Everyone looks back on their childhood as a "simpler time," but for kids who went to school in the '90s, there's no truer sentiment. School lunches [1] consisted of PB&Js and milk, free time involved reading rather than playing educational games on iPads, and math was, well . . . math (throwing shade your way, Common Core [2]).
Although some things will never change, like kids freaking out over getting to go shopping for school supplies [3], so much about the '90s looked completely different. If you were a '90s kid, take a stroll down memory lane with us [4], won't you?
First Day of School Outfits Were a Little More Dorky
OK, a lot more dorky [6].
As Were Class Photos on Picture Day
You stood on a rickety set of risers and there was zero editing for the final product [8].
You Had a Caboodle Full of Stuff to Get Ready With in the A.M.
It was always filled to the brim [9] and you could never get it closed (relive the good old days with this Urban Outfitters Caboodle [10] ($10)).
Including These Butterfly Clips
If you didn't have 20 in your hair at once, you were doing it wrong (grab 12 of these pastel ones on Etsy [11] for $8).
And 8 Million of These Lip Smackers Balms
Of which you would trade the flavors you didn't want with your friends.
You Won the Jackpot If Your Mom Packed Dunkaroos For Lunch
Especially if it was the sprinkled frosting version [12].
With a Yoo-Hoo to Wash Them Down
There was nothing more refreshing than this water-based chocolate drink, especially if it came in a juice box.
All in Your Plastic Lunch Box With Matching Thermos
What theme was yours? (Mine was Barbie, thanky ou very much, but you can still grab this vintage Dinosaurs one on Esty [14] ($16).)
At Recess, You’d Make One of These Cootie Catchers to Tell Fortunes
And promptly rig your friends' results.
Or Trade Pokémon Cards
Because you had to catch 'em all [15] (grab a '90s set of Pokémon cards on Etsy [16] for $10).
All of Your School Supplies Would Be Lisa Frank
So much color, so many Golden Retriever puppies.
And You Couldn’t Live Without a New Trapper Keeper
You know, for all of your important papers to get shoved into haphazardly (keep crunching those papers into this vintage Trapper Keeper [18] on, sale for $20).
No Matter How Many Crayons You Had at Home, You Needed a Fresh Box For School
And if your mom let you get the 64-pack, it was like the holidays came early.
And a Pack of Mr. Sketch Scented Markers
That you'd sniff a little too hard and get all over the tip of your nose (keep on sniffing with this vintage set of scented markers [19] for $14).
AND Some Stacking Pencils
Did anyone ever actually get through a full pencil tip, or did everyone just push them through, losing it in the abyss forever? (Buy 50 more to test out your theory on Etsy [20] for $13).
You Kept Them All in a Space Maker
And its hinges would be broken by the third week of school (get this pink one from Etsy [21] $16).
Many of Your Lessons Used an Overhead Projector
Which was never, ever in focus.
You's Watch a Movie on VHS That Applied to the Lesson
In a combo TV/VCR that never actually worked, usually.
For Many Assignments, You Had to Write in Cursive
And if you made a mistake [23], you had to start over.
When You Finished an Assignment Early, You'd Free Read One of These Books
Or something from the Goosebumps series [25], The Boxcar Children, or another book series [26] (get a copy of any of the ones shown for just $2 on Etsy [27].
You'd Try to Sneak in Some Time With Your Tamagotchi Under Your Desk
They needed to be fed in real time or else you'd have a tragedy on your hands.
You'd “Work" in a Computer Lab That Looked Like This During Library
And by work, we mean typing up an assignment for another class.
You'd Save Your Typed Assignments to These Floppy Disks
Which would constantly break so your work would be lost forever.
You'd Learn How to Type With Mavis Beacon
But everyone would cheat and look down at the keys anyway.
You'd Try to Spend the Whole Class Playing Your Friends in Oregon Trail
And would promptly die of dysentery every damn time (rep the times with this glow-in-the-dark Oregon Trail pin [29] ($12)).
Or Attempt to Play Minesweeper Solo
But literally no one knew that there was supposedly an actual formula to follow when playing and would die hundreds of times in a row.
School Trips Weren’t All That Involved
A hay ride and some apple picking was "science."
Class Birthdays Were at a Chuck-E-Cheese 9 Times Out of 10
Long live the days of knowing you'd be invited to every kid's birthday party [30] in your whole 30-kid class.