Only Gen X remembers these everyday frustrations
Gen Z and millennials today are highly dependent on the internet, so doing everyday things can seem impossible without a quick Google search. From carrying stacks and stacks of textbooks for class to using actual maps for directions, here are 10 everyday frustrations only Gen X remembers.
Having to rely on actual maps and not Google Maps
Today, it takes less than five seconds for Google Maps to provide you with directions to your destination. Gen Xers never had this luxury. The glovebox in cars was always filled with sheets and sheets of maps, all traced out with the exact directions to the destination. Gen X always had to be alert — there was no voice navigation to tell you that you missed your turn. Next thing you know you’re in Indiana when you should be on a highway in Chicago!
Sharing the landline with the entire family
Privacy is sacred to Gen Z and millennials, so they’d never survive sharing a landline with the entire household. If a Gen Xer was talking to a secret boyfriend or sharing the latest school gossip, the chances that parents would listen in are very high.
No Google search, just the library
If Gen X was about what to make for dinner or what significant events took place in the 1960s, they didn’t have Google to rely on; they had the library instead. Today, doing a school research project is easier than ever with the Internet, but Gen X had to go through the painstaking process of finding information in the library using a card catalog index.
No streaming or recording episodes
Binging TV was never a thing for Gen X. Back then, TV was built around a tight schedule, and often plans revolved around it. The next episode of “Miami Vice” on Friday night? Either go to the diner with your friends and miss the latest episode or ditch your plans altogether.
Listening to the stereo repeatedly to make a mixtape
Making playlists today couldn’t be easier, but back then, making a mixtape was a pain. Before recording the songs, Gen X teens had to decide how to curate their tape, and it’s a lot harder than it sounds! Gen X then had to go through the arduous task of rewinding and replaying a song over and over again to add to the mixtape. It’s a pain, but at the end of the day, mixtapes become a big part of Gen Xers’ everyday lives.
Having to carry thick textbooks for every class
For Gen X, book bags were always heavy and full, mainly because of all the textbooks Gen X had to bring for class. From high school to college, almost every class required a textbook. And while Gen Z has the luxury of getting textbooks online, there was no such thing back then. It was always a pain to carry pounds of textbooks every single day.
No online job applications
Applying for jobs usually takes less than 15 minutes today. Just upload your resume, cover letter and answer some questions online. For Gen X, looking for jobs meant knocking on different doors hoping there’s an opening. And if there isn’t, learn how to take a rejection right there and then.
Renting a movie from Blockbuster
Blockbuster used to be a thrill for Gen X — going to the store with your dad to decide what to watch for the weekend and shuffling through all the available movies. But you could only have the movie for a short period of time. Now, streaming services make renting, even owning, a movie easier than ever. But one thing streaming doesn’t have is the bonding experience of going to Blockbuster.
Using disposable cameras/film
In a world of selfies, there was a time when photos were taken on disposable cameras and film cameras. Gen X didn’t have the ability to look at themselves after their photo was taken and had to wait days, sometimes weeks, for photos to be developed. But this allowed Gen X to live in the moment rather than constantly fix imperfections in a photo.
Waiting forever for something you ordered from a catalog
Shopping today involves scrolling through a website and clicking “Buy now.” But for Gen X, buying anything that wasn’t from a store meant reading magazines and catalogs to find your next purchase. Once you’ve decided what you want, you’d have to call the manufacturer to place your order. Sometimes you may not be lucky, and it might be out of stock. Oh, the pain.
Wrap Up
It’s hard, almost impossible for Gen Z and millennials to think about a time they didn’t have the internet. But for Gen X, that was the norm. While Gen Xers have successfully adapted to the modern era, it’s hard to imagine whether Gen Z could survive a time without the internet as Gen X did.
Related:
- Forget the stereotypes: Here’s why Boomers and Gen Xers are the perfect anime audience
- Mindful cruising: Classic cars Gen X still take for slow Sunday drives
Ask us! What questions do you have about content, strategy, pop culture, lifestyle, wellness, history or more? We may use your question in an upcoming article!
Like MediaFeed’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was syndicated by MediaFeed.co.
