People in the ‘80s did a bunch of things that were completely ordinary back then, but now sound weirdly complicated and kind of ridiculous.
The paper code stash
Speaking of games, gaming magazines used to feel illegal. But not for the reason modern-day kids might think. These magazines had secret codes and hidden tricks that’d make playing way easier. Kids copied the cheat codes onto scraps of paper.
They were pretty long ones, too. Just one wrong letter, and nothing would work, so you had to type it all in again. However, kids today watch a whole walkthrough online. There’s no challenge.
The vacation money ritual
Traveler’s checks made vacations a lot easier, but also more difficult, too. People in the ‘80s bought them before traveling. Carrying cash? That felt too risky abroad, so paper checks seemed like a smarter idea. You signed them when you got them.
You signed them again while using them. But most kids today would be confused by the whole thing because they’re used to tapping their phones. Converting digital money is way easier on your phone.
The almost-free message
Collect calls had a loophole. Everyone abused them in the ‘80s. The receiver paid for the call, so you could cram in a quick message when you were telling them your name. You’d rush through, ‘Mom-pick-me-up-at-the-mall’ in half a second.
The person answering would decline the charge. They’d gotten the message. They didn’t need to pay. However, modern kids complain when they have to wait for a video to buffer. The idea of using phone messages in that way? They wouldn’t get it.
The slow picture
There was a time when TVs didn’t turn on instantly. The sound usually came first. The screen would brighten up so slowly, and you had to hang around, waiting for the rest of the picture to come. It was literally warming up. But it’s not like anyone was troubleshooting it.
It was the norm, and everyone understood that back then. Now try explaining that to a kid raised on OLED screens and face-ID phones. They wouldn’t think to wait. They’d assume it was broken and start looking for a replacement.
The bottle hunt
Even empty bottles were kind of valuable in the ‘80s, especially for kids. They’d collect them. Not for fun, of course, but because they could return them for deposit money. They could get around five cents for each one. That was enough to get you some candy or arcade tokens.
It was totally normal to go looking around parks and the roadside for any spare bottles. Finding a pile of empties? Jackpot. Kids today wouldn’t bother doing that because, really, there’s no incentive for them.
The lyrics purchase
Sometimes, you can’t understand a song’s lyrics clearly. You can just tap the ‘lyrics’ button today. But in the ‘80s, it wasn’t like that, and sometimes people bought magazines just for the lyrics. They’d pass them around at school.
They’d sometimes write them into notebooks, too. Modern kids live in a world where they don’t even need to think because the lyrics come up automatically. No waiting and no spending necessary.
The shiny sun helper
Kids don’t get it today. Tanning’s one thing, but sitting outside with giant reflective panels under your face? It looks like something from a sci-fi movie. You didn’t get a little more, either. You got all of the sun’s light, bouncing directly in your eyeballs.
People didn’t care that they were actually just slow-roasting themselves. They do today, though. We’re much more aware of the dangers of tanning, and kids already complain when their phone screen’s brightness is too much.
The hair cage
Banana clips were all the rage in the ‘80s. That was mostly because they made any hairstyle look bigger from the back. You curved the clip around your head. It’d then snap together and gather all your hair in a waterfall shape.
People thought it looked glamorous. Today, though, it looks way too ‘80s, and not in a good way. Kids would rather wear a wig than ever snap on a banana clip.
The typed doorway
Early home computers were nowhere near as user-friendly as the ones we have today. There were no colorful menus. There were no clickable icons. Instead, you turned the machine on, and the cursor blinked at you, waiting for instructions. You had to know computer language.
Games still existed, sure, but it was a process getting them running. You had to type commands to launch them. Try explaining to a kid today that you couldn’t tap ‘Minecraft’ to open it.
The mystery ring
The phone rang. It caused chaos. You had to basically sprint into the room to answer the call, and you had absolutely no idea who was calling. Caller ID? That was the stuff of movies. It could’ve been anyone ringing, so you had to answer and find out.
It could be a friend. It could be someone selling you some carpet cleaner. There was no way of knowing without answering. Today, most kids are used to checking as soon as the phone rings. That’s if it ever does. They’ll probably send a text message instead.
The weather voice
That’s not all for phones. So many people memorized a number that they’d call to find out the time and temperature. Yes, really. They’d call to find out exactly how hot or cold it was outside. Then they’d hang up. Perfectly normal.
Some towns would also give you the weather forecast on the recording, and it felt so futuristic at the time. Not anymore, though. You can just ask Siri to tell you, or check it on the internet yourself.
The photo limit
People could snap photos in the ‘80s, too, but they had to be careful. They had to plan how many they were going to take first. Unlimited photos weren’t a thing. Were they taking 12, 24, or 36? There were no other options, so people learned to be extra careful with each flash.
You didn’t want to waste film. Every photo had to be cautiously planned, and you weren’t going to take seventeen pictures of your lunch. The funniest part came when you got them developed. You’d find out whether the photos were any good, or if someone had blinked in every one.
