Gen Xers and Millennials Share the Things from the 90s They Are Glad Have Been Left in the Past

For those of us who lived through the 90s, it’s easy to look back fondly and remember all the great things about it. Life was simpler back then before social media, and although we were ‘less connected’ than today, things were somehow more personal. We called our friends’ home phones or knocked on their doors if we wanted to speak to them, for instance, and we weren’t bombarded every waking hour with information! If we wanted to find out about something we had to read a book or look it up on Encarta!

We thought we were the height of fashion in our flared pants and platformed shoes (despite our parents telling us they’d worn them too in the 70s.

“Whatever!” we’d thought with an eyeroll. “They were never as cool as us!”

And with that we’d go back to spraying our sky-high fringes with enough hair spray to withstand a cyclone. (No? Just me?)

And who could forget the music? We listened to our favourite bands and singers on cassette tapes, and CD’s and lapped up their music videos on MTV. Those were the good old days…am I right? Well…until the cassette tape got chewed up, or your sister left your CD out and it got all scratched and would start skipping…and always on the best song!!!

It’s true, the 90s stirs an undeniable feeling of nostalgia in people. But, as a recent Reddit thread revealed, there are some things that we won’t miss.

Having to go to an ATM to check your bank balance (Disastrous-Flame)

The dial-up internet, waiting forever to connect was the worst. (shechtmantaboada5161)

And then your mom would pick up the phone in the middle of trying to download something and the connection would drop. (queuedUp)

Cell phone plans. Having to wait until 9 pm to have free calls. (KahlKing10

And having to pay for each individual text message. (CatAssTrofic)

Having to top up credit on your phone by going the shop (Gear4days)

Carpets in the bathroom. Carpets on the walls. (FCs2vbt)

Smoking in restaurants. There was a “smoking section” but it usually wasn’t a separate room just like a half-wall so the whole place was still nasty. (guyfierisbiggestfan)

It was like having a peeing section in a pool. (WaldHerrPPK)

I was born in 1980 (so Gen X … just!) but taping my favourite movie off the TV on a VCR and pausing the recording during the ads so that I didnt have to watch the ads on the video.

BUT, sometimes I would forget to un-pause at the end of the ads so I would miss out on a whole section of the movie. I had to deal with it, or wait until it came on the TV 6 months later and try again. (MehhicoPerth)

The fear of going to the wrong place for a meet up. The moment you’re out the door of your house, you’ll lose contact with your friends and family until you’re home again or you’re close to a pay phone. If you go to the wrong spot, you can’t call your friends and ask where they at.

It sucks sweaty balls when it happens. (Xc0liber)

My answer still exists but much better alternatives exist now, but just the whole TV schedule. It use to be if you wanted to watch something you needed to be at home when it aired or have programmed a VCR to record it. I can’t remember the last time I watched a show while it was actually airing. (IgnoreMe733)

Making a mix tape by trying to record songs off the radio and having the DJ talk over the end so you need to wait to try again next time.

Spotify playlists are so much better (queuedUp)

Paying for ringtones. (Strangeandweird)

Matte brown lipstick (ParlorSoldier)

Toxic thin culture that was effectively pro-ana propaganda (it still exists but nowhere near as prevalent). All the magazines telling us Geri Halliwell was so fat it was a wonder she could perform, pointing out every tiny flaw in any woman that had the audacity to be on screen, the drive to be a size 00. (WildPinata)