Story by Paula Jhea Sison
"Noong panahon namin..."
These words are probably few of the words our parents often tell us. But guess what? We can also tell these words to the younger generation! There are truly thousands of activities only us, 90s and 2000s kids, can relate to. From climbing our neighbor's mango tree to playing the Gameboy, we experienced it all. Here are some of the things we used to do back in the days and I'm sure, these things will make us want to go back in time.
1. BUYING TOTAL GIRL AND K-ZONE
Do you remember asking your parents to buy Total Girl and K-zone at the nearest bookstore? Having no internet in the early 2000s made all of us read Total Girl and K-zone as kids. Collecting poster freebies, doing DIYs, reading the comics and style guides, and following 2000s trends were probably the best parts of acquiring Total Girl and K-zone.
2. PLAYING SUPER MARIO
Whether it is Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Kart, Super Mario World, or Dr. Mario, we all met Mario once in our life. Playing the game takes you back to almost fifteen years ago where winning the race or defeating Bowser were your only dilemma as a child. Nonetheless, who did not actually experience getting LSS from Super Mario’s “Overworld” soundtrack?
3. CARRYING SONY WALKMAN OR APPLE IPOD AROUND
Walkman for the 90s and iPOD for the 2000s are the epitomes of wealth back then. These mp3 players are small which makes it easier for owners to carry it around. Who would forget playing Backstreet Boys or Lady Gaga while bopping your head and casually walking on the streets?
4. PLAYING MASH/FLAMES
This game surely got your hopes up when you had your first crush back in your elementary days. Your future with your crush, your “relationship status”, the number of children you will have, the vehicle you’ll drive, your future occupation, and the city you’ll live in were all dependent on the “magic number” the drawn spiral will have. Imagine being kilig over your first crush over the “Married” result.
5. HAVING “THAT” BRIEFCASE WITH ART SUPPLIES
From its colored pens and pencils, watercolor palette, and pastel and oil crayons to its 2-inch eraser, sharpener, and ruler, this briefcase surely delighted every 90s and 2000s kid. This plastic briefcase has become the symbol of coolness as it is one of the must-have items few years ago. Unfortunately, this art kit seems to be out of the market for quite a while now.
6. HAVING MICROSOFT ENCARTA
Being caught in-between the absence and fast development of internet in our everyday lives, Encarta has saved our curiosity as children. Encarta is a digital encyclopedia developed by Microsoft back in 1993. It provided articles, photos, videos, sound clips, and even games to inform or ease the boredom (or maybe both) of 90s and 2000s kids. It's been ten years since Microsoft decided to shut down Encarta but I’m pretty sure that everyone misses the geography quiz, animal hatching videos, and the biographies of the American presidents.
7. RENTING/OWNING VHS TAPES
When YouTube and Netflix weren’t available, VHS tapes were few of the possible ways to watch your favorite Disney movies like Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast. Remember running towards the VHS store, renting or buying your tape of the week, playing it for the first time, and stacking it over your VHS collection shelf? I guess those memories will now remain in our hearts as VHS tapes are so difficult, if not impossible, to find now.
Having been born during with the development of technology, we were once torn between doing the traditional games to satisfying our curiosity on computers. Thinking about two decades ago definitely will make us feel old but who cares? These were the things which made us enjoy our childhood and thinking about those times really make us want to be children again.
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