Life before the internet

I do—vaguely remember life before the internet. I was born in October of 1989, so the first part of my childhood happened completely offline. Even when we did finally get the internet, it was a slow, squeaky dial-up experience that definitely didn’t live in our pockets.

I remember watching Disney Channel’s Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century and being blown away by her little video device. The idea that you could see someone while talking to them? That felt like space-age fiction. Now, it’s literally something babies grow up with.

We watched TV on VHS tapes or cable—that was it. No streaming. No skipping intros. Commercials weren’t optional—you sat through them. Or used that time to grab a snack or run to the bathroom. That was your window.

If you needed a phone number? You grabbed the phone book. For everything. Friends, pizza, your dentist. Google didn’t exist, and even if it did, you couldn’t just whip out your phone and look something up on the fly.

Getting directions was a whole thing. I remember printing them off MapQuest and still getting turned around. But before that? You had to write them down from someone’s memory—or figure it out with an actual paper map. Serious commitment.

We listened to the radio constantly. You waited (sometimes forever) for your favorite song to come on—so you could hit record on a blank cassette and make a mix tape. It was part creativity, part timing, and all heart. Making one for a friend or crush? That was peak thoughtfulness.

We spent more time outside. More time being bored. More time making our own fun without apps, notifications, or a curated feed to scroll.

There was a kind of freedom in that simplicity. Something slower. Something sweet.

So now I’m curious:
What do you remember about life before the internet?
What tiny details still live in your brain rent-free? What do you look back on and think, how did we survive that?

Let’s reminisce a little. I’d love to hear your stories.

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