People Born Before 1995 Remember 8 Everyday Life Hassles That Have Thankfully Disappeared
Elzbieta Sekowska / Shutterstock Technology has changed the way we operate, and people born before 1995 were right on the brink of the most major shift. Many of the changes didn’t become popular right away, so people spent plenty of their time stuck working through minor inconveniences that could ruin an entire day.
Most of these minor hassles have disappeared over time. The days of waiting by the landline for a phone call are no more. GPS has changed the way we make our way around town. Thankfully, many, many daily frustrations have been remedied, but if you ask someone who was born just a few decades ago about them, prepare to hear a passionate rant.
8 everyday hassles people who were born before 1985 still remember, but have thankfully disappeared from our lives
1. Getting lost because you misread a paper map
I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area. As a kid, I remember my mom printing off directions from MapQuest to navigate the city. If you know anything about the place, you know that the streets are narrow, and the drivers aren’t great. I’d read the directions to her as we got lost over and over. It made going into the city stressful, and I was so relieved when GPS became a thing.
Now, we all have GPS in the palm of our hands. Our phones can get us anywhere we need to go. Apparently, there are some downsides to relying on GPS. It may make our minds lazy and unable to form mental maps. But still, I’ll take that over looking at paper directions ever again.
2. Waiting all day by the phone for an important call
When someone is waiting on an important call, it doesn’t matter where they are. With our phones in our pockets, we can all answer on the go. If you never had to deal with a landline, you probably take this for granted. Imagine having to stay at home and wait by the phone. We wouldn’t be as productive as we are now.
This was the reality for people born before 1995. Cell phones were starting to become popular, but they weren’t a household item yet. Waiting by the phone was the only option. Psychologists believe that when we’re waiting around, time feels longer than it actually is. When you’re doing things to pass the time, it goes by faster. When you sat next to the landline, it felt like time was passing as slowly as molasses.
3. Having to keep your pockets full of cash
Paying with cash was the main option when I was growing up. Now, it’s nearly been phased out. While most people love the convenience of credit cards, others miss carrying around cold, hard cash.
Not using cash can be problematic. One study found that if cash were diminished, millions of people would struggle because many rely on cash for their budgeting. Of course, many people have already switched to digital payment methods, but some still cling to their physical money.
Is this a safe space to share how often I lost cash? Or how many times I miscounted and was short or paid more than I should have? Card purchases are so much easier, but there is something nostalgic about carrying around paper money.
4. Having to look up answers to your questions in a book
I don’t think younger generations know how lucky they are to have search engines. Those who grew up before the internet was common in every household were basically professional researchers. If they had a question, they had to use books as references. Believe it or not, people read to answer questions. It was a hassle when you were trying to complete a last-minute homework assignment.
Internet use has made people reliant on search engines in unknown situations. Although I grew up referring to books for a chunk of my life, I am now an admitted search engine fiend. It’s a luxury for people born before 1995, after we spent hours searching for answers in a slew of encyclopedias.
5. Waiting all day to hear a specific song on the radio
Sure, you could buy CDs or cassette tapes at the store, but just because you liked one song, that didn't mean you wanted to pay for the whole album. Instead, people loved listening to the radio. DJs were massive celebrities, which rarely happens now. You could call in to request a song, but that didn’t mean it played instantly, even if you got through. Usually, you had to sit around and wait to hear the specific song you dreamed of dancing to.
Kids these days couldn’t imagine life without music streaming. But while younger generations didn't experience the days of radio, that doesn’t mean they’re not interested in the music from before 1995. Some feel nostalgic for the music from years before they were born, which can bring generations together.
6. Having to get film developed
Film cameras are becoming somewhat popular again. Younger generations are getting into the art, and camera values are expected to rise as analog media becomes more popular. However, that doesn’t mean they understand what it was like to have no choice but to wait for film to develop before you could see any pictures you took. They still have access to their phones to take immediate pictures.
Older generations had to wait for the film to develop. While they didn’t have social media to post to, they still wanted to see the pictures they took. The waiting game was exhausting, especially when you were coming back from a vacation or special event.
7. Having to call a business to see if it was open
I was recently on vacation with some friends, and I wanted to go to a stationery store. We showed up, and the store was closed for an event. I checked the hours online before we left, but it didn’t show it would be closed for an event that day. It got me thinking about the days when Google wasn’t always in the palm of our hands. We’d have to call a business to see if it was open before we left the house, or we’d waste time driving somewhere.
People these days may not realize how much technology affects their lives. While it can bring people together, it can also drive a wedge. In-person interactions can’t be beat, even if it’s as simple as calling someone before going to a store.
8. Trying to find a way to watch an episode of a show they missed
Life before smart TVs and streaming was extremely different. If you wanted to watch a show, you had to sit at home in front of the TV. Or, if you were lucky, someone could tape the episode for you to watch later. Otherwise, you had to wait for reruns. Missed the season finale? Sorry, you’re out of luck.
Now, kids these days never miss a show. They can even watch an entire series in one day. This was unheard of before 1995. I never would have imagined this would be reality back in 1995, but streaming has now become more popular than cable TV.
Haley Van Horn is a freelance writer with a master’s degree in Humanities living in Los Angeles. Her focus includes entertainment and lifestyle stories.
