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Bored Panda

Lifestyle

Mindaugas Balčiauskas

87 Posts That Prove The ’90s Really Were A Completely Different World

McDonald (Person) Disney

Dial-up internet, playing outside, and no social media... It may sound like a nightmare to today's kids. But for many of those who grew up in the 90s, life was a carefree dream.

We rented our VHS tape movies from Blockbusters, sent handwritten letters to penpals, got lost while using paper maps, and kept some change in our pockets in case we needed to call home. It was a time of creativity, freedom and exploration for kids. A time of baggy clothes for adults. We listened to grunge and hip hop. A handful of supermodels ruled the runway. And partied like the world was literally about to end in 1999.

That decade may (sadly) be long gone but thankfully, the memories are being kept alive. Online spaces like 90s Kids and 90s Design are dedicated to slowing things down in today's fast-paced digital era. The pages feature posts and memes that instantly transport you right back in time. Bored Panda has put together a compilation of the best of them, and many may have you thinking, "Today's kids will never know..."

#1 Yes Please

#2 The Peak Of Human Civilization

#3 Thought It Would Be Different

It is said that you never miss a good thing until it's gone. Ain't that the truth. Back then, we didn't quite grasp how amazing we had it. And the kids of today. Well, they will never know. Life in the 90s seemed slower, kinder, and more magical.

If we wanted to watch a movie, we either had to go to the cinema or hire a VHS tape at the local Blockbusters. We spent a lot more time outdoors, riding bikes, playing under the sprinklers, exploring the neighborhood or roller skating.

#4 Super Soaker Please

#5 💻🖥️💽 😅

#6 So What Was In Yours …

One thing today's generation can learn from the 90s is slow living. In an time of social media, high speed internet and instant gratification, it's easy to forget to savor the small, meaningful moments.

"In the ‘90s, AKA the golden age of dial-up internet, you couldn’t just scroll for hours on a WiFi network—sometimes our parents needed to use the phone," explains Kara Nesvig in a piece for Parents.com. Her advice for the kids of today is to put down the screens and see what happens when you let yourself be bored.

#7 🚴🚵‍♂️🚲…

#8 Its Possible Some Of Us Done All These 😂

#9 Best Gift I Got As A Child 🖍️

"Go outside and find a friend to play with, grab some colored pencils and draw, or make up a game with your siblings in the yard," she says. "For many ‘90s kids, those hours of 'nothing to do' became the most fun and rewarding times of all."

Those who were fortunate enough to grow up in the 90s spent a lot of time outdoors. We were roller skating, playing hide-and-seek, throwing a ball, running through sprinklers and building sandcastles. With this kind of living comes valuable lessons, many of which cannot be taught be simply scrolling though social media.

#10 🖥️⌨️

#11 Who Remembers Space Cabet?

#12 When There Actually Were Snow Days

Brittany Hart says that she's been encouraging her children to grow up the way she did in the 90s. It's out with screentime and in with the great outdoors.

"One of the most inspiring aspects of their playtime is how they resolve conflicts over what to do. With five unique personalities, disagreements naturally arise," reveals Hart. "One child may want to host a frontyard fashion show, while another prefers a game of catch."

#13 😂😅👕🥼…

#14 The Early Computer Windows Era! I Can Hear The Sound In My Head From The Picture LOL

#15 Imagine That 😂

Hart adds that while personality and preference differences can sometimes lead to arguments among children, these disagreements are actually benefiting the kids. That's because by arguing or debating over who plays what, and when, the youngsters are learn to take turns, make compromises, and give everyone an opportunity to enjoy their preferred activity.

"Their ability to negotiate and collaborate without adult intervention (most of the time) is a testament to the social skills they are developing through these outdoor adventures," she writes.

#16 Craving The Pizza Hut Buffet On These Cold Winter Days

#17 Ah, The 90’s Toothpaste

#18 Gina Ekiss, Designer Of The Solo Jazz Cup (Circa 1990)

While many of today's kids might freak out if they aren't occupied 24/7, those who grew up in the 90s learned to be comfortable with silence and stillness.

"Boredom was a normal part of life," writes Will Curtis for Your Tango. "We didn't question it and found ways to entertain ourselves without depending on devices. That's where daydreaming happened, where we processed our thoughts, where creativity emerged from nothing."

#19 The Subtle, Understated Tones Of A 90s Windbreaker

#20 Disney Store In The 90’s Was The Best

#21 Best Part Of Class Was When The TV Rolled Out

While social media has the ability to allow us to "meet" hundreds, if not thousands, of new "friends," these relationships often aren't authentic. In the 90s we were forced to make friends with people face-to-face.

"It's always amazing to me that people will talk about having thousands of online friends or followers, but at the same time, they can't tell you the name of the person who lives next door to them," Curtis notes, adding that having online connections can be beneficial, they can't beat true and authentic friends.

#22 Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia '99

#23 ✍️⭐️⭕️🔺

#24 Mcdonald’s Happy Meal Toys!

Curtis believes that 80s and 90s kids were idealists with optimism. Many always had hope, and still do.

"Yes, the generations before Gen-Z sometimes glamorized the process of struggle for the sake of beauty, love, and many other things. There was indeed a willful ignorance as to how bad certain things were in life — discrimination, racism, gender bias — but at the core, there was hope and belief that the human spirit would prevail and endure."