Ok, I'll admit it. Sometimes the only thing to look forward to by the end of the week is posting epic #ThrowbackThursday or #FlashbackFriday snaps on Instagram. And sometimes emojis speak louder than words. These emoji Instagram caption ideas for your next #TBT, #FBF, or whatever throwback acronym you roll with, can get your point across if you're walking and texting on the fly (which I don't recommend), or just out of words completely.
Emojis have become so commonplace since becoming standard on smartphone keyboards in 2011 that there is even a World Emoji Day. According to TIME magazine, the "Face With Tears of Joy" is the most popular emoji, and an average of 5 billion emojis are sent on Facebook Messenger every single day. At a previous job where we used Skype to instant message each other on the regular, emoji communication was the only way to let a co-worker know how you were feeling. Some of my go-to choices were the banging head against the wall, evil grin, and vomiting emoticons, Seriously, words can't really say the same thing as the angry face.
OK, that made it seem like I am perpetually filled with rage, which is not the case. That job was just next-level stressful. These days I'm all hearts and kissy face. So, how do you really feel? There's an emjoi for that, and it can caption your next Instagram photo when words just don't do the job.
1. When You Post A #TBT Snap Of You & Your BFF
Since emojis became a regular form of communication, we've all been much more kissy face on Istagram than we are IRL. But, if anyone deserves a kissy-face emoji, it's your bestie.
2. #FBF That Embarrassing Grade-School Snap
We all have an old school photo buried in a drawer that can only be labeled as what was I/my mom thinking when they gave me this haircut/made me wear this outfit. Hopefully you can laugh about it now, and the world's most popular emoji, Face With Tears of Joy, says it all.
3. Any #FBF Or #TBT From 2017
2017 was pretty much a crap sandwich, and the only emoji worthy of this past year is poop.
4. #TBT To That Time You Ate All The Pizza
Because, pizza. All day every day.
5. When Your #FBF Is WTF Was I Thinking?!
There are definitely some things from the '90s that scream WTF was I thinking?! Whether it's your scrunchie collection, or your attempt at the Rachel haircut, the thinking emoji is on your side. You can also use this one to let someone know you're noodling something, like their decision to reintegrate their Vanilla Ice t-shirt from 1991 into their 2017 wardrobe.
6. Because, #MCM & #WCW
Because Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Lauren Graham, Jacks from Sons of Anarchy — insert your #ManCrushMonday and #WomanCrushWednesday choices here. The heart emoji (in any color) is all you need to show your love.
7. #FBF To When Someone Should Have Taken Your Phone
One of the more embarrassing side effects of technology is total lack of impulse control, especially if you've had a few drinks and snapped 100 pictures of you and your bestie dressing up like Madonna. The cheeky face with its tongue out emoji is a perfect nod to your questionable decisions.
8. When You're Sorry But You're Really Not
I think this smiling teeth emoji is supposed to be sincere, but it kind reads like sorry, not sorry to me. Share your sarcasm with a toothy grin.
9. When You're Feeling Chill AF
Sometimes everything is OK, and you're feeling super chill. There's no chaos or meltdowns, you weren't late for work, and the barista at Starbucks just gave you a free doughnut (which totally happened to me the the other day). The chill sunglasses emoji has got you covered.
10. If Your #FBF Or #TBT Is About Waiting Tables
You can get a better education in human behavior while waiting tables or bartending than you can in your psych class. It also teaches you how to perfect your game face because you have to smile when you really want to dump your tray of drinks on that guest who's complaining about not having the crusts cut off of their BLT. The person tipping hand emoji is a pretty spot on expression of what it's like to work in the food-service industry, or any customer-service job.
11. When You Can't Even
How is the side-eye not the most popular emoji? While a lot of things are funny, a lot more things in life deserve the side eye. I have a friend who's dog gives the best side-eye I've ever seen.
12. #TBT To Your Sister Or Bestie
Everyone has that one friend who they can't live without. Perhaps it's your sister, or someone who's like a sister to you. Seriously, you're together so often you might need to be surgically removed from each other. You two are obviously the dancing girls emoji.
13. When You're Totally Horrified
This one is perfect for any of your push-notification screenshots that you post on Instagram because literally all of them are horrifying. If you're more of a visual person than a word person, and your phone keeps autocorrecting a certain word to "ducking," communication with emojis is a surefire way to get your point across with the least amount of misunderstandings — unless you accidentally select the sneer instead of the smile. But hey, mistakes happen. That's what the astonished face, aka oops, emoji is for. #TheMoreYouKnow
