Back in the day before there was such thing as smartphones and all manners of streaming, the world seemed to move along at a much slower and more imaginative pace. This rang especially true for the kids who grew up during the 1970s. Many of those very routines and freedoms that they once unintentionally took for granted are now relics of a bygone era. We’ll take a nostalgic stroll through various childhood habits of the 1970s that have all but quietly faded into history.
1. Having a TV Without a Remote
You really had to work for it when it came to optimizing your at-home entertainment experiences back in the day. No remotes just sounds like a true Wild West.
2. Collecting Pet Rocks and Mood Rings
Pet rocks. Wow. I’m not entirely sure why human civilization had to veer down that lane, but here we are.
3. Using the Encyclopedia for Homework
There was something pretty engaging about using encyclopedias to get your homework done back in the day. It was just that moment of deep satisfaction when you found what you were looking for. And it could’ve been a very frustrating amount of time to finally get there.
4. Riding in the Car Without Seatbelts
Just plain old unsafe. Thank goodness this “habit” has all but faded off into oblivion.
5. Using Typewriters for Schoolwork
Typewriters are one of those relics from the past that possess that timeless element of old-school cool. The sounds they make can also be quite relaxing.
6. Having a Transistor Radio
Transistor radios were the cool gear to have back in the day. Nowadays you really don’t see them around too often.
7. Learning to Drive on a Stick Shift
Driving around on a stick shift was no easy feat at all. Yet, if you were able to master it, you immediately leveled up in the cool department.
8. Calling the Time or Weather Phone Line
Isn’t that wild to think about? There was a time back in the day when you had the option to use your phone to call and ask for a weather and/or time update. It seems like quite the convoluted process.
9. Having Paper Routes
Back in the day, working the paper routes was one of the most common, surefire ways to start stacking up some savings as a kid. Those could prove to be long days at work.
10. Passing Notes in Class
Yes, before there was such a thing as texting each other in class, kids had to get extra craft by passing notes between each other. The worst moment, though, was if the teacher caught you in the middle of passing a note
11. Skating at Roller Rinks
The social scene at roller rinks was something special back in the day. Plenty of people would hatch exciting plans to meet up with their friends to partake in wildly fun outings at the roller rink.
12. Eating TV Dinners on Metal Trays
Nowadays we’ll often just set ourselves up with whatever we feel like streaming on our laptops to accompany our meals. However, back in the 70s kids would gather around to eat their TV dinners off metal trays. It was truly something of a pastime.
13. Catching Lightning Bugs in Jars
This was one of those outdoor activities that just took on a surreal level of fun. There was something unshakably magical about being able to catch lightning bugs in jars. Then, they were just fun to look at.
14. Jumping in Piles of Raked Leaves
The feeling of leaping into those piles of raked leaves was too perfect. It might’ve taken you some work to get there, but when you had your piles of leaves all built up and proceeded to jump into them, they were just mad fun.
15. Collecting Baseball Cards and Trading Them
Friendships were built and destroyed when it came to trading baseball cards. Nowadays, though, people hardly collect and/or trade cards.
16. Ringing Doorbells and Running for it
Ah yes, the old ding-dong-ditch was far too much fn. There were plenty of neighbors who would lose their minds in frustration over any troublemaking kids who enjoyed the old ding-dong-ditch as well.
17. Waiting in Line to Play Arcade Games
You had to exercise immense levels of patience when it came to waiting in line to play arcade games. But every time, the moment you finally got to dive into your arcade game, it felt like everything was indeed right in the world.
