25 Things From The 80s Our Kids Will Never Understand

Ah, the 1980s – a time when shoulder pads were in, perms were all the rage, and technology was evolving at a rapid pace. Life was simpler yet filled with quirky gadgets and inventions that seemed indispensable at the time. Fast forward to the present day, and we find ourselves in a world vastly different from that neon-soaked era. Let’s take a humorous trip down memory lane and reminisce about 25 things from the 80s that have since become relics of the past.

1. Cassette tapes: Remember spending hours meticulously rewinding and fast-forwarding to find your favorite song? Ah, the joys of manual labor in the name of music.
2. VHS tapes: The struggle was real when the tape got stuck in the VCR, requiring delicate maneuvers to rescue it without ruining your precious movie night.
3. Answering Machines: The anticipation of returning home to see if anyone left a message, followed by the disappointment of hearing the dreaded beep and realizing nobody called.
4. Rotary telephones: Dialing a number took patience, precision, and a steady hand. And if you made a mistake? Well, back to square one.
5. Typewriters: The original keyboard warriors, clacking away at those keys with the finesse of a seasoned pianist.
6. Floppy disks: Saving files meant choosing between the 3.5-inch or the larger, more elusive 5.25-inch variety. And don’t even get me started on the dreaded “Disk Read Error.”
7. Walkmans: The pinnacle of portable music technology – until you hit a bump and your cassette tape turned into a tangled mess.
8. Polaroid cameras: Capturing memories instantly, albeit with the suspense of waiting for the image to develop like a photographic Polaroid thriller.
9. Payphones: A beacon of hope in times of emergency or a lifeline for those who couldn’t afford a landline. Plus, the thrill of finding forgotten coins in the coin return slot was unmatched.
10. Pagers: The ultimate status symbol. The OG text message alert system – because sometimes, you just needed to know someone was trying to reach you ASAP.
11. Dial-up internet: Ah, the sweet symphony of screeching modems and the agonizingly slow loading times. Patience was indeed a virtue.
12. Encyclopedias: The Google of yesteryear, housed in massive volumes that doubled as makeshift stepping stools for reaching the top shelf.
13. Video rental stores (like Blockbuster): A treasure trove of cinematic delights, where browsing the aisles was an adventure in itself. Late fees, however, were the stuff of nightmares.
14. Boomboxes: Portable parties on your shoulder, complete with blaring beats and questionable fashion choices.
15. Cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs: Bulky yet beloved, these relics of television history provided hours of entertainment with the added bonus of a built-in workout every time you had to move one.
16. Disposable cameras: Every click counted, as you prayed that your photographic masterpiece didn’t turn out blurry or overexposed.
17. Film negatives: The mysterious counterparts to your cherished photographs – lose them, and it was game over for reprints.
18. 8-track tapes: The more cumbersome cousin of cassette tapes, known for their tendency to warp and distort at the most inconvenient moments.
19. Paper maps for navigation: Navigating road trips meant deciphering cryptic symbols and praying you didn’t end up lost in the wilderness.
20. Phonebooks: A hefty tome of names, numbers, and a surprising number of pizza delivery coupons.
21. Record players with vinyl records: The warm crackle of vinyl spinning on the turntable – a sound that audiophiles still swear by to this day.
22. Fax machines: The original email attachment system – because why send an email when you can print it out and send it through a noisy machine?
23. Rolodexes: The OG contact management system – because sometimes, nothing beats the satisfying flick of a Rolodex card.
24. Film projectors: Movie nights were a high-stakes affair, with the constant fear of a film reel jam ruining the show.
25. Rubik’s Cubes: The colorful puzzle that provided hours of frustration and satisfaction in equal measure. Trying to solve it was like embarking on a mental marathon, with each twist and turn bringing you closer to victory or closer to throwing it across the room in defeat.

As we bid adieu to these quirky relics of the past, we can’t help but marvel at how far we’ve come since the neon-soaked days of the 1980s. Life may be faster-paced and more digitally driven now, but there’s a certain charm to be found in the simplicity and nostalgia of yesteryear. So here’s to the 80s – a decade filled with innovation, eccentricity, and the occasional floppy disk mishap. As we embrace the future, let’s not forget to cherish the memories of days gone by, floppy disks and all.