ARE over,” one user said in a post with over 18,000 likes.
A user added , “they’re gonna bring buzzfeed back.” Another replied , “resistance is back so hard, this app is about to be renamed twitter.”
Others have taken to sharing how the excitement is felt on the streets as well, with one user sharing a video from a club in Austin, with partygoers singing along to fun.’s We Are Young while election coverage filled the screens.
But for most, the return of optimism comes along with a series of cultural moments this year that have teased “woke is back.”
“Woke being back means that it’s actually the perfect time for a glee reboot you guys didn’t have your third eye open,” one user said , referencing a forthcoming reboot of the popular 2010s show Glee. Others also referenced the reboot of Lena Dunham’s millennial-focused show Girls , with one user adding , “Girls and Glee returning was the sign. We just were too scared to see it.
The next generation of hopecore
The optimism is not just for the actual millennials who experienced the Obama days as young adults—Gen Z is joining in on the hopecore as well.
“I finally understand how this feels,” a user said on X, alongside a video of Lin Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton , a 2016 Tony Awards performance of The Battle of Yorktown .
A user replied , “everybody shut up its gen z ’s turn for millennial optimism.”
But Gen Z—who romanticized millennial optimism earlier this year through old Instagram filters, twee outfits, and edits with 2010s songs—are jumping in on a trend with their own style, with humor driven by irreverent sarcasm and hyperbole.
Oftentimes, the Gen Z flip direct Republican talking points—like a pushback on pronouns and diversity—and satirically turn them into celebratory posts.
“We are going to have pronouns you xeople won’t believe,” one user shared in a post with 69,000 likes.
Another added , “blue wave so strong, they’re already saying if you don’t have your pronouns back in your email signature by noon tomorrow, Cory Booker will show up at your parents house and make your mom do the Nae Nae.”
Others simply relied on old memes, and a change to reclaim the term “lib.”
“Feel like i just fell out of a fucking coconut tree,”a user said on X, referencing Kamala Harris’ viral 2024 meme.
Another added , “I’ve libbed out before but i don’t think i’ve ever libbed out quite like this before.”
