25 Things You Probably Haven’t Thought About in at Least 20 Years
Time has a funny way of making things disappear—not in a mysterious Bermuda Triangle kind of way, but more like they just gradually slip from our minds until someone suddenly mentions them again.
One minute, you couldn’t go a day without seeing or using something, and the next, it’s collecting dust in the far reaches of your memory. From forgotten snack foods to outdated tech quirks, we’re bringing back 25 things you probably haven’t thought about in at least two decades.
Get ready for a serious nostalgia trip, but don’t be surprised if some of these make you say, “Oh wow, I totally forgot about that!”
1. The AOL Instant Messenger “Door Slam” Sound
Nothing stung quite like hearing that loud, digital door slam when your crush (or worst enemy) suddenly logged off. AIM was the way to communicate in the early 2000s, where crafting the perfect away message was a true art form.
Now? The only “away” messages we see are in unread text notifications. Remember how we used to wait eagerly for someone to come online? Those were the days!
2. Disposable Cameras with That Satisfying Click
Before smartphones with infinite storage, we had disposable cameras, and every picture taken was a high-stakes gamble. You wouldn’t know if your eyes were closed or the picture was blurry until you picked up the prints—days later.
Let’s not forget the oddly satisfying click and wind after each shot. These cameras captured memories in a way digital never could, making each photo precious.
3. Calling Time & Temperature on a Landline
Believe it or not, people used to call an actual phone number to find out the time and weather. It was the ultimate life hack before weather apps and digital clocks. Somewhere out there, a lonely phone line is still repeating, “The time is now… 4:37 PM.”
This simple service was a staple in homes everywhere, a precursor to the instant information age.
4. The Frustration of Scratched CDs
One tiny scratch on your favorite CD and suddenly your Linkin Park album started skipping uncontrollably—always at the most emotional part of the song. We tried blowing on them, rubbing them on our shirts, or using sketchy home remedies (toothpaste, anyone?), but nothing truly worked.
CDs were our prized possessions, and keeping them scratch-free was an art and science back then.
5. The Pain of Stepping on a LEGO
Every childhood bedroom was a minefield of tiny, plastic pain machines known as LEGOs. No sock or slipper could protect you, and stepping on one was basically an instant trip to another dimension of agony.
Why did those tiny bricks have to be so pointy? The pain was unmatched, but somehow, it was all worth it for the joy of building imaginative worlds.
6. Cassette Tapes Getting Eaten by Your Walkman
There was no worse betrayal than when your Walkman decided to devour your favorite mixtape. The only fix? Delicately using a pencil to rewind the tape, hoping it wasn’t too mangled to play again.
It was a delicate operation that required patience and care, but for the love of music, we persevered. Ah, the joys of analog technology in a digital world.
7. Trapper Keepers That Barely Fit in Your Backpack
If you didn’t have a Trapper Keeper with an unnecessarily loud Velcro flap, were you even a student in the ’90s? These bulky masterpieces somehow held every subject’s worth of notes, random doodles, and at least three notes folded into intricate triangles.
They were a staple of school life—a status symbol and organizational marvel that defined a generation.
8. Having to Memorize Phone Numbers
Once upon a time, you actually had to remember the phone numbers of your family, friends, and that one pizza place with the best late-night deals. Now? If your phone passes away, you’re out of luck—do any of us even know our own number anymore?
Memorizing numbers was a skill we took for granted. It’s an art that faded away with the rise of smartphones.
9. Movie Rental Late Fees That Felt Criminal
Few things in life were as dread-inducing as realizing you forgot to return a Blockbuster VHS on time. Those late fees added up fast, making it feel like you were paying off a small loan just to watch Dumb & Dumber.
Renting movies was a ritual, a weekend highlight that came with its own set of anxieties and financial pains.
10. Ice Cream Truck Jingles That Sent Kids into a Frenzy
The second you heard that tinny, slightly out-of-tune jingle in the distance, it was GO TIME. Every kid in the neighborhood would scramble for loose change and sprint barefoot through the street to get their hands on a Rocket Pop or Choco Taco.
It was summer encapsulated in sound, a tradition that brought joy, excitement, and a sweet treat to every kid’s day.
11. The Unbearable Sound of Dial-Up Internet
That grinding, screeching, robotic wail of dial-up was the soundtrack of the early internet era. If someone picked up the phone while you were trying to log into GeoCities or Napster, your connection was immediately ruined.
Internet access back then was a luxury, accompanied by frustration and anticipation, a stark contrast to the instant connectivity we enjoy today.
12. Trying to Juggle CDs in a Car Without Dropping Them
Before Bluetooth and aux cords, choosing the right CD while driving was a dangerous balancing act. You’d dig through a messy CD case, try to pop in a disc with one hand, and pray you didn’t drop it between the seats forever.
