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If You Went To Elementary School In The Early 2000s, These 20 Things Will Bring You Back

We may have grown up with technology, but our childhoods were a much simpler time.

Kirstin Ortiz

Apr 17, 2019

Temple University

18849

If You Went To Elementary School In The Early 2000s, These 20 Things Will Bring You Back

Early 2000's kids grew up in a special period of time; during the rapid rise of modern technology. Many of us went through elementary school without smartboards and not having any sort of computer at home, then graduated high school only six years later with an iPhone in our pockets and not having opened a book in who knows how long. Enjoy some early 2000's nostalgia from a simpler time.

1. Class pictures

https://giphy.com/gifs/southparkgifs-3o6Ztmbv7k7I5spoIw

Do these still exist? Probably, but as a lifetime lover of fashion this was easily one of my most favorite days of the school year.

2. Carpet squares

https://giphy.com/gifs/RlBtYmW0BGUHS

There was always that one lucky class who brought them to assemblies and put everyone else's sore butts to shame.

3. Color-coded behavior cards

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSbh9sehNA4

Let's be honest: the threat of a call home kept most of us from ever turning our cards past yellow.

4. Red Ribbon Week

https://giphy.com/gifs/snl-seth-rogen-nasim-pedrad-fqLcYob89OyIg

Ah, the good old days...back when theme days and scary drug factoids actually scared us off.

5. Scooter boards

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOPNXjZ2BhY

No explanation necessary.

6. FitnessGram Pacer Test

https://giphy.com/gifs/splat-nicksplat-doug-xT1R9DPYQt60VHs4tW

It might be a meme now, but for us early 2000's kids it was just a part of our yearly gym class curriculum.

7. Square pizza

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LI7EL37OxmQ

These greasy pieces of cardboard made for the best lunch day of the week, hands down.

8. Snacks for kids' birthdays.

https://giphy.com/gifs/snacks-YiSZXjrh5PtQs

Nowadays elementary schools are more careful about allergies. Odds are if you went to elementary school fifteen years ago or before, it was a sin if a classmate didn't bring cupcakes or brownies for their birthday. Once you saw them walk in with that Tupperware container...it's all you could think about all day.

9. Book markers

https://giphy.com/gifs/chuber-arthur-library-card-3o85xpxuULZ1Svqizu

Back when young pupils used ~real books~ for learning and for fun, these thin pieces of plastic were crucial for keeping the Dewey decimal system intact.

10. Wall pencil sharpeners

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qljAQFu9E6g

For real pencils! Unless you were a cool kid and had mechanical pencils.

11. Magic Tree House, Junie B. Jones, and The Teacher from the Black Lagoon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2uZ-JE1N4Y

Some of the most popular books for kids at the time, not only did we read them in our free time but if we had a "cool" teacher they'd read them to us in class.

12. Scholastic book fairs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEfaWww5RfU

What's more exciting than leaving class to visit a pop-up bookstore in your auditorium and buy your very-own brand new, glossy book to take home?

13. Counting blocks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSqGCY_L6CY

As soon as our teachers brought these babies out, the class went wild. How our teachers actually got us to pay attention long enough to teach us anything with these is beyond me.

14. Writing in shaving cream

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM-KbR6lCDE

It's the little things! Kids love getting their hands dirty, and some brave teachers took advantage of that by letting us write in shaving cream on our desks.

15. Cursive guide sheets

https://giphy.com/gifs/q-kH45yesfSvXzi

Back when electronic signatures weren't a thing and you actually needed to know cursive…

16. Kid Pix

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNb0iY5kCcI

The start of all our technology addictions. I guarantee the theme song is still in the recesses of your mind.

17. Dance Mat typing program

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsBbX3jPoBI

It's crazy to think that there was a time when we didn't know how to type. Dance Mat was a favorite during computer class.

18. Schoolhouse Rock!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFroMQlKiag&t=8s

Learning about the US constitution? Grammar? Electricity? If your teacher failed to show you AT LEAST one Schoolhouse Rock video, you sorely missed out. Schoolhouse Rock may have been produced "before our time," but we love the timeless songs, nonetheless.

