'Arranging a time and a place to meet without mobile phones. Everyone would turn up without fail at said place and time.'
to share things that were totally normal in the '80s, but would be considered suuuuper weird today. Here are the most interesting responses that'll feel like a blast from the past:"Being bored! Boredom was a rite of passage.
If you didn't say 'I'm bored' to your parents at least 10 times a week, you weren't a kid in the '80s." "Sitting by the radio with the cassette tape waiting to record your requested song from the local radio station, then realizing you recorded halfway through one of your other favorite songs on your mixtape." "You turned on your TV and immediately started watching something. You didn't have to pick a service or identify what user you were. It was just there. Yes, the choices were limited, but I miss the convenience. Also, the next day, people could discuss the same shows. People watched most TV in real time, not at random viewing times. It built a sense of community." "Going to the mall with a group of friends was something to do. You'd hang out, talk, and get pizza. You might shop, but the real reason for going was to see and be seen.""Looking up businesses in the phone book, like to order a pizza or other carry out, which is all done digitally now, and with barely any human interaction anymore. You actually had to call and go pick up your to-go order.""Having quarters in your pockets at all times in case you needed to make a phone call. And back then, you had all of your friends' and family's numbers memorized.""Having to call repeatedly on the telephone to buy concert tickets the second they went on sale until you got through. You'd get a busy signal and have to hang up and try again!""Making a cassette mixtape for yourself or to share with your friends. It's how we shared new music, showed a loved one how we felt, or just created a soundtrack to our experience at that moment in time.""To watch family movies, we had to set up an actual projector. We did it at night, loading the film strip in, then turning off the lights to watch it on a bare wall. The films initially had no sound until my parents bought a huge microphone attachment for the Super 8 camera. My mind was blown when camcorders became a thing. Unfortunately, most of our old family films didn't hold up over the decades." "Those of us with younger siblings likely experienced times when it was nearly impossible to have any phone privacy due to centrally located landlines, surreptitious eavesdropping on extensions, etc." "Piling six kids in the boot of an estate to get to a social event! I feel so worried and sickened nowadays when I see a child moving around the back of their car, clearly not strapped in, yet back in the '80s it seemed so normal!""Never wearing a seatbelt. If I were in the front seat and my mom hit the brakes hard in traffic, the extended right arm hitting my chest was the only restraint I had.""Holding the TV antenna. Someone would hold the rabbit-ear antenna on top of the TV and adjust it until the people in the room shouted, 'There!' And then you might have to stand there holding it for several minutes to hear the news, the school closing, the fourth-down play, or whatever wouldn't come in before you touched it.""Riding your bike to a friend's house, knocking on the door, talking to one of their parents to find out that they are not home. Then ride to another friend's house and repeat the process until you find where your group of friends is hanging out that.""Asking my mom to drive me to the library every time I needed to look something up for a school project.""Arranging a time and a place to meet without mobile phones. Everyone would turn up without fail at said place and time.""My kids were confused by commercials on TV and were frustrated that the show wasn't coming back quickly. They are used to streaming shows. I told them, we didn't have streaming back then, and commercials were just something we all had to sit through or use as moments to go to the bathroom since we couldn't pause the show."What else was"normal" in the '80s that would be considered weird today? Share your thoughts in the comments, or submit anonymously using the form below. Your response might be featured in an upcoming
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Miss Manners: Is it normal to say bless you when someone passes gas?My boyfriend does, and he says he was taught it’s polite.
Read more »
Fox's Ambitious '80s Horror Series Is Perfect for Fantasy FansEric Cord (John J. York) holding up a gun in the fog in Werewolf
Read more »
Above-normal temperatures continue with rain expected next weekCleveland and Northeast Ohio will see unseasonably warm temperatures this weekend and upcoming week, with highs climbing into the 50s and near 60 degrees by Wednesday.
Read more »
Netflix's 10 Most Ambitious TV ShowsEleven in a hydro pool in Stranger Things
Read more »
Sandy Liang Fall 2026: Favorite ThingsSandy Liang fall 2026 ready-to-wear runway, fashion show & collection review. Liang fused inspirations of 'Kiki's Delivery Service' and 'Marie Antoinette' into a delightfully sweet fall collection.
Read more »
Dear Miss Manners: Two wrongs don’t make things betterMiss Manners says, 'That low road is extremely crowded. If you want to help, please stay off of it.'
Read more »