We Tried the “I Met My Younger Self for Coffee” TikTok Trend—Vitiligo Edition

A new TikTok trend has been sweeping social media, inviting people to imagine sitting down for coffee with their younger selves. It’s a beautiful social movement—one that allows you to reflect on who you were, what you’ve been through, and what you wish you had known when you were younger. It gives you a chance to share who you were back then, and who you are now.

For those with vitiligo who experience significant changes to their physical appearance, this trend can hold an even deeper significance. The younger ‘you’ that you are meeting for coffee in this imagined conversation may be the ‘you’ who doesn’t yet have vitiligo, the ‘you’ who is newly diagnosed, or the ‘you’ who is struggling to live with the changes to your skin. Perhaps you are even still in one of those places today.

To take advantage of this opportunity for meaningful reflection, we brought this trend to our own community of women with vitiligo—and were inspired by their heartfelt and hope-filled responses.

How the social media trend works

Started by author and poet Jennae Cecelia, “I met my younger self for coffee” is a social media trend that offers an opportunity for participants to reflect on self-growth by sharing an imagined conversation with a younger version of themselves. Jennae first posted the poem she had written about this type of encounter on TikTok in February 2025—and it took off. Today, there are more than 16 million posts on TikTok’s Coffee With My Younger Self page.

Here’s how the trend works. Participants share a video or image with text overlay that shares a written story of the imagined encounter. The trend opens by simply stating that you met your younger self for coffee. You share whether each of you was on time or late and what you each ordered. Then, you share the conversation that follows. You might include questions that your younger self has for you—and the answers. You might also include words of encouragement that you wish you could give the younger version of yourself. Woven throughout are clues to who you were then and who you are now, creatively shared throughout this imagined conversation.

Across social media channels, the internet has adopted the trend as a way to reflect on their growth over time, sharing heartfelt encouragement and humorous nods to the differences between then and now.

What this trend means for those with vitiligo

Vitiligo can be an overwhelming and difficult diagnosis. The fear of the unknown, lack of control over the condition, and social stigma can cause anxiety. The changes to your skin—and for some, your identity—can result in low self-esteem.

Living day to day with vitiligo often means navigating a world where beauty standards don’t always reflect your unique features. You may feel alone, self-conscious, or even ashamed of the way your skin changed. You may cover your vitiligo with long sleeves, avoid mirrors, or feel anxious about stares and questions from others.

For some, time and experience with the condition can bring newfound confidence and self-love, especially as they share their story and find connection with others living with vitiligo too. Some even find self-acceptance, fully embracing the new look of their skin. 

No matter where you are today, the changes brought into your life by vitiligo often have those living with it looking back—back at the ‘you’ before vitiligo, back at the ‘you’ who was coping with a new diagnosis, back at the ‘you’ who didn’t believe it was possible to love yourself with vitiligo. Sitting across from your younger self, you’d have so much to share.

What our readers had to say

To find out just what our vitiligo community would say to their younger selves, we posed the question on Instagram—and they answered, taking the opportunity to send inspiring and heartfelt words of encouragement to their younger selves.

The responses hint at the struggle and pain of the past for these women, while also acknowledging the growth they’ve experienced through living with vitiligo by finding self-love, giving up fears about what others are thinking, or gaining acceptance from family and friends. Together, these testimonies reflect the breadth of experiences with vitiligo while also recognizing the shared experience of struggle—and ultimately, strength and growth.

Here’s what our community shared on Instagram:

“I would tell her that one day your skin is going to be your most beautiful asset and all those years spent trying to cure it, will be a thing of the past because a cure won’t be something you’ll be searching for.” – Natalie

“I would tell her, you will be accepted by the people most important to you.” – Hannah

“I would tell her, life is too short to worry about what others are thinking.” – Victoria

“I would tell her that even though she can’t believe it right now, one day she will love her skin.” – Erika

Summary

“I Met My Younger Self for Coffee” is a social media trend that invites you to share what a conversation with your younger self might be like. For those with vitiligo, this trend offers a special opportunity to offer hope and encouragement to their younger selves and share the growth and confidence they’ve found through this experience.

Your turn: If you could meet your younger self for coffee, what would you say? Join the conversation on our social media post.