They Have It So Easy
It's a wonder how we survived for so long without smartphones, the internet, and streaming services. The conveniences of day-to-day life that we now have are so astounding, we often take them for granted. Here's a reminder of some of the things we used to have to deal with.
1. Reading Maps
Before Google Maps, we had plain old maps: large pieces of paper that you had to unfold just to get your bearings. Whenever we were lost, we had to stop at a gas station just to buy them; they were usually kept in the glove compartment in case of emergencies.
2. Asking For Directions
When maps failed, you had to ask someone for directions. Yup, we'd put our lives in the hands of a total stranger! Sometimes you’d be sent off on a wild goose hunt and other times they’d save you.
3. Landline Phones
The experience of calling your love interest and hoping with all your might that one of their parents doesn’t answer is a thing of the past. Now everyone has their own private phone, but those from that past generation will never forget that feeing of nervousness and embarrassment.
4. VHS Tapes
Once upon a time before Netflix, we watched movies on VHS tapes. They had to be rewinded after you finished watching so the next person wouldn’t get annoyed, but it was definitely a lot of hard work to be done on your part.
5. CDs
Now people stream music and everything you could ever want to listen to is at your fingertips. Before, we would have to physically go out and buy CDs which is less convenient, but also kind of fun. Having a physical copy does carry a certain charm to it.
6. DVDs
When DVDs came onto the scene, they seemed so futuristic compared to bulky VHSs. Now it all seems historic, but at some point, everyone had all their favorite movies in DVD format on shelves in their homes.
7. Hearing a Song and Not Knowing What it is
Before radios with screens, and before "Shazam", there was just radio. Sometimes you’d hear a song in a fleeting moment and if the DJ didn’t tell you what just played, you might never figure out what song it was.
8. Missing the Phone and Not Knowing Who Called
If you’re past a certain age, you know the feeling of entering the house just as the phone stops ringing. Before caller ID and answering machines, there was no way of knowing who called unless they called again. The curiosity could kill you!
9. Having Limited TV Channels
Remember when people relied on live TV for entertainment? What’s more, there were only a few channels, so everyone was pretty much watching the same thing. But back in the day, that was more than enough.
10. Snail Mail
Younger generations will never understand what it means to anxiously wait for weeks for a letter to arrive. Sometimes it was our only form of communication with loved ones far away. It certainly made every letter feel meaningful though.
11. Recording a TV Program on VCR
It’s funny to think back now about how modern it seemed at the time to record TV shows. You would put the blank VHS in the player and let it record. It was so convenient for when you wanted to go out but you’d miss your favorite show.
12. Trying to Meetup Without Cell Phones
Back in the day, you’d have to make plans and stick to them. If something happened while you were going to meet someone, there was no way of letting them know. There were so many miscommunications, it’s a wonder all plans didn’t fall through.
13. Burning CDs
Before people were making playlists on Spotify, we were burning songs onto CDs. We’d make countless ones capturing different moods and keep them in the car or give them to our friends. Sometimes we’d end up frustrated when they didn’t burn well and would end up blank or damaged.
14. Encyclopedias
For centuries, we used big books called encyclopedias to look things up, not online search engines. Knowledge was so much more cumbersome then. If you wanted to know something, you had to put in the work to find it.
15. Phonebooks
Another relic of the past, phonebooks were published by the phone company and distributed to everyone. They contained “white pages” of residents and “yellow pages” of businesses–it’s what we used if we wanted to order a pizza or prank call someone.
16. Payphones
Before cell phones, there were payphones–coin-operated public telephones. You still see them from time to time but can probably count on one hand the number of times you’ve seen one in use in the past 20 years.
17. Physically Rolling Up the Car Window
Now it’s an automatic button, but before it was an actual hand crank that you had to use to close the window. We guess that’s why it’s still called “roll up” the window. Chances are, if you were trying to shut the window before a bug got in, you wouldn't make it in time.
18. Renting Movies
Instead of scrolling through an online movie subscription, we used to go to a video store and borrow movies. You’d be crushed if the movie you wanted to watch was already rented out. At least the act of browsing and visiting these stores was pretty fun in and of itself.
19. Backwards Selfies
Before cellphone manufacturers realized how narcissistic people are and put another lens on the front of phones, we had to flip the camera backward to take a picture of ourselves. Usually, those photos ended up being an awkward snap of the top of our foreheads.
Antoine Beauvillain on Unsplash
20. Dial-Up Internet
Now, having internet is so second nature that we become infuriated when it takes more than five seconds to load a page. Early internet, with its screechy tones and low performance, was a different story. It used telephone lines to connect and you’d be pleased if your e-mail was sent.
