Were you around in the ’90s, or have you only heard stories about that decade? Believe it or not, life back then was a whole different experience. If you wanted to watch a show, you had to catch it live. Ordering food meant actually talking to someone on the phone. And getting online? That was a process—with a lot of waiting (not as simple as it is today). Everything took more effort & patience, but that was just normal for our generation. Here are 10 ways daily life in the ’90s was nothing like the life you live today.
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Voicemails Were Basically Texts
Back then, people left voice messages instead of texts, so you had to actively listen to voicemails to know who called you. We were patient enough to listen to long messages that often ended with “Call me back.” And if your answering machine tape filled up? Well, too bad—those messages were gone forever.
Printing Out Directions & Hoping for the Best
During the 90s, people used a road atlas or printed MapQuest directions, so there was no rerouting even if you missed a turn. If you made any mistake during your trip, you had to stop to ask a gas station attendant for help or keep going until you spotted a familiar landmark.
Ordering Pizza Required Talking to a Human
You needed to call the pizza restaurant, hope they got your address right, & have cash ready when the delivery arrived. Back then, order tracking wasn’t available, instant discounts didn’t exist, & you couldn’t customize your order with a few button presses—just pizza, the old-school way.
Physically Developing Photos—Without Knowing How They’d Turn Out
As disposable cameras only had 24 or 36 shots, there was no way to know the photo quality until they were developed. Blurry photos, closed eyes, & a random thumb blocking the lens—it was all just part of the process (whether you liked it or not).
Waiting Forever to Watch a Movie Again
Anyone who missed a movie in theaters had to wait months before seeing it again. With no DVDs or streaming services available, you had to wait a long time for VHS releases, & this meant weekly trips to Blockbuster to hunt down a copy.
The Stress of Burning the Perfect Mix CD
Before playlists, there were mix CDs—and making one was an art. You had to really think about the song order, make sure nothing was skipped, & spend time crafting the perfect Sharpie-covered label. If the burn process failed at 99%, that was 45 minutes of your life gone.
You Actually Memorized Phone Numbers
Your memory was your contacts list. People had to memorize their friends’ phone numbers or write them down to make calls. And if you lost your address book, you had no chance unless someone else remembered all the phone numbers.
Renting Video Games & Weekend Video Game Marathons
Renting games was cheaper than buying, but what if you only had a weekend to finish them? You had to do marathon sessions since your save file might get erased by the next renter. Sometimes, you had to deal with scratched discs that wouldn’t load at the worst possible moment.
Dial-Up Internet Took Over the Phone Line
Getting online was a family battle—dial-up needed full control of the phone line. It was unfortunate how your download from Napster stopped right in the middle of a song because someone picked up the phone.
Actually Having to Memorize TV Schedules
To watch your favorite show, you had to be ready in front of the TV at the exact time. Missed an episode? You had to wait months for a rerun or stay clueless about what happened. People needed TV guides to track show schedules, & bathroom breaks had to be perfectly timed during commercials.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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