While the internet we use today might be one of the most important inventions, it wasn’t always around. Yet, the days before the internet and after it are very different. One could also argue that life before the internet was boring and stale, with much less entertaining content to consume. The world wide web today has changed our communication with friends and family and how we use our free time for leisure activities.
Today, it is easy to see what a friend or a family member is up to because of the many social media platforms at our disposal. Communication tools like Facebook or Whatsapp have connected the world thanks to the complex and web-like internet. Thanks to them, we can reach whomever we want, whenever we want, in just a few seconds. However, life before social media was a lot different — maybe a more relaxed one.
It’s easy to imagine how the days went when there was no internet. Memes before the internet had to be shared through word of mouth while out with friends. People involved themselves in activities like fishing, hiking, and creating memories full of nostalgia. Sadly, the nostalgic childhood once experienced by the older generation will probably be lost to the younger generations. And unfortunately, the internet has done a lot to create this strange situation.
An astounded mind on the NoStupidQuestions subreddit asked — “Teenagers before the internet: what did you do in your room during your spare time?” With so many answers to choose from, we have compiled a list of the best ones below. If you can relate to some of them, be sure to upvote them. If you had a favorite activity of your own, be sure to share it with a comment below.
#1
"Read. A lot. Watched movies. Talked on the phone. For hours at a time. That’s assuming I was home in my room. Which wasn’t a lot… I was out at the mall with friends, or hanging out at their houses, going to movies, arcades etc. I was never bored. Even when I was at home alone in my room. Boredom just wasn’t a thing when I had a good book."
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51points
#2
"Praying that the radio host won‘t interrupt the song you are recording."
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48points
#3
"Walked all over the neighborhood. Would just show up at friends' houses (pre-common cell phone usage) to say hi and do something silly like jump on their trampoline for ten minutes together and then leave on the next part of my walk. Listened to music and thought about my deep teenager thoughts. Played SNES and practiced band instruments. Read magazines and SO many books. Honestly didn't spend a ton of time just in my room in my free time, it was mostly going out and doing things."
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35points
#5
"I think the biggest difference I can remember was having to watch tv shows at specific times. VCRs were such a game changer, but up until then if you wanted to watch Seinfeld, you tuned in on Thursday night. I skipped going out on my birthday one year to watch the season premiere of Lost."
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32points
#7
"Making models. Those plastic ones where you glue the bits together and paint them. I think that's a hobby that's pretty much disappeared."
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31points
#8
"I made interpretive dances in front of my mirror, pretending to be a pop star for hours, lol."
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28points
#9
"I'm 63, was a teenager from 1973 to 1979. The short answer is nothing. We weren't wealthy, and my brother and I had 2 single beds in a 10x10 ft room. I left my room at about 530am to deliver newspapers and went back at about 930 pm to sleep. I studied at a desk in our family room and was outside a lot of the time otherwise."
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26points
#11
"Obsessively rearrange my bedroom furniture and reorganize my belongings. Yes, I genuinely enjoyed it. And yes, I have OCD."
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22points
#12
"I read a lot and wrote stories and poems. I also spent a lot of time outside on my bike. I did games on the computer or consoles but these were shared. TV wasn't a huge thing either because there wasn't much "on demand" so you were stuck watching whatever was scheduled which was always hit-and-miss. I was not easily bored. I think people assume that but when you've not had access to constant entertainment, you learn how to entertain yourself so much easier. You have a lot more hobbies."
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20points
#15
"Tried to pirate music from the radio onto CDs and cassettes without getting the start or end of an add... Kept me busy for hours."
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16points
#17
"Reading, listening to music, drawing and creating, playing/hanging out with my brothers and friends. I spent a lot of time in my room and was never bored."
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15points
#18
"I would listen to music, read teen magazines, talk to my friends on the phone (landline) for hours, and daydream about marrying Eddie Vedder."
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15points
#19
"I read a lot, made jewelry, wrote stories, scrapbooked, played board games with my siblings, talked to them a lot, and spent a lot of time outside. Was not bored actually. In fact, I feel like I get bored now than then. I'm Gen z but we only had one computer and it was in the living room. I also wasn’t given a phone till 16."
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15points
#20
"Hang up posters of favorite movies. Turn on the lava lamp and listen to music on the radio."
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15points