Students are rushing out of the BO-filled halls of school this time of year for Summer vacation, and it's getting us nostalgic about our own high school days. Those four years were either your most awkward or the best time of your life (maybe a little of both). Either way, there was plenty to love about those days. Graduation season has us reminiscing about our favorite high school memories, like passing notes, pep rallies, all-nighters, and prom. For us, high school fell in the late '90s and early '00s: we listened to Discmans on the bus, recorded Dawson's Creek on VHS tapes, and covered our walls with posters of *NSYNC. Check out the 100 things we loved most about our teen years, then share what you loved most about high school in the comments!
— Additional reporting by Tara Block
Arguing Over Who's the Hottest Heartthrob
Source: Instagram User mercedesmimran [1]
Decorating Our Planners
Source: Instagram User jhoganson4 [2]
Planning Our First-Day Outfits
Source: Instagram User myraabedi [3]
Watching Movies While Babysitting
Source: Instagram User erinjbroy [4]
Carrying Our Lisa Frank Folders
Source: Instagram User jazztizzle [5]
Going to Graduation Parties
Source: Instagram User shmegcramz [6]
Watching Movies in Class
Source: Instagram User little_acuna_14 [7]
Getting Into Our First Rated-R Movies
Source: Instagram User eye4fotog [8]
Typing on Old-School Macs
Source: Instagram User tiffanychao [9]
Building Homecoming Floats
Source: Instagram User leanny1992 [10]
Playing Games on Our Nokia Phones
Source: Instagram User sami1207 [11]
Dressing Up For Themed Dances
Source: Instagram User jesslarkin [12]
Packing Kudos For a Snack
Source: Instagram User makeupmonica [13]
Making Mix CDs For Our Friends
Source: Instagram User tarablock
Writing With Gel Pens
Source: Instagram User lorlordigemma [14]
Prepping For Senior Pictures
Source: Instagram User alexamitchell19 [15]
Planning Halloween Costumes With a Group
Source: Instagram User sema__ [16]
Passing Origami-Style Folded Notes
Source: Instagram User iieleven11ii [17]
AIM Chatting With Our Friends
Source: Instagram User jellyohss [18]
Making Photo Collages For Our Friends' Birthdays
Source: Instagram User treepack [19]
Putting DIY Book Covers on Our Textbooks
Source: Instagram User laineyyylopezzz [20]
Going on Spring Break With Friends
Source: Instagram User summ3r_4_lif3 [21]
Listening to Our Discmans on the Bus
Source: Instagram User abby_j0 [22]
Carpooling to Football Games
Source: Instagram User blakeerno [23]
Writing Our Secrets Down in Diaries
Source: Instagram User nylewell [24]
Being Creatively Asked to Dances
Source: Instagram User kayleeromeo [25]
Memorizing Dance Moves From Boy Band Music Videos
Source: Instagram User alliehughey [26]
Shopping For Prom Dresses
Source: Instagram User life_as_a_teenager [27]
Making Fortune Tellers
Source: Instagram User _supimjimoliyah [28]
Debating Backpack vs. Messenger Bag
Source: Instagram User xo_melimel [29]
Taking Notes That Were 95% Doodles and 5% Notes
Source: Instagram User sara_m_rice [30]
Decorating Friends' Lockers For Their Birthdays
Source: Instagram User amandacx7 [31]
Decorating Our Lockers
Source: Instagram User 1d_jbiebzz_luv [32]
Using Scented Erasers
Source: Instagram User calandrialove [33]
Having Nail Salon Dates Before Prom
Source: Instagram User amandamalak [34]
Doing Makeovers With Our Friends
Source: Instagram User bhobbzie [35]
Standing in a Parking Lot on Friday Night Figuring Out What to Do With Our Friends
Source: Instagram User lizanemo [36]
Passing Drivers Ed
Source: Instagram User lalalaura_ [37]
Wearing Our Juicy Tracksuits
Source: Instagram User erindel7 [38]
Attending Camp
Source: Instagram User kelly_duffner [39]
Making Signs For Games
Source: Instagram User megmurphy34 [40]
Cheering For Our School at Pep Rallies
Source: Instagram User abberdabberr [41]
Organizing Our CD Collections
Source: Instagram User tarablock
Getting Tiffany & Co. Necklaces From Our Boyfriends
Source: Instagram User lee0173 [42]
Voting For "Senior Most" Awards
Source: Instagram User meganawar [43]
Using Our Scented Markers
