Before the 90’s came along, we had some skills that we don’t have now.
Before the ’90s and the advancement of technology, a lot of people had a unique, and natural, set of skills to help them get through the day. Like remembering phone numbers. Used to be that we knew all our family and friends phone numbers!
How many phone numbers do you actually remember? It was quite the skill memorizing those numbers! Why should you now? I mean, they’re all on your phone, right? Until your phone dies, or you lose your phone, or maybe you’re in jail, and you only get that one phone call, but they confiscated your phone – now what?? Technology fails us quite often, but we still rely on our phone to remember phone numbers.
What 90’s skill do you have?
Reddit user u/motivetodayy asked: “People born before 1990, what trivial skill do you possess that no one uses anymore?” The 90’s weren’t that long ago, but when it comes to technology, that’s a long time.
Back in the 90’s a lot of people used to actually develop and processing their own film. Yes – develop their own pictures from a roll of film – that was in a camera – and also enlarge those pictures, in a darkroom. Whaaaat? Film? Camera? DARKROOM??
Let’s not even begin to talk about the Dewey Decimal System at the library, that we all used to use to find a book. I’m sure many of you are saying “Dewey Decimal? Is that fractions? Or wait – that’s Donald Duck’s kid, right?”
The skill we gained? 30 years ago, it would’ve been a LOT harder to arrange for a stranger to pick you up in their Toyota Prius, and give you a ride home from the bar. Now, we can do that within a few minutes, without even talking to anyone! I’m sure some would call it a “skill.”
Now let’s go back in time, and reminisce about some of these skills we used to have…
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Book Covers
Hands up – who else can cover a textbook with a brown paper bag? It was an ART at one time! but, alas – not many textbooks anymore, and you’d be e big nerd if you covered your iPad in a paper bag.
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Curly Telephone Cords
We were all fully capable of unknotting the curly telephone wire, and getting all the curls facing the right way and behave themselves.
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Fixing The TV
Remember when you could fix your TV’s reception with one smack to the top of it, a la Fonzie? Heck – remember when you could actually fix (repair) a TV?
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Counting Change
The ability to make and count out change for a purchase didn’t take an economics degree! “Hi cashier – it’s $9.91, I gave you $10.01, not a live alligator! GIVE ME A DIME!!!”
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Clutch Starting A Car
Wait, what? Yes – we could actually start a car with manual transmission by rolling down a hill, with the car in gear, then pop the clutch and start it! (Cars weren’t so reliable back in the day…)
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Paper Fortune Tellers
Making paper fortune tellers were a must – especially if you had a bestie, or liked a boy or girl .It would basically tell you your whole future!
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Texting With !0 Keys On A Cell Phone
Most 90’s kids still have it all memorized and could probably pick up a flip phone and send paragraphs if needed.
Setting up a VCR
Stop laughing – setting up a VCR to record a television program in advance was a big deal!
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Cursive Writing
Don’t know if this will ever be a thing again, sadly.
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Recording A Song From The Radio
Recording a song, onto cassette tape, from the radio, and trying to make sure to not get the stupid DJ talking, or some stupid ad.
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Refolding A Paper Map
If you’ve never done it – try it. Enough said.
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