Do you ever find yourself reflecting on the popular fads of your childhood and wishing they would make a comeback? When you stop and think about it, the trends we experienced as kids shaped who we are today. So what would happen if we brought these nostalgic experiences back in 2015? Only amazing things, for sure. Here are 11 blasts from the past that really need to make a comeback.
1. Picnik
Picnik was the Instagram of the late-2000s, except a thousand times cooler. It was the place where us millennials gained our expertise on filters and learned how to make a photo look cooler than it actually is. Not to mention, it had all those fancy fonts to choose from, so you could add text with your favorite cliché quotes onto old-school selfies with your friends.
2. Webkinz/Club Penguin
I