It was a test of skill and patience, turning every drive into a personal concert with its own set of challenges.
13. Those Inflatable Chairs Everyone Wanted but No One Used
Inflatable furniture was the height of teen bedroom decor in the late ’90s and early 2000s. They looked amazing in magazines, but in reality? They deflated in a week, made weird squeaky noises, and were way too slippery to sit on comfortably.
They were the perfect example of style over substance, a trend that was short-lived but fondly remembered.
14. The Candy Land Game That Took Forever to Finish
It seemed like a simple game, but Candy Land had the ability to trap players in a never-ending loop. If you got sent back to Plumpy or the Gooey Gumdrops, you were stuck for eternity while everyone else advanced.
The game was deceptively simple yet endlessly frustrating, a staple of childhood that tested patience and perseverance.
15. TV Guide Channel Scroll Struggles
If you missed your channel while it was scrolling, you had to wait an entire minute for it to come back around. No fast-forwarding, no search function—just pure, old-school patience.
And just when you thought you’d finally found your channel, an ad break would pop up, making you wait even longer in agonizing suspense. Patience was a necessary virtue back then.
16. The Smell of Old School Book Covers
Before custom laptop cases, we had textbook covers made out of paper bags. These handmade masterpieces smelled like pure nostalgia and pencil shavings—and doubled as a perfect doodle canvas.
You’d spend hours decorating them with band logos, hearts, or random inside jokes, only for the cover to rip by mid-semester. They were a creative outlet, a personal statement of individuality.
17. Gas Station Bathrooms That Required a Giant Key
For some reason, gas stations thought the best way to control their bathrooms was by attaching the key to the largest object possible—a hubcap, a cinder block, or even a literal broomstick.
It was as if they expected people to try and steal it, as if owning a gas station restroom key was black-market currency. Yet, despite this system, the bathrooms were always mysteriously out of order.
18. The Struggle of Blowing on Nintendo Cartridges
Whenever a Nintendo game glitched, the universal solution was to take out the cartridge and blow on it like it was a birthday candle. Did it actually work? Science says no, but every kid swore by it. If that failed, you’d try slamming it into the console with the right amount of force.
Video game repair in the ’90s was more art than science.
19. Cereal Box Toys That Made Breakfast Worthwhile
Long before subscription boxes, the best surprises came buried inside your favorite sugary cereal. If you were lucky, the prize was right on top; if not, you had to dig through the entire box like an archaeologist on a sugar rush.
If you had siblings, it became a battle of who could pour the most cereal before Mom caught on. It made breakfast an adventure!
20. The Pain of Sunburns Before SPF Awareness
In the ’80s and ’90s, sunscreen was more of a suggestion than a necessity. Many parents slathered on the lowest SPF imaginable—if any at all—leaving kids to roast like human lobster tails after a day at the beach.
The sticky, peeling aftermath always led to one friend trying (and failing) to pull off your entire sunburn in one piece. A painful lesson in sun safety.
21. The Anxiety of Recording Songs Off the Radio
Before streaming, making a perfect mixtape meant waiting patiently by the radio for your favorite song to play. The challenge? Hitting record at the exact right moment while hoping the DJ wouldn’t rudely talk over the intro.
If you accidentally cut off the ending, too bad—you had to live with it. It was a labor of love, a musical treasure hunt for the perfect playlist.
22. Waterbeds That Seemed Cool But Were Actually Awful
Owning a waterbed in the ’80s or ’90s was the ultimate status symbol, but actually sleeping on one? A nightmare. They were too wobbly, impossible to move, and one tiny leak turned your bedroom into a disaster zone.
If you shared one with a sibling, any movement turned the entire bed into a tidal wave simulator. A lesson in style over comfort.
23. Those Cheap Plastic Halloween Costumes with Masks That Suffocated You
Every kid in the ’80s and ’90s remembers those thin plastic Halloween costumes that looked good in the package but felt like a trash bag once you put them on. The worst part? The tiny eyeholes and suffocating rubber-band mask, which ensured you could barely breathe or see where you were going.
Trick-or-treating in these was a test of endurance and determination.
24. The Magic of Watching VHS Tapes at School
Whenever a teacher rolled in the giant TV cart, it was the best day ever. Whether it was a Bill Nye episode, a National Geographic documentary, or some outdated history video, it meant no real work for the next 45 minutes.
Unless the tracking was off and the teacher had no idea how to fix it. It was a cherished break in routine, a moment of joy in education.
25. The Absolute Chaos of School Book Fairs
The Scholastic Book Fair wasn’t just a book sale—it was a social event, a shopping spree, and a power trip all in one. You’d beg your parents for money, blow it all on posters and spy pens, and somehow walk away with zero actual books.
Half the fun was just sniffing those weirdly scented erasers. It was an event that brought joy and chaos all at once.