Life

10 Things All '90s Kids Hated Growing Up

by Jessica Learish

Nostalgia can be a funny thing. It's easy to get enthusiastic talking about the '90s all the time, singing that catchy Full House theme song, and carrying on about Tamagotchis all over the Internet. But, whether or not you're ready to admit it to yourself, there were certain things all '90s kids hated. Yes, this decade was great, but there was also a definite dark side. I mean, we were forced to grow up with beepers. And furry, freaky Furbys. Enough said.

Of course, we millennials did grow up to be a super resourceful generation. For one thing, we're great at troubleshooting our own technology — because lord knows that stuff never worked the first time when we were kids. Just whack it! Blow into it! Give me a pen, I think I can fix it. MacGyver was so '80s, with his rubber bands and tube socks. I bet MacGyver brings his iPhone to his 20-something niece when it gets stuck in airplane mode, now doesn't he? Technology in the '90s wasn't exactly bulletproof, and don't even get me started on the toys. The very products that were actually marketed to kids all had a hint of danger to them (ahem... moon shoes). Needless to say, the '90s weren't as cracked up as we like to think. Here are 10 things that made '90s kids' lives infinitely harder.

1. Dial-up Internet

How many hours of your life were spent listening to this siren song? Signing onto the Internet required an ungodly amount of patience, and I'm pretty sure the noise of trying to connect still haunts the dreams of '90s kids to this day. *shudders*

2. Having to deal with huge messes like this

One second you're trying to rewind your favorite tape, and the next minute you're stuck with the biggest headache on the planet. Good luck trying to untangle that chaos. You won't be able to.

3. Trying to listen to music on the go

Portable CD players weren't so bad if you didn't mind your favorite song skipping eight million times before it was over. Life before the mp3 player was a tough time indeed.

4. Backyard games that were more dangerous than fun

Speaking of skipping, this person is about to be feeling the burn in more ways than one. Put some socks on, kid.

5. Being forced to watch this terrifying disembodied face on television

Your younger siblings loved it, and you had no idea why.

6. Having to come up with your own high-tech solutions, like this one

To be fair, blowing into the cartridge worked, like, 50 percent of the time.

7. Getting stabbed in the head with these

Cute hair accessories, or torture devices? You weren't sure, but you still wore them all the time anyway.

8. When your Stretch Armstrong wasn't as stretchy as promised

Your mom was so mad when he leaked hot pink sugar-goo from his armpits all over the new rug.

9. When Kimberly bailed on the Power Rangers

Quitter.

10. When your mom taped over your VHS with the TGIF lineup from last week with Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman

You're still not sure you've completely forgiven her.

Images: whatleydude/Flickr; mirandarush/Flickr; caterham/Instagram; onionboy/Flickr; It's Okay To Be Smart/Youtube; John Sheldon/Flickr; Giphy(2)