Looking for a blast from the past? From low-rise jeans to the all too familiar noise of dial-up internet, there’s a lot to be nostalgic about from the 90s and 2000s. People took to the internet to share what they miss the most.
Note: Some quotes in this piece have been lightly edited for grammar.
1: Playtime Is Over
Many folks reminisced on finding toys like Transformers and Tamagotchi on store shelves. One commenter said, “There are some really nice toys and dolls that I grew up with that are discontinued, and it makes me sad.”
2: No Fake News
Politics has always been a dicey topic, but it was much less “toxic” in the 90s, according to one person. “You could easily disagree with your own side of the spectrum on a certain issue or have a slightly different opinion without people making you look like you’re the worst person ever.”
3: Life of the Party
Get-togethers were much more connected affairs, one person remembers. “We didn’t keep up with each other’s lives so constantly, so it was a real joy and novelty to meet up with someone whom you hadn’t seen in a while and hear about all of their life changes.”
4: Don’t Call
Many realized that being reachable by phone 24/7 isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. One person said, “The thing I miss the most [about the 90s and 2000s] was not worrying about always being able to contact or be contacted at any given time.”
5: Shop til you Drop
Remember when shopping malls were the ultimate place to be? One wistful commenter misses how lively shopping malls felt as a kid in the 2000s, “Back when there were stores like EB Games & Sears with the classic logo.”
6: Pain and Age Gain
“My knees sound like someone kicked a typewriter down the stairs when I walk to the kitchen.” says one commenter who simply misses having good knees and no back pain. Another commenter agrees. “It was before everything on my body started hurting all the time. I miss that the most.”
7: Affordable Living
It’s no secret that everything has gotten more expensive lately. One commenter misses the financial aspect of life in the 90s. “You could afford to live very comfortably. But now it’s just a struggle to survive.”
8: Boxed In
While smartphones have improved in cameras and operating systems, you can’t slam your phone shut after a call anymore. “Phones in particular used to be so much more interesting, so distinctive, and less likely to be broken by a 6-inch fall,” says one commenter.
9: I’ll Be There For You
Spoilers were much harder to come by in 90s and early 2000s television. One commenter loved the unique viewing experience of the era, “You just knew you were experiencing it at the same time as a bunch of strangers. If you missed something, you had to hear all about it the next day.”
10: Enjoy The Show
There’s something special about holding up your lighter and living in the moment at concerts. One commenter misses “going to a concert and actually being able to see the show, instead of watching a sea of smartphones recording.”
11: Bye Bye Blockbuster
Endless scrolling through a sea of options on Netflix has some commenters missing the age of video stores. “Browsing the aisles and getting a movie or 2 for a Friday night with your friends or date really hit differently when access was so much more limited.
12: Game On
Arcade video games used to have much more substance in the 90s. Someone said, “They are full of crap ticket games and claw machines today.” Another person agrees, “Most are just children’s casinos now.”
13: I’m Lovin’ It
One commenter longs for when you could order pizza at McDonalds, “And general sanity in general society. But mostly McPizza.”
14: Old School Sports
One self-proclaimed “old head” misses the 90s/2000s era sports, saying soccer had more flair, the NBA was physical and tough, and Formula 1 was more competitive. “Naturally, sports evolve and offer new kinds of beautiful things now. But I miss sports of that time.”
15: No Scrubs
Music from the 90s and early 2000s was a melting pot of distinct sounds the internet misses. “The fact you could turn on the radio and go from Boyz II Men to Santana, to Backstreet Boys, to one of the many rock artists at the time, was wild and super interesting.”
Source: Reddit.
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