Every generation has its quirks, but millennials certainly received the in-between treatment. We’re the generation that waited for the internet to “dial up” like it was warming up for a track meet, only to then watch smartphones basically dominate our lives in real time. We typed out messages to pals on crumpled notebook paper in math class before sprinting home to gossip about the latest on AIM or MSN Messenger like we were getting an allowance.
And the funny thing? To us, it was all completely normal. But now, when I tell some of these trends to Gen Z, they look at me like I’m talking about the Stone Age. Take Beanie Babies, for example. To us, they weren’t just stuffed animals; they were status symbols.
You could get one for five bucks at the mall, but overnight, adults were trading them like stocks, selling them for hundreds on eBay. Business Insider reports that in 1997, Beanie Babies alone made up a wild 6% of all eBay purchases, earning $500 million. Ty Inc. continued to sell over a billion of the little guys by 1999, all because we swore they would “pay for college someday.” Spoiler: they didn’t.
So, let’s take a trip down memory lane and laugh at the things that made our millennial childhood so offbeat. The fads, the weirdness, and the everyday “normal” things that Gen Z just can’t get their heads around.
Burning CDs and making mixtapes
There was something magical about sitting at the family computer, waiting 15 minutes for a single song to download from LimeWire, with the risk of a virus included. Then you’d carefully burn that tracklist onto a CD, decorate the cover with Sharpies, and hand it out like a personalized gift.
Gen Z is accustomed to instant Spotify playlists, so spending hours to create just one “mixtape” seems absurd. In fact, in 2007 alone, CD sales dropped by 19%, while digital album sales grew by 53%, reaching 50 million units. To millennials, however, it was an art form.
Printing out MapQuest directions
Before Google Maps told us to “turn left in 300 feet,” we were printing out step-by-step, detailed MapQuest directions. You needed to keep one eye on the road and one hand shuffling crumpled printer paper at red lights. Gen Z can’t even envision travel without GPS apps that even route you around traffic.
NBC News reports that only 40% of drivers currently rely on hard copy maps or directions when driving to new locations, a practice that now feels almost outdated. However, back then, it was either that or get utterly lost.
Using T9 texting on flip phones
Texting used to be a serious workout for your thumbs. With T9 predictive text, you’d press each number key multiple times just to get one letter.
Gen Z can type out a paragraph in seconds, but for millennials, sending a simple “LOL” can take 30 seconds of effort. It was slow, clunky, and somehow still thrilling.
Having a separate digital camera
Before iPhones turned everyone into a photographer, we lugged big, heavy digital cameras everywhere we went. Going out with friends always ended with someone uploading 200 flash-lit blurry pictures to Facebook.
Gen Z doesn’t understand why you couldn’t simply “AirDrop” them immediately. The market for digital cameras reached its peak in 2010, with over 120 million units shipped worldwide, according to Statista. Now, the vast majority of them gather dust in some junk drawer.
Buying ringtones for your phone
Yes, we paid for a feature that lets our phones play a snippet of our favorite song when someone calls. Now, Gen Z often uses the ringtone their phone offers or mutes calls altogether.
But back then, having “Soulja Boy” or “Umbrella” as your ringtone was the coolest thing ever. It was basically designing your own theme music.
Recording shows on VHS tapes
If you missed an episode, you had to hook up a VCR, label the tape, and pray no one recorded over it. There was no “watch later,” just static-ridden fast-forwards and rewinds in hopes of catching the right spot. Gen Z came of age with entire seasons dumping on streaming platforms in a single night.
In 2005, approximately 90% of American homes still had a VCR, but by 2016, the last known manufacturer, Funai Electronics, announced it would cease producing VCRs, marking the end of an era. For millennials, though, it was the only way to watch a lot of content in one sitting, before binge-watching became popular.
Hanging out at the mall
The mall wasn’t just for shopping; it was the ultimate hangout spot. You’d wander around with friends, grab a pretzel, maybe see a movie, and spend hours doing absolutely nothing.
Gen Z leans more toward online shopping and digital hangouts, which explains why malls across America have been closing. But for millennials, the mall was essentially social media before social media existed.
Carrying a binder full of CDs
Yes, we actually brought ginormous zip-up binders full of CDs on road trips. Picking the right disc was picking the mood, whether it was Now That’s What I Call Music! or your friend’s home-cooked mix. Gen Z has all music created in their pocket, so the idea of flipping through plastic sleeves in a moving car feels absurd.
CD sales in America peaked at 943 million units in 2000, according to estimates by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). However, sales had declined by over 95% by 2021 to fewer than 40 million units per year, as per Statista. But there’s something special about the drama of ejecting a scratched CD in the middle of a song.
