11 Things People Who Grew Up With The Internet Will Never Experience
PeopleImages / Shutterstock Life before the internet feels like a fever dream sometimes. The glory days of reading books to learn something instead of making a quick Google search. There was no GPS, so we had to find our way through the streets with maps. It was an experience some people never had to endure.
While the internet has certainly improved areas of our lives, there are things that people who grew up with it never got to experience. I grew up with the internet as a luxury item, not a common occurrence. When we unplugged, we seriously unplugged. That meant people couldn’t reach us as easily. However, we also had to work hard to figure things out. Without the internet at our fingertips, we had to, believe it or not, read books. If you grew up with the internet in your home, you likely missed out on several things, both good and bad.
These are 11 things people who grew up with the internet will never experience
1. Having to research for answers
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Google has revolutionized the way we receive information. The world is at our fingertips. One quick internet search can give us exactly what we were looking for. Life before the Internet was a different story. If you don’t remember a time before Google, you likely never experienced having to thoroughly research for an answer.
If you were trying to do homework and got stuck on something, you may have to wait for the next day to get the answer. You could look in textbooks, but it wasn’t always guaranteed you’d understand what you found without someone’s help. Research and problem-solving were a different beast before the internet.
2. Calling a friend instead of texting them
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When I was younger, if I wanted to talk to a friend, I had to pick up the phone and call them. Of course, we hear people shake their fists about how kids these days can’t use a phone properly. To be fair, I see where they are coming from. Talking on the phone requires a different skillset. When you’d call your friends on the phone, their parents would likely answer the phone first. You had to be outgoing enough to balance a conversation with them before reaching the person you were meant to talk to.
Gen Z has developed a fear of phone calls. It’s not easy, but before the internet and texting, it was our only option. The newer generations never experienced a world where typing to talk to your friends wasn’t an option.
3. Navigating without GPS
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I grew up without GPS, but I still see a map and get nervous. I don’t think there’s any way I could get around without my phone now. I remember not too long ago, the GPS on my phone went haywire while I was trying to go to a place I had never been. It felt like a wild goose chase, and it was one of the most stressful driving situations I've ever been in. I still wonder how everyone got by before GPS was invented.
Before the internet, people got around with maps only. Looking at a map can be like reading a foreign language for someone who grew up with the internet. While some may think that would mean we're likely to get lost much less than those who tried to navigate pre-internet, it turns out that isn't the case.
4. Fully unplugging after work
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With the advent of the internet, our work no longer stays in the office. Many of us work from the comfort of our own homes. While there are positives to this, people who grew up with the internet never got to experience truly unplugging after work. Now, work follows us home, or maybe doesn’t leave our home at all. This can make it feel like you never truly have a break from your career.
To succeed at work, we need to unplug and unwind. However, when you have access to your email at all times, it can be impossible to put down the phone and relax.
5. A shared family phone
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Life before smartphones was a different experience entirely. Now, our phones are attached to us like another limb. Then, to use the phone, we had to be at home. Even worse, most of us didn’t have an individual phone line exclusively for us. This meant that the whole family shared one phone and number. If you had a large family, good luck. It could be a nightmare waiting for your turn to talk to your friends.
Those who grew up with the internet likely had their own cellphone at an early age. Sharing a home phone was something they never experienced.
6. Waiting for TV shows to air live each week
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It’s no surprise that before the internet, there was no such thing as streaming services. Instead, we had cable. Some people who grew up with the internet never experienced cable television. They were raised on Netflix, and that was that. Since we didn’t have an app to watch every episode on, binge-watching wasn’t an option.
Shows aired weekly, and once an episode ended, we would have to wait a week to see what happened next. If we were going to be out of the house when a show aired, we were either out of luck or had to record it on VHS. Yes, that’s how old some of us are. Streaming has become the norm for watching television, replacing the frustrating anticipation of catching an episode each week.
7. Relying on CDs for music
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The internet revolutionized the way we listen to music. Before, we relied on CDs to listen to music. Before that? Cassette tapes and the radio. While there is a nostalgic feeling to listening to physical media, it could be a gamble. We’d hear a song on the radio and, if we liked it, buy the CD. However, we were never sure if we’d like the rest of the artist’s music. Now, music streaming services make it easier than ever to listen to music.
While the internet has made music consumption easier, people who grew up with it have missed out on things like watching music videos on MTV and supporting artists by buying their CDs. Now, some people are going back to listening to physical media to relive that feeling.
8. Memorizing phone numbers
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When I was younger, my memory was much sharper. Sure, it could decrease with age. That’s natural. However, I think some of it has to do with how the internet shaped our daily lives. Instead of relying on our minds to keep phone numbers and important tasks, we rely on our devices to keep us on track. If you grew up with the internet, you likely never had to memorize a phone number.
We use the internet as a storage device. What we once relied on our minds for, we can easily find online. It has altered our memories.
9. Passing notes instead of texting
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Before the internet, we had to get creative when trying to talk to our friends. In class, our teachers rarely allowed us to talk to one another. Instead, we would pass notes. If you grew up with the internet, you’ve likely been texting your friends this entire time. You didn’t experience the fear of being caught and having your note read to the entire class.
The art of passing notes has become a thing of the past. Texting has taken over this previously popular form of communication.
10. Going to the theater to see new movies
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Thankfully, younger generations are taking back the experience of seeing a movie in theaters. However, it’s more common for movies to be sent straight to streaming following release. Before the internet, we had to go to the movies to see the latest feature. If we missed it in theaters, we would have to wait for it to come out on VHS or DVD. Now, we can watch just about anything whenever we want to.
A survey found that three-quarters of US adults chose to watch movies through streaming rather than in person. For people who grew up with the internet, this may be their preferred method.
11. Learning strictly from books
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The internet has changed the way people learn. Most schools utilize technology above all else in the classroom. Kids are using the internet from an early age. They have Google and other online resources to help them learn. From online study modules to full programs devoted to their classwork, those of us who lived before the internet would never have expected learning to look so different.
People who grew up with the internet likely never experienced the stress of trying to find something they needed in a big textbook. Instead, they had internet access to learn everything they needed.
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.
