Weekends were a completely different experience for Gen X kids, and that’s mostly because they had certain kinds of freedom that don’t really exist for modern kids.
The Saturday arcade crowd
Most Gen Xers just needed a pocketful of quarters to stay busy all of Saturday afternoon. They’d spend that pocketful at the mall arcade. Yes, the 1980s were practically a golden age for classics like Pac-Man and Donkey Kong.
Many Gen Xers waited in line to have their turn, and even when they didn’t have money to play, they’d stand around to watch. That’s not something that really happens today. Kids can play video games from the comfort of their own homes, and they can talk to friends online instead.
The Saturday skating session
Gen Xers would often spend their Saturday evenings at roller rinks. They were almost like social clubs for teenagers, after all, and it was at these places that this generation could meet friends or listen to music.
It’s mostly thanks to the disco craze that skating became so popular. There was no finer place to be as a teenager in the evenings. These days, roller rinks are seen as more of a novelty, and you’re unlikely to find any kids who go to them regularly.
The music video countdown
Music videos were a lot harder to watch when Gen X was growing up, and that’s because there was no YouTube to watch them. No, they’d wait to watch the weekly television countdown of their favorite music videos. It all took place on MTV.
That channel was where music-loving teenagers could watch the latest videos from artists like Madonna and Michael Jackson. Watching the countdown became an event in itself. But platforms like YouTube have made that pointless, as you can watch whatever video you want, whenever you want.
The miniature racetrack
A few hobby shops used to have entire racetracks, and Gen Xers could bring along their own miniature electric cars to compete against one another. They were known as slot cars. They might sound simple, yes, but Saturday races with them sure got competitive.
They were the place to go when you wanted to show off your racing skills to your friends. Getting your car to stay on the track was pretty challenging, too. Kids today do still love racing, but they’re far more likely to play competitive video games instead.
The community center dance
Let’s get one thing straight, teenagers today love prom just as much as teenagers in the past did. The difference is that there were so many more opportunities for Gen X teenagers to socialize than there are for modern kids. They had casual dances on weekend evenings pretty regularly.
At these events, teens could go to recreation centers or attend designated teen hangouts, where they could have fun with other people their age. They could do it without their parents hovering nearby. It’s a shame, really, because kids today don’t have these same opportunities.
The midnight movie ritual
Midnight screenings were a big deal for many Gen X teenagers, as these were the nights when they got to watch hit films like The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Many of them would attend late-night showings with their friends on the weekends.
These events became so popular, in fact, that a few movie theaters deliberately catered to the teenage audience during the 1970s. Midnight showings are still a thing today, of course. But they’re not as much of a big deal for teenagers as they once were.
The collectibles hunt
Gen X was a generation that took baseball cards very seriously. They took them so seriously, in fact, that there was a collecting boom during the 1980s. Some teenagers would visit swap meets on the weekends and take a binder full of cards with them.
These sorts of events were pretty common across the United States, and they united Gen X teens with other like-minded collectors. Today, however, most teens only collect digital stuff. They’re definitely not going to bother going to an event to trade them.
The neighborhood game
Your Saturday mornings weren’t completely without a street game or six. Kids would get together to start playing in somebody’s driveway, and they’d use whatever they had lying around to get started.
Street playing was way more popular for Gen X than it is for the younger generation today. That’s mostly because, well, kids today would rather play games online than in real life.
The early fishing competition
Quite a few Gen Xers would spend their Saturday mornings in a very particular way. They’d go down to the local pond. Not to go swimming, but instead to go fishing at the local fishing derby, as these were pretty popular community events in many towns.
Participants would compete to catch the biggest fish. They didn’t always happen every weekend, but they happened often enough that many families would look forward to them during fishing season. That kind of outdoor community activity doesn’t really happen with many teenagers nowadays.
The flashlight chase
It’s no secret that Gen Xers spent a lot more time playing outside than younger generations do. But one thing that’s not as well-known is the kind of games they would play, especially at night, and this included something called flashlight tag. One person got a flashlight and tried to find the other players when darkness had fallen.
It wasn’t something they had to arrange through their parents, either. It was mostly expected that Gen X kids would be outside because they had the freedom to do so. Modern kids tend to lack that, and the idea of letting kids play outside after dark is a big no-no.
The party beyond town
The number of teenagers who love partying on a Saturday night hasn’t changed, although the style of party certainly has. Gen Xers grew up in a world where open field parties were the norm. In fact, these events often became a weekly ritual for them.
They’d drive to a specific location to just hang out and socialize with other people their age. The majority of teens today won’t do that. Not because they can’t, but mostly because they’re not interested in this kind of activity.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
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