It may be hard to remember what life was like before the Internet, but Reddit is here to remind us. A thread asks, “People old enough to remember life pre-Internet, what is something you miss about that time?” Here are some of the best nostalgia-filled responses.
- "People actually hanging out outside with no distractions. I miss just being gone all day riding bikes with friends or at the mall."
- "Honestly? How small the world felt. I didn't have to always hear about conflict every day. I could just go about my day, do my stuff, and enjoy my life without hearing about all the conflict and anger around the world."
- "Boredom. Yes, boredom. Because that was time to get creative, try something new, make up a game, get really into a book, practice drawing, wander around and explore, or just hang out and talk about whatever random stuff, etc. Boredom gave us curiosity, creativity, and focus."
- "You didn’t have to be constantly connected. There was no expectation that people could reach you 24/7. If they called your house and you were out, they’d just have to wait until you got home. They couldn’t message you on five different social media platforms."
- "The neighborhood kids playing hide and seek outside."
- "How magical video games felt as you were discovering their secrets."
- "Not knowing things. Like, as a kid, if I had a question about something and the answer wasn't in our encyclopedia set, it became this great mystery to find out … Now, you just Google."
- "This is something small and very random, but I absolutely LOVED looking in the newspaper to see what movies were showing at the theater on the weekend. Such an exciting time for 11-year-old me."
- "Dating was so much easier. People met at parties, clubs, or bars. Nobody felt 'creeped out' by being approached by someone to strike up a conversation."
- "Music was more special. You’d spend days and weeks delving into one good album, reading the liner notes, and poring over the artwork and lyrics."
- "Getting letters and cards in the mail."
- "Ringing my buddy's doorbell at 7 a.m., asking him if he wants to play."
Source: Reddit