Collecting and trading Pokémon cards
Pokémon cards were a popular form of commerce during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Recess was a market of bragging rights and a constant quest for holographic Charizards.
Gen Z is familiar with the franchise primarily through games and TV, though the card phenomenon has had nostalgic comebacks. Millennials remember the anticipation of opening a new pack as if they found treasure.
Waiting for dial-up internet to connect
The screeching sound of dial-up still lives rent-free in millennial brains. Connecting to the internet meant that we would have to ask the entire family not to pick up the phone, then wait… and wait some more. Gen Z has never suffered through the pain of a parent picking up the landline and kicking you offline.
In 2000, 56% of American homes had dial-up connections, but by 2013, the number had dropped to 3%, based on data from Pew Research. But for us, it was the doorway to endless AIM conversations.
Making friendship bracelets
With our embroidery floss, safety pins, and way too much patience, we created friendship bracelets that were the token of unbreakable friendship. Trading them was like a lifetime commitment, even when that commitment was only for middle school.
Gen Z has TikTok trends, but the millennial generation had braids and knots. Interestingly enough, those little do-it-yourself crafts never really went away. “Friendship bracelets” searches increased again after Taylor Swift’s 2023 Eras Tour. Still, it was once a rite of passage at every sleepover.
Collecting Beanie Babies like they were investments
At one time or another, everyone swore Beanie Babies would pay for college someday. People camped out in line to purchase rare releases, thinking they’d skyrocket in value. Gen Z probably just sees them as cute stuffed animals.
By 1999, Ty Inc. had generated over $1 billion in Beanie Babies sales worldwide, making them one of the most significant toy crazes in history. Today, most of them are only a few bucks worth, but millennials remember the craze.
Renting movies from Blockbuster
Nothing beats entering Blockbuster on a Friday night and running to grab the new release before it sold out. Gen Z has libraries of content at their fingertips for eternity, but with us, movie night was something that had to be planned.
At its peak in 2004, Blockbuster had over 9,000 locations worldwide. Now, there’s just one remaining in Bend, Oregon, and it’s basically a tourist destination. To millennials, though, that blue-and-yellow card was a symbol of liberty.
Writing notes and passing them in class
Before texting in class was an issue, we utilized folded paper notes. The thrill of passing one under the desk undetected was unmatched. Gen Z students can’t imagine needing pen and paper merely to gossip.
Now, nearly 95% of teenagers own or have access to a smartphone, and so stealth digital messages are the norm. Nothing was more exhilarating than standing on the threshold of reading a carefully crafted note with tiny doodles in the margins.
Key takeaways
Millennials straddled two worlds. They grew up with dial-up internet, flip phones, MapQuest, and VHS tapes, but also witnessed the rise of smartphones, streaming, and GPS as the norm.
Every day habits were more physical. Burning CDs, carrying binders full of discs, writing paper notes on friends’ arms, and making friendship bracelets illustrate just how much labor went into what Gen Z does online today.
Pop culture and fads defined the era. Millennials’ social lives revolved around shared cultural touchpoints, from Beanie Babies and Pokémon cards to Blockbuster nights and hanging out at the mall.
What felt “normal” now feels ancient. Paying for ringtones, dial-up waiting, or texting on T9 were once normal, but now feel bewildering in an age of instant, seamless technology.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information. It is not intended to be professional advice.
16 Grocery Staples to Stock Up On Before Prices Spike Again
16 Grocery Staples to Stock Up On Before Prices Spike Again
I was in the grocery store the other day, and it hit me—I’m buying the exact same things I always do, but my bill just keeps getting higher. Like, I swear I just blinked, and suddenly eggs are a luxury item. What’s going on?
Inflation, supply-chain delays, and erratic weather conditions have modestly (or, let’s face it, dramatically) pushed the prices of staples ever higher. The USDA reports that food prices climbed an additional 2.9% year over year in May 2025—and that’s after the inflation storm of 2022–2023.
So, if you’ve got room in a pantry, freezer, or even a couple of extra shelves, now might be a good moment to stock up on these staple groceries—before the prices rise later.
6 Gas Station Chains With Food So Good It’s Worth Driving Out Of Your Way For
6 Gas Station Chains With Food So Good It’s Worth Driving Out Of Your Way For
We scoured the Internet to see what people had to say about gas station food. If you think the only things available are wrinkled hot dogs of indeterminate age and day-glow slushies, we’ve got great, tasty news for you. Whether it ends up being part of a regular routine or your only resource on a long car trip, we have the food info you need.
Let’s look at 6 gas stations that folks can’t get enough of and see what they have for you to eat.
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