I think, as millennials, we can all agree on one thing: we grew up in the golden years. The late 90's and early 2000's were full of beautiful things that we've lost with age and, admittedly, some things we have buried (cough, cough, gauchos and sequin purses). But, regardless, nostalgia is a lovely thing and it's always reassuring to know that these jewels have not been forgotten. So without further ado, here are some of the greatest things from your childhood that you've probably forgotten about.
1. Wonder Ball
First and foremost, the Wonder Ball! The little ball of chocolate filled with even more candy that you would force your mom to buy you at any and every given grocery store. Petition to bring these back, who's in?
2. Tamagotchi
The first and only thing that really prepared us to care about another being. If you didn't have one, you probably weren't that cool.
3. Neopets
Neopia was my home, okay? Between drawing faeiries and playing games and meeting Internet friends, I probably spent way too much time here. No shame.
4. MTV
Remember when MTV actually played music videos, like, all the time? Better yet, remember Parental Control, Next, Pimp My Ride, Laguna Beach, MTV Cribs, or My Super Sweet Sixteen? Yeah, you do. Those were the days.
5. Dunkaroos
No words necessary.
6. MASH
I'm just gonna take a wild guess and say that none of our told futures actually came true. Probably for the best, right?
7. Kid Pix
Where the finest of art was created.
8. Lisa Frank
If it's not a Lisa Frank notebook, I don't want it.
9. EZ Bake Ovens
Ah, yes, where we learned how to cook everything from brownies to mac and cheese! That commercial will never leave my mind.
10. HITclips
Before CDs or MP3s were a thing, we had the OG Hit Clips. Groundbreaking.
11. Scholastic Book Fairs
Are these still a thing? Please tell me they are.
12. Nickelodeon
From the slime to the classics: Doug, Hey Arnold, Rugrats, All That, The Amanda Show, Rocko's Modern Life, Kenan and Kel, CatDog, Ren and Stimpy, Legends of the Hidden Temple (THE BEST), Rocket Power, The Wild Thornberrys, need I go on?
13. Disney Channel
The shows and the movies were just...10/10. And let's not forget the online games. Bring it back: That's So Raven, Lizzie Maguire, Kim Possible, Sister, Sister, Even Stevens, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, The Proud Family, Zenon, Pixel Perfect, Cadet Kelly, Cheetah Girls, Stuck in the Suburbs, tell me when?
14. AIM
The only way to communicate with yo friendz. You probably had a really embarrassing signature and typed in bold black font with hot pink highlighter. Or was that just me?
15. DDR
Dance Dance Revolution, the ultimate party game. Move your feet to bangers like Cascada's "Every Time We Touch" or "A Brighter Day" by NAOKI.
16. Beanie Babies
These were poppin'. If you didn't have a collection of at least ten beanie babies, what were you doing? They served no real use but, ya know, still cute.
17. Bop It
Every household's necessity: The Bop It. Twist it, shake it, spin it, bop it! Not really sure what bop means but it's okay.
18. Myspace
Ah yes, our first real encounter with social media. Your top friends had to be rotated regularly as did your prof pic. What ever happened to Tom tho?
19. Slap Bracelets
Slap em on your wrist and, bam, you've got yourself a bracelet! Again, they serve no real use, but pretty cute regardless (I guess).
20. The Music
Let's just name a few: Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Destiny's Child, Ashanti, JoJo, Mandy Moore, Michelle Branch, early Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Mariah Carey, Brandy, Nirvana, Radiohead, Blink, No Doubt, Gwen Stefani, TLC, Avril Lavigne, wow. The list goes on and on.
21. Mary-Kate and Ashley
My childhood heroes. I had every book, every movie, and knew basically every detail about their lives. RIP.
22. The Fashion
The 90s and early 2000s were a time of...well, let's just say we learned from our mistakes. From denim on denim to Juicy track suits to popcorn shirts, stuntin' was definitely a habit.
23. Push Pencils
When your tip got dull, just put it to the bottom to find another dull one. Repeat until your pencil was actually sharp. Not effective, but fun, I guess?
24. Scented Markers
Props to Mr. Sketch for actually creating scents that matched the colors. Bring these back!
25. Computer Games
Freddi Fish, Oregon Trail, Where in the World Is Carmen San Diego, Clue Finders, and (for the girls) a plethora of Barbie games were life.
