Things I liked about the 90s
http://www.sandinmytoes.tk/2014/03/things-i-liked-about-90s.html
I completed high school in the year 2000, so the 90s for me was a decade of growing up pains, revelations, and fantastical dreams. I did go through the teenage awkwardness phase, but school years were probably the best phase of my life. Never again have I been as carefree and so full of hope as I was then. Life was full of wondrous possibilities, and I looked forward to going to college, working in advertising, and owning a car. I managed to fulfil those dreams, but the reality of being a 'grownup' did come as a surprise. But I'm not going to dwell on that. Today, I'm going to get nostalgic about the 90s!
For one thing, the video games were so much easier to play. I'm not much of a gamer anyway, but I still liked playing Mario on my Atari. I can't even figure out what's happening on the computer games today, so actually playing them is out of the question. The plots are so complicated and the graphics are so realistic, and the goriness is too much for me. I'm not good at mobile games either, and my six year old nephew is better at it than me.
I think the 90s had the best TV shows ever! Nothing quite comes close to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The X-Files, Boy Meets World, Full House, and America's Funniest Home Videos. They were my main source of entertainment, apart from listening to the Top 40 on radio (do people still do that?). I also loved reading pop magazines which had pull-out posters that every self-respecting teenager had a collection of.
I also loved the charm of making mixtapes. It wasn't strictly a 90s thing, but I listened to audio cassettes throughout that time. It really was fun waiting for the right song to come on the radio for a collection, or using the recorder until it was really worn out.
One thing I loved about the movies of the late 90s was the coming of age for CGI. The Matrix and Independence Day are iconic movies as far as on-screen graphics go. What I appreciated from that time was that you could actually figure out the real from the CGI, which is kind of impossible to do today. It's kind of sad that they no longer build elaborate film sets like they used to.
I think a good thing about the 90s was that there were no smartphones. Do you still remember a time when you didn't check your phone every ten minutes? No, I don't miss it, because I do love social media dearly. But I am proud that I lived through a time when there was no such thing as Facebook or Twitter or Instagram!
What did you love (or hate) about the 90s?
For one thing, the video games were so much easier to play. I'm not much of a gamer anyway, but I still liked playing Mario on my Atari. I can't even figure out what's happening on the computer games today, so actually playing them is out of the question. The plots are so complicated and the graphics are so realistic, and the goriness is too much for me. I'm not good at mobile games either, and my six year old nephew is better at it than me.
I think the 90s had the best TV shows ever! Nothing quite comes close to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The X-Files, Boy Meets World, Full House, and America's Funniest Home Videos. They were my main source of entertainment, apart from listening to the Top 40 on radio (do people still do that?). I also loved reading pop magazines which had pull-out posters that every self-respecting teenager had a collection of.
I also loved the charm of making mixtapes. It wasn't strictly a 90s thing, but I listened to audio cassettes throughout that time. It really was fun waiting for the right song to come on the radio for a collection, or using the recorder until it was really worn out.
One thing I loved about the movies of the late 90s was the coming of age for CGI. The Matrix and Independence Day are iconic movies as far as on-screen graphics go. What I appreciated from that time was that you could actually figure out the real from the CGI, which is kind of impossible to do today. It's kind of sad that they no longer build elaborate film sets like they used to.
I think a good thing about the 90s was that there were no smartphones. Do you still remember a time when you didn't check your phone every ten minutes? No, I don't miss it, because I do love social media dearly. But I am proud that I lived through a time when there was no such thing as Facebook or Twitter or Instagram!
What did you love (or hate) about the 90s?
This post has been linked to Finish The Sentence Friday.
57 comments
Totally get your post babe. Often I feel like an old woman reminiscing about my youth. while dating my hubby we communicated by beeper and corner phones, seriously life was so different. We talked on the phone at night, texting and messaging were no even thoughts in our conscious. Now...life is different...sighs...
Totally loved the 90s too and I graduated high school in 1995, so it was totally a time where I was coming into my own and sowing my oats (so to speak). I loved the shows you mentioned, especially Fresh Prince of Bel Air and your post definitely brought back some great memories for me. Thanks for linking up with us again this week :)
The nineties were definitely my decade to come out of my shell and thrive so I chose that decade too. I have to say that smart phones are an improvement on public pay phones! They are something I don't miss ;)
I think how attached we are to our phones is a bit sad really and I loved Atari! And Fresh Prince, America's funniest home videos (the ones where some guy was attempting a dare devil activity and ended up crashing were the funniest), and making mixed tapes. Perfect FTSF!
Loved reading this- you forget about stuff so fast!
I've always been a gamer. I really miss 90s video games -- they don't quite make them the same way anymore. That doesn't mean there aren't games that I don't enjoy these days -- Minecraft, and other games like it that simply couldn't be made back then. But they'll never replace that fun nostalgia of playing something from the SNES or Sega Genesis era.
Ahhhhhh the mix tape! I had so much fun making those!
How did we survive without smart phones?? My kids cannot imagine a time when you couldn't just pull out your phone and look something up. I graduated high school in 1995, but high school and college definitely were NOT my favorite times in life. :-)
I am all for simple video games! I'm totally old school. Just the basic Super Mario is fine by me. I loved making mixed tapes & I'd hate it when the DJs would talk so long over the intro of the song!
Oh yes, the beepers! I can also recall the days of having long conversations on landline phones.
