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Scratched CDs -

CDs were already an improvement on the tapes that preceded them, but they weren't without their issues. A scratch could mean the song you loved was inaudible, and it was back to hunting the radio stations to catch it. 

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Missing your favorite TV shows -

If you suffered a power outage, lost track of time, or someone else was watching the TV, too bad: you would miss an episode of your favorite series. What's more, it wouldn't be on again for another week, unless you caught a repeat.

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Dial-up modems and slow internet -

The sound of a dial-up modem is seared into many of our memories. Who remembers just how slow the internet was once you actually got connected? We learned the meaning of the word "buffering."

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Not using the internet and the phone at the same time -

And if someone else in the house was using the phone, too bad: no internet for you until they were finished, whenever that would be! 

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Acid rain was a big problem -

Acid rain, composed of sulphuric acid that originated from coal burning, was a big problem in the '90s. Governments came together and collectively took measures to reduce the issue.

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Getting lost was normal -

Getting lost was a hazard anytime you left the house if you didn't know your route. Whether it was to meet a friend or take a road trip with family, things could get stressful, fast.

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Getting lost was normal -

Imagine carrying a map with you at all times? Or having to approach strangers for directions, who could send you even further wrong if they didn't know what they were talking about. The stress!

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Woman shaming -

Young women, taken advantage of by men who were older and held positions of power, were usually the ones demonized in the media. 

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Woman shaming -

Perhaps we take things for granted in our post-Me Too society. Women's lives were a lot different in the '90s.

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Casual discrimination was commonplace -

Homophobic and racist language was thrown around casually in the '90s, with very few consequences. 

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No cell phones -

There was one house phone, that only one person at a time could use. Otherwise, the local payphone was your last shot to make a phone call to the person you wanted to speak to... But someone else in their house might be using the phone already! 

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You needed a pocket full of change -

Cash was still king in the '90s, and you couldn't really go anywhere without a pocket (or wallet) full of change, something that seems almost unfathomable now!

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Tabloid magazines -

Tabloid magazines in the '90s promoted a toxic gossip culture. As they were the main way most people consumed celebrity culture, they represented their own industry.

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The cult of skinny began -

The '90s were the first time the 'super skinny' aesthetic began to be worshipped as the beauty standard in fashion circles.

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The cult of skinny began -

Models like Kate Moss exemplified the trend, that was dubbed 'heroin chic' due to the trademark hollowed-out cheekbones and waif-like figure.

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Diet culture -

An upshot of the super skinny aesthetic? Diet culture. There seemed to be a new diet every other year of the '90s, as people attempted to reach what was an impossible standard for most.

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Diet culture -

Restrictive, fad diets ruled, that endorsed eliminating whole food groups or subsisting off one type of food only. The focus was predominantly on weight and size, not health.

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Not knowing the answer -

File this one under "inconvenient": answers to trivia weren't readily available. If you wanted to know the answer to something it took time and physical research to find it out.

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Research took time -

Research usually meant a trip to the library, depending on how well-stocked your house was with books. Perusing an encyclopedia might or might not provide the answer you needed, but one thing was certain: it would take a lot more time than what we've become used to today.

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Being a geek wasn't chic -

Being talented at sports or music tended to be the defining cool of the '90s, and the geeks were left on the sidelines. 

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Being a geek wasn't chic -

Comic books, video games, and computers were considered uncool, and geeks didn't have a way to connect with others like them the same way as today because of the shoddier internet connection.

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Bullying -

"Just ignore them," was the '90s parental refrain in response to bullying. It wasn't really taken seriously in the way it is now.

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Bullying -

In fact, bullying was seen as something normal that kids just did. The teasing many went through wasn't acknowledged by their parents or authority figures, leaving a lasting mark.

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HIV/AIDS Crisis -

The AIDS epidemic of the '80s was leading to large numbers of deaths in the '90s. Medicines for its effective treatment didn't start to emerge until 1996.

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HIV/AIDS Crisis -

Prior to anti-viral treatments, HIV was effectively a death sentence for those who contracted it. In the early '90s, the red ribbon become synonymous with AIDS awareness.

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Dangerous cities -

Many cities in the US were incredibly dangerous in the '90s. However, in the 2000's, cities like D.C. and New York started to become safer.

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Substance use epidemics -

Hard stimulants became widespread in the '90s, and remained popular throughout most of the decade.

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Substance use epidemics -

The effect of Class-A substance use devastated communities. Consumption was also glamorized, and they were no longer the reserve of the rich and famous.

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The pressure to conform -

The '90s were a time of conformity. In fact, the punk movement rose in resistance to the normative standards of society. 

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The pressure to conform -

Generally, anyone who acted outside of certain well-defined paths for their life was heavily judged. Thinking was very rigid, and alternatives to the norm weren't readily accepted.

Sources: (Cents and Purpose) (Upworthy) (Helen Avery) (LADBible)

See also: The absolute best films from the '90s

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