As we all know, ‘90s fashion is coming back in full force through today’s trends (scrunchies, fishnets, jellies, denim and oversized everything), but what comes with this is more than just fashion; it’s a big hit of nostalgia for the kids of the generation. Because the Internet was new, social media and communication websites were exciting. The kids of the generation reference Myspace, AOL and the iconic Motorola flip phone (especially in pink) as the new ways of communication. Girls and boys were begging their parents for the newest technology, but this didn’t mean they got it. Even though these were available, most still relied on person-to-person communication to get things done.
Unlike our generation, technology was novel and did not run people’s lives. Rather than being constantly on social media, people enjoyed wholesome fun. They played with games and toys such as MASH, paper fortune teller, Polly Pockets, double-dutch, hop-scotch and, of course, the parachute game in P.E.
Today, kids refer to the television shows of the ‘90s as being exponentially better than kids’ shows today. People reminisce shows such as “The Magic School Bus,” “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” “Rugrats,” “Recess,” “Big Comfy Couch,” “The Nanny,” “Bill Nye The Science Guy” and, of course, “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Being one of the most influential bops of the ‘90s, the “Fresh Prince” theme song imprinted on the kids of the generation.
It’s crazy to think these iconic shows have been replaced by “Dog with a Blog,” “PAW Patrol” and “Girl Meets World” (“Boy Meets World” part 2? Hmm?). It’s funny how not only is fashion being relived but also shows and movies themes are being resurrected. It seems people can’t come up with new ideas, so they find themselves returning to things they know worked—the ‘90s. We have seen a lot of remakes recently, not just “Boy Meets World,” but many Spider-Man movies.
Kids in the past seemed more immersed in literature. Remember Scholastic Book Fairs? We would all skim through the booklets given out in class, and then talk to our friends about what we wanted to get and what we thought was intriguing. It was little things such as Scholastic Book Fairs that made our childhood so special.
The kids of the ‘90s are considered “the Millennial” generation, people born from the 1980s to the early 2000s. Two generations fit into the broad term Millennial, Generation Y (1980-1995) and Generation Z (1996-onward). The two generations are coined under one broad term, which is often misunderstood. People between the ages of 16-25 are smack dab in the middle of the clump, which can itself cause some confusion and stereotyping. Being a millennial is like being the middle child; you’re constantly nagged by the older siblings but also you are looked up to by the younger siblings.
The ‘Baby Boomer’ generation and Generation X always complain about the Millennial generation. As ‘90s kids, our childhood consisted of wholesome fun before the whole technology boom, and rather than being coined the technological generation, people need to understand that Millennials have lived both eras.
‘90s kids are expected to be the technologically advanced generation when it comes to any aspect in everyday life, compared to generations before us, but people have to remember we also lived in a time before technology and social media became the fuel for society. ‘90s kids deserve some props, considering we are left to solve a lot of problems in an age of domestic and foreign turmoil. Even with high expectations, there is no need to fret because it’s our time to shine!