I loved those shows so much because they were actually funny, weren't they?!
I don't miss public pay phones either! And yes, I can say I really thrived in the 90s.
Thanks, Kristi! I loved AFHV so much :)
Thanks for sharing a gamer's perspective! Glad I'm not alone in loving those simple games.
Me too!
Haha, it's different for all of us! I know that some people love their school years, and some absolutely hate them!
Glad you could relate, Bianca!
Glad you could relate, Bianca!
I remember starting a game on Atari one morning before school (which was rare) and, of course, I was killing the game like I never had before. I had to go to school so I pressed pause and begged my dad not to touch the system. Of course, he did and my great game was forever lost. Now these games save themselves. My 4 year old and 10 year old play a Mario fighting game that I just don't understand. Too much going on for me. Lol.
I'm nodding my head at everything you have written!!
Ahhh The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air!! Now, this is a story all about how My life got flipped-turned upside down And I'd like to take a minute
Just sit right there I'll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel Air......hehehe Couldn't help myself x
I'm also one of our blogging elders since my son is a couple years older than you, Tarana. I loved playing Mario with him. We had a great time and he always kicked my butt. The Matrix and Independence Day are some of my favorites, too.
My favourite thing about the 90s was our Sega mega drive then the Nintendo. I'm not really a gamer now but I was hooked back then!
I liked the music in the 90's, this was the time where I got into rock/grunge! Movies were simple too with less computer technology involved! I wrote this recently about the 80's! http://www.chaiacupoflife.com/flashback-to-the-1980s
I can totally relate to that!
It was so catchy, wasn't it?! I'm still a Will Smith fan.
I'm sure everyone has at least some fondness for the 90s! Lucky you, to have so experienced the colourful 80s :)
That's the thing, everyone could be a gamer with them!
Off to read your post!
i agree school days were carefree and no tech gadgets in our hands...stress free :)
loved the 90's too, Tarana.
have a good weekend!
Thanks Ruchira!
How could u not LOVE mix tapes - I remember doing those in the 80s though as I suspect I am a tad older...my brother and I were always making them as tweens and teens; what will my kids do without them?!!?
I was in college in the early nineties, and no one had cell phones. Maybe huge ones in their cars, but that's it. When I called home I had to sit in my room and make the call. Things have changed so much since then!
I remember the days of the top 40's:) no idea if anyone listens to it nowadays!!
Having spent my childhood in India, I only watched my brother play the video games.. :) There was so much more. We played on the streets, got dirty with the sand, got drenched in the rains, ate mangoes, guava and gooseberries from the street vendors, climbed up trees, learned to count with the number of cows (seriously) on the road, watched them eat posters stuck on the wall, played with toys made of wood and clay, subhanallah! My children will never know what they meant to us.. I feel very bad about that :(
It really was fun making them, wasn't it?
Life without them was so much simpler!
I wonder about that too!
It looks like you had a great childhood! I grew up in the UAE so missed seeing the cows on the streets :)
The music! I was (am?) totally into the "boy bands"! lol!
Great post, I just miss my 20's ;-)
The two young boys I had at the time absolutely annihilated me in Mario Bros and Donkey Kong. Ironically, the second they went off to school my fiance' and I were playing with it constantly lol. Oh lordy the tv shows - Friends, Star Gate, ER, Seinfeld...I could go on there, Tarana! Oh cell phones. The same fiance worked for a cell phone company so she got to bring home the latest and greatest to use. Those things were huge! I enjoy CGI yet I also enjoy traditional filmography too. I absolutely loved the retro flashback and thank you! :)
I loved the 90s - that was when I did my GCSEs, my A levels, my 4 years of university and then when I moved to France, it was such an exciting time of my life. But I am so glad there was no social media or digital cameras when I was doing my growing up, I can't imagine drunken nights out in your teens/early 20s with these things!
I was working as a journalist in the 90s so the mobile phone (cell phone) transformed our lives and way we covered stories in the field but it did suddenly mean that I was always reachable!
Though I wrote about the 80s, I LOVE the 90s! I totally agree with you about the TV shows, and especially the mixed tapes! I had so many great ones... I wonder where they are? :)
Me too. I was crazy about them!
Glad you liked it, Mike! I loved those TV shows - nothing quite compares with them.
Haha, you've got a good point there!
I know, otherwise you could always say you were at a press conference!
I think I still have a few, along with some audio journals, at my mom's place!
I remember being at a festival in the 90s and the crowd of thousands all started to shout at someone for being a jerk (not the actual word they used!) for having a mobile phone, can't imagine that happening now!
Oh, the 90s, what a piece of nostalgia... The TV was better! And the mixed tapes. To this day I think this why I have to listen to music on shuffle ;)
Really? I couldn't imagine that either!
I agree about the shuffle!
You post got me nostalgic, Tarana. We used to be glued to the TV for The Wonder Years, and America's Funniest Home Videos..
Those were the days.... The VHS tapes. the first walkman, our favorite audio cassettes... I grew up in Dubai, but during vacations in India, playing on the streets, dancing in the rain.... so many great memories...
Now in Dubai or in India , everyone is glued to their gadget 24x7 :(
I had the same experience growing up as you did!
I loved friends and couldn't get enough. I used yo watch it every single day :)
Oh, I still can't over it! My new favourite then became HIMYM but that's over too :(