Source: Instagram User natalieunderoath [44]
Taping Our Favorite TV Shows on VHS
Source: Instagram User joeypotter15 [45]
Sporting Our Letterman Jackets
Source: Instagram User maranda_stamper [46]
Covering Our Binders in Collages
Source: Instagram User vanedda [47]
Carrying Our Trapper Keepers
Source: Instagram User atibit_alittlebit [48]
Hanging in the Parking Lot Before Class
Source: Instagram User jahborgs [49]
Collecting Pencil Toppers
Source: Instagram User kag422 [50]
Wearing Overalls (Nonironically)
Source: Instagram User emranallo [51]
Buying a New Box of Crayons
Source: Instagram User liana_solo [52]
Drinking a Frappuccino While "Working Out"
Source: Instagram User lilityhere [53]
Going to Pool Parties
Source: Instagram User emmmiiiillllyyyy [54]
Joy Riding With Our Girlfriends
Source: Instagram User foster9963 [55]
Signing Yearbooks
Source: Instagram User ryleejacobs [56]
Taking Field Trips With Our Friends
Source: Instagram User ruthmarieke [57]
Comparing ID Cards
Source: Instagram User gracefoltz [58]
Planning Our Hall Routes Around Boys' Schedules
Source: Instagram User haleysomonski [59]
Driving by Our Crush's House
Source: Instagram User coleyscloset [60]
Reading the Lyrics on a CD Case
Source: Instagram User tarablock
Dressing as the Spice Girls For Halloween
Source: Instagram User cjarde_13 [61]
Taking Pictures With Our Friends Before Prom
Source: Instagram User aprildybacz [62]
Having Rom-Com Marathons With Our Friends
Source: Instagram User brownclaire [63]
Strategically Picking Our Lab Partners
Source: Instagram User jessyhdezu [64]
Playing With Ouija Boards at Sleepovers
Source: Instagram User xxxerces [65]
Packing Our Lunchboxes
Source: Instagram User keeleymcguireblog [66]
Filling in Scantron Bubbles
Source: Instagram User pedro0e [67]
Cozying Up to Our Crushes During Scary Movies
Source: Instagram User loveart21 [68]
Planning Senior Pranks
Source: Instagram User drea_love114 [69]
TP-ing Boys' Houses
Source: Instagram User lauvoisine [70]
Wearing Our Backpacks on One Shoulder
Source: Instagram User _aquafashion [71]
Doing Our Homework in Inflatable Chairs
Source: Instagram User charbarbar [72]
Tutoring/Being Tutored by a Hot Guy
Source: Instagram User chaiisa [73]
Saving Our Papers on Floppy Discs
Source: Instagram User lucciuciano [74]
Going to Our First High School Parties
Source: Instagram User jujispessoa [75]
Lip-Syncing to Britney Spears
Source: Instagram User monicakol [76]
Cramming at Starbucks With Our BFFs
Source: Instagram User gracefreiheit [77]
Faking Headaches to Get Out of P.E.
Source: Instagram User beautifully_dopeee [78]
Visiting Colleges With Our Friends
Source: Instagram User stefanie_anna [79]
Designing Our Myspace Layouts
Source: Instagram User terrifictaylerr [80]
Plastering Our Walls With Hot-Guy Posters
Source: Instagram User tatenomore [81]
Laughing With Friends During "Silent" Study Hall
Source: Instagram User ohemgeeitsleon [82]
Being Asked to Skate at the Roller Rink
Source: Instagram User you_go_glencocoa [83]
Watching Music Videos on MTV
Source: Instagram User marctossa96 [84]
Seeing "You've Got Mail" on AOL
Source: Instagram User shakarelli [85]
Using (and Regretting) Sun-In
Source: Instagram User ealsx3 [86]
Watching Titanic 10 Times in Theaters and Crying Every Time
Source: Instagram User leandrasuicide [87]
Taking Limos to Prom
Source: Instagram User cocobarbour [88]
Wearing Our Boyfriends' Jerseys
Source: Instagram User jones1204 [89]
Playing MASH During Homeroom
Source: Instagram User maddie_jett1 [90]
Taking Senior Trips With Friends
Source: Instagram User jessnealbsu [91]
Getting Away With Dress-Code Violations
Source: Instagram User for_fashions_sake [92]
Being on Yearbook Staff and Choosing Pictures of Our Friends
Source: Instagram User carly_annexo [93]
Setting Up For School Dances
Source: Instagram User liindsay_joness [94]
Going on Ice Cream Runs After Friends' Breakups
Source: Instagram User meghannsmith [95]
Buying Lottery Tickets on Our 18th Birthdays
Source: Instagram User kaquino123 [96]
Having All-Nighters With Friends
Source: Instagram User deshalay [97]