28 Throwbacks That Will Leave You Crying Nostalgia-Filled Tears

When Apple creates a time machine, I'm not sure if I want the early '00s to be my first or last stop. So much of it is filled with questionable fashion choices, embarrassing moments, and less-than-quality television. Yet, though I would now never wear a skirt over jeans, I love it. I absolutely revel in the cringe. I get a warm, fuzzy feeling when I see pictures of Ashley Tisdale on a red carpet or listen to a teen-angst-filled Avril Lavigne song. Growing up at the turn of the 21st century was a gift that I wouldn't give up for the world. A sparkly, cheetah-printed, bedazzled gift.

If you're not crying at the end of this, then you might not be human. Whether those tears are from laughter or nostalgia, we may never know.

01
Degrassi: The Next Generation
Getty | George Pimentel

Degrassi: The Next Generation

I knew I was way too young to be watching a show about high school *gasp*, but it was the most rebellious thing my 11-year-old self had control over. And, yes, that is Drake.

02
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards
Getty | SGranitz

Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards

Miranda Cosgrove probably got slimed that night, so she dressed appropriately. All love, Miranda, all love.

03
Every Lindsay Lohan Movie
Everett Collection

Every Lindsay Lohan Movie

You know I wanted to be "that girl," and that girl was Lindsay Lohan. Mean Girls, Freaky Friday, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen . . . the list goes on. The '90s got baby Lindsay, but teenage Lindsay was our girl.

04
Tiger Beat, Bop, J-14 . . .
Getty | Sylvain Gaboury

Tiger Beat, Bop, J-14 . . .

You'd rip out the posters, take the quizzes, and catch up on the latest hot gossip. Before the age of Instagram and Snapchat, this was how we got our insider information on our favorite stars, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

05
The Jonas Brothers and the Cheetah Girls
Getty | Jeff Daly

The Jonas Brothers and the Cheetah Girls

It's weird to see the Jonas Brothers with the Cheetah Girls, but also oh so right.

06
The Last Season of Hannah Montana
Disney Channel

The Last Season of Hannah Montana

When Hannah took off her wig, ours flew across the room with it. It was the end of an era.

08
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"Pieces of Me" by Ashlee Simpson

Two things this song taught me: 1. The days of the week and 2. The truest meaning of love. OK, it taught me neither, but I still loved it.

09
The Cast of High School Musical
Getty | Michael Bezjian

The Cast of High School Musical

I always think to myself: how much did we miss out on not growing up with social media in the same capacity as today? I wonder what my favorite stars would have posted, and I think this photo may be one of them. This photo was taken at Ashley Tisdale's birthday party, and even though I'd never seen this picture, it somehow took me right back.

10
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Avril Lavigne

Her songs were the moodiest of the moods.

11
Nintendo DS Games
Amazon

Nintendo DS Games

My favorite DS game (which I lost about a month later) was, of course, Hannah Montana. I remember the weird animation of Miley and Robby Ray to this day.

12
Disney Channel Games
Getty | Gerardo Mora

Disney Channel Games

It was akin to inception in my little brain seeing every Disney star in the world come together to play games for charity. TBH, the best part of Summer.

13
Aly & AJ's Jewelry
Getty | Jeffrey Mayer

Aly & AJ's Jewelry

The peacock earrings. The butterfly necklace. The choker that I definitely begged my mom for at Claire's.

14
Best of Both Worlds Tour
Getty | Kevin Mazur

Best of Both Worlds Tour

This was my first concert ever, and it was basically two in one, right?! I am concerned, however, about how I thought this was the pinnacle of fashion.

15
Best of Both Worlds Concert Movie
Getty | Kevin Mazur

Best of Both Worlds Concert Movie

This was one of the pioneers of the "concert movie" genre for Disney. I attended the concert in person and in theaters. Also, why was she barefoot? I am very disturbed.

16
DisneyChannel.Com
Giphy

DisneyChannel.Com

It's a Thursday. You just finished doing problems 14-44 (evens only!) in your math textbook. You get 30 minutes of computer time, and you know right where you'll be spending them.

17
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Disney Channel Circle of Stars

The year 2003 marked the first generation of bona-fide "Disney Channel stars." This epic collaboration of "Circle of Life" from The Lion King just about cemented their status.

18
Zoey 101
Nickelodeon

Zoey 101

Possibly the most iconic show on Nickelodeon — don't fight me on this — from PCA to Jet X to Sushi Rox to Blix (a lot of things ended in x in the '00s). I'm still waiting to find out what was in that time capsule, but in the meantime, I'll be enjoying the cast's reunion pics on my TekMate.

19
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"What Dreams Are Made Of" From The Lizzie McGuire Movie

Hey now! This is literally what my childhood was made of. When I heard Lizzie McGuire was ending, I wrote a letter to Hilary Duff. Unfortunately, my mom never sent it; she wanted to keep it for herself, and having seen it, I can understand why.

20
Bibble in Barbie Fairytopia
Everett Collection

Bibble in Barbie Fairytopia

When I first saw Bibble, I certainly didn't think nearly 15 years later he would have become a meme. His iconic character in the Barbie: Fairytopia movies was so memorable, he is now considered the goalpost for adulthood in 2019.

21
Paris Hilton and Every Cool Phone Ever
Getty | Jun Sato

Paris Hilton and Every Cool Phone Ever

Not sure how Paris Hilton became the face of the Motorola Razr and Sidekick, but the phones were definitely on my Christmas list, and I definitely didn't get either one. I got a Firefly (you know, the phone that only called two people: your mom and your dad). Enough said.

22
Disney Channel Original Movies
Giphy

Disney Channel Original Movies

"Let's watch a Disney Channel movie!" If you didn't just sing that to yourself, get out. That is all.

23
Bridge to Terabithia
Everett Collection

Bridge to Terabithia

This movie f*cked me up. It was the first time I ever cried watching a movie . . . even though I knew how it ended.

24
Aquamarine
Everett Collection

Aquamarine

Were you obsessed with mermaids as a kid? I can almost guarantee this movie is why. For a while there, I only ate Ben & Jerry's Phish Food despite hating it because "it's what mermaids eat."

25
Nickelodeon Stars
Getty | M. Phillips

Nickelodeon Stars

Because that's Ned from Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide (spoiler alert: middle school was nothing like that) and Quinn from Zoey 101! And . . . is that . . . coconut head?!

26

Bratz Dolls

The Barbie vs. Bratz debate could go on forever, but I say, why not both? Pretty sure my coworkers have walked by and seen me listening to their soundtrack on Spotify. I have no shame.

27
Disney Channel Shorts
Everett Collection

Disney Channel Shorts

The miniseries that played between shows were some of my favorites. Mike's Super Short Show, As the Bell Rings, and Disney 411 — they were the perfect way to keep our short attention spans all the way through.