Imagine calling your boyfriend, girlfriend, or crush, and their parent picks up. An awkward conversation follows before you finally get to talk (or whisper) to the actual person you just phoned. That's if you aren't told to call back another time because they're busy, it's 'too late,' or it's a school night.
It might sound cringe, but that was standard for many of us who grew up in the days before smartphones. And if we weren't making the call from a big bulky phone plugged into the wall, it's not unlikely we'd popped a few pennies in a payphone hoping they'd give us enough minutes to say all we needed to.
If you aren't part of the 'payphone generation,' it might all seem a bit weird to you. But believe it or not, many of us would argue that there were a lot of benefits to growing up without being able to send an instant message or call home at any time, from anywhere.
Someone recently asked, "For people who grew up before smartphones, what is something that the newer generation won’t get to experience?" and the internet didn't disappoint. No less than 15,000 nostalgic replies came forward, many likely (and ironically) sent from smartphones.
Bored Panda has put together a list of the best. Don't forget to upvote your favorites and let us know in the comments below whether you feel life is better with, or without mobile phones. We also explored what it's like to live a little without a smartphone in the digital age. You'll find that info between the images.
#21
Hanging out with friends and having to come up with games outside or stay up late talking about silly things. With the ideas only you and your silly little friends can dream up, influenced by your personal experiences in your day to day life and stories you hear by the spoken word.
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26points
#23
Using a payphone to place a collect call and cramming your entire message into the "State your name" pause. "Would you like to accept a collect call from 'MomPickMeUpAtTheMall!!'".
22points
#25
Engaging with people that are in your presence and not ignoring them for a text conversation.
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22points
#26
Latchkey kids, my mom came home from work and caught me playing run-around-the-shoe which is exactly what it sounds like. The rules were whatever I made up right then. But I think mostly we all had to learn to self-entertain by whatever means we had. So, we did a lot of hanging out back in the day or playing ball in the street. Whenever you didn't have something to do, you kind of made something to do. I've noticed that gadget-obsessed people--young and old alike--don't seem to tolerate being bored very well.
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20points
#27
Not taking photos of what you see or eat — just enjoying the moment.
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20points
#28
The joys of leaving your home in the morning with a pocket full of coins and knowing that not only were you not expected back until sundown, but they couldn't find you even if they wanted to lol
I can still remember the 6 digit phone numbers of my three closest friends, my parents house at the time, and our next-door neighbours (my parents were over there all the time, especially during summer).
I can still remember the 6 digit phone numbers of my three closest friends, my parents house at the time, and our next-door neighbours (my parents were over there all the time, especially during summer).
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19points
#29
Wrapping the phone cord multiple times around your little brother until your Mom yelled at you to stop.
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19points
#31
Having a street map in the car and looking up the grid reference for the street.
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18points
#33
Having fun arguing about daft things that you could solve easily by googling. "Who was the actress in such-and-such?" "What year did that happen?"
I miss those daft pub chats.
I miss those daft pub chats.
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16points
#35
You only had the TV /radio news or newspapers to tell you what was happening around the world. You had to actively hunt out your news or you would know nothing. Nowadays we're bombarded with information, news, advertising and propaganda constantly. I definitely think life was far less stressful and depressing then in part due to that.
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16points
#36
Back in the day you couldn’t call someone to ask where they were. If they answered, they were at the location you called. Now anyone can be anywhere.
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16points
#37
Born in 78.
Someone brought up what we did on our work breaks before smartphones and that was weirdly kinda nostalgic.
I'd b******t with coworkers, read a magazine, everyone always had a book on hand. As technology advanced, someone with a gameboy/psp the DS was really popular. But sometimes people would just listen to their ipod.
Not trying to be old man things were better back in my day about it... but just carrying around long form content and utilizing it. Like it was easy and encouraged.
Or you'd get like a 15 minute break at work, couldn't really go anywhere, so you'd be sitting in the breakroom and just b******t about the day with other coworkers or get to know them. You were on your break and wanted to relax/unwind so everyone tended to be cordial.
Someone brought up what we did on our work breaks before smartphones and that was weirdly kinda nostalgic.
I'd b******t with coworkers, read a magazine, everyone always had a book on hand. As technology advanced, someone with a gameboy/psp the DS was really popular. But sometimes people would just listen to their ipod.
Not trying to be old man things were better back in my day about it... but just carrying around long form content and utilizing it. Like it was easy and encouraged.
Or you'd get like a 15 minute break at work, couldn't really go anywhere, so you'd be sitting in the breakroom and just b******t about the day with other coworkers or get to know them. You were on your break and wanted to relax/unwind so everyone tended to be cordial.
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15points
#38
When video games didn’t grind and offer in app purchases. Wasn’t a car salesman disguised as entertainment.
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15points
#39
Just rocking up at your local bar in your 20s after work and seeing who’s there. I actually got close to a few friends of friends this way. It made me mingle outside my friend zone more. .
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13points
#40
Accepting that you have no clue about which actor was in THAT movie, or whether Tina Turner is dead or just old, or what the weather will be like in 2 weeks...
Rather than "oh, let me google that!"
I'm guilty of it myself, but it's still annoying sometimes. We're having a good conversation, who cares, why pull out your phone now and search for this or that??
Rather than "oh, let me google that!"
I'm guilty of it myself, but it's still annoying sometimes. We're having a good conversation, who cares, why pull out your phone now and search for this or that??
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11points