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Millennials took countless things for granted growing up that they’ll never get back. Although Generation Z may believe life is pretty fantastic in 2023, they don’t know what they’re missing! Recently, millennials met in an online discussion to reveal the best things they grew up with that Gen Z will never be able to relate to.
1. Not Having Their Failures Broadcast Over the Internet
Gen-Zers will never be able to live anything down since most of their failures are recorded and uploaded to the internet. “I’m lucky I lived in an era when you would do something stupid as a kid and not worry about it being immortalized on the internet,” confesses one man. “Some of my moronic moments will luckily just remain bad memories.”
2. Being Unreachable
Before cell phone ownership was ubiquitous across America, many millennials relished that they were unreachable most of the time. If you wanted to be contacted, you needed to be home and available to talk on the phone. Otherwise, you had no obligation to communicate with anyone!
3. Visiting an Airline’s Cockpit
Traveling in an airplane was vastly different 25-30 years ago. Safety regulations while in the air were lax (to say the least), and many kids could visit the cockpit and say hi to the pilot mid-flight! After 9/11, this practice disappeared due to inherent safety concerns.
4. Only Abiding by One Rule
Thanks to the world they live in today, Gen-Zers have a laundry list of rules they must follow given to them by their parents. Fortunately, many millennials only had to abide by one rule. “Back then, there was only one rule you had to follow: Be back home before dark,” recalls one man. “Other than that, there were no rules as a kid.”
5. How Everything Felt New
Millennials experienced the dawning of a new age when the internet became popular. From internet chat services like AOL Instant Messenger, website-building services like Geocities, and music-downloading applications like Napster, being a millennial was accompanied by a constant state of awe. In contrast, Gen-Zers have seen it all in 2023.
6. Music Discovery
Tracking down the details of their new favorite radio song and eventually finding success was a big part of millennials’ lives. “The absolute joy of hearing a song that’s been stuck in your head for a week come on the radio, and you finally find out the artist and title is something Gen Z will never understand,” reports one music lover.
7. Renting a Movie From Blockbuster Video
For millions, it didn’t get any better than a trip to Blockbuster Video. “I miss renting a movie from Blockbuster!” professes one millennial. “Don’t get me wrong, I love the convenience of streaming, but there was something extraordinary about walking around the store and picking out the right movie, buying some snacks, and making an evening around watching a movie!”
8. Patience With Slow Downloads
Before broadband internet (and its accompanying high speeds) was in most American homes, millennials had to deal with slow dial-up internet. However, it came with one upside: It taught an entire generation about patience, as most downloads would take nearly a full day to complete.
9. Hanging Out at the Mall
Malls are out of style for Generation Z, but that wasn’t true for the millennial generation. Hanging out at the mall with friends wasn’t just a way to kill time; it was a rite of passage. Many unforgettable memories were had while walking around the mall, completely broke!
10. Experiencing True Independence
Gen-Zers will never understand what true independence was like. For many, it involved riding a bike. “I did not have a cell phone as a child,” explains one man. “I rode my bike around town all the time. I would get home when I said I would, and my mother had no idea what I was actually doing. She couldn’t track my cell phone or text me to get an update. I, of course, always came back home, but when I was out, I was free.”
11. Wearing Out Your Favorite Vhs Tape
The bizarre satisfaction (and accompanying sadness) of watching your favorite VHS movie so much that you wore it out is an inherently millennial pastime. With streaming services replacing DVD and VHS players, wearing out a VHS tape is officially a relic from a bygone era.
12. Passing Notes in School
Back in the day, you didn’t text your friends or crushes during school. After all, how could you? Nobody had a cell phone. Instead, the art of passing notes in the halls and classrooms was the primary method of communication. Was there a better feeling than being passed a handwritten note from your crush as you walked the halls? I can honestly say there wasn’t!
Source: Reddit.
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