19. Overhead projectors

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mswO8cf0kw

Before smartboards existed, these were necessary for any visual-heavy lesson. If you were called up to write on the projector slide, it was either the best or worst day of your elementary career.

20. Cool Math Games

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkZmkNmbceA

Plot twist: not actually math games. For some reason everyone thought this was a secret to our teachers.

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If You Went To Elementary School In The Early 2000s, These 20 Things Will Bring You Back

We may have grown up with technology, but our childhoods were a much simpler time.

In This Article:

1. Class pictures

2. Carpet squares

3. Color-coded behavior cards

4. Red Ribbon Week

5. Scooter boards

6. FitnessGram Pacer Test

7. Square pizza

8. Snacks for kids' birthdays.

9. Book markers

10. Wall pencil sharpeners

11. Magic Tree House, Junie B. Jones, and The Teacher from the Black Lagoon

12. Scholastic book fairs

13. Counting blocks

14. Writing in shaving cream

15. Cursive guide sheets

16. Kid Pix

17. Dance Mat typing program

18. Schoolhouse Rock!

19. Overhead projectors

20. Cool Math Games

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All names should be "unisex names."

1. Communicating via email can be awkward.

2. Appointments usually accompany weird looks.

3. Introducing yourself to someone is never without a hitch.

4. You’ve probably thought about changing your name.

5. You’re often asked why you have the name you do.

6. You get excited when you meet someone of your gender with your name.

7. You feel awkward when you meet someone of the opposite gender with your name.

8. You’ve had someone say to you, “I knew a [your name], but they were [your opposite gender].”

9. You’ve heard a bad joke/pick-up line or two about your name before.

10. People are surprised when they see you.

11. You’re extra sensitive to other unique or unisex names.

12. You’ve fought with your parents about it.

13. All things considered, you’re happy your name makes you unique.

You know that all of these things apply to you. You'll just never tell.

I get it... I'm pale.

1. At least I can't lose you in a crowd!

2. Oh my goodness your skin is like glow-in-the-dark.

3. Can't you just get fake tan?

4. Do you tan or just burn?

5. Your kids are going to look like Casper the Friendly Ghost!

6. *holds arm against your arm* Look how much darker I am compared to you!

7. *holds pale arm against another pale arm* Aw, at least you're darker than her!

8. I laid out by the pool almost every day over break!

9. I haven't used sunscreen since I was, like, five.

10. *adjusts selfie lighting to their face* Oops, where'd you go??

11. *after working out* Your face is SO red!

12. *wears white* Look! You're all one color!

13. You need to get some sun.

14. Aren't you excited for summer?

The struggle bus is real.

1. Child prodigies:

2. Hearing other musicians in the practice room next door and accepting that you will never be as talented as them:

3. That anxiety that takes over before every performance:

4. Taking a million 0 credit classes:

5. When there's a paper due the next day, but you have to attend yet another concert in order to pass a 0 credit class:

6. When your friends try to encourage you after a performance, even though you are criticizing everything in your mind:

7. Knowing that there's always that one professor during juries:

8. The oh-so-attractive band/choir uniforms:

9. Realizing that a college campus is maybe not the best atmosphere to finish your latest composition:

10. Hearing "Oh, you sing opera? I LOVE Phantom of the Opera!" for the hundredth time:

11. When people think finals week is a breeze for you.

12. When you're drowning in the stress that comes with 18+ credits (and not to mention all those 0 credit classes) and people ask you how you are:

13. When it all comes down to it, though, you know that at the end of the day, music is your passion:

Because you need it in your life.

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6. holds arm against your arm Look how much darker I am compared to you!

7. holds pale arm against another pale arm Aw, at least you're darker than her!

10. adjusts selfie lighting to their face Oops, where'd you go??

11. after working out Your face is SO red!

12. wears white Look! You're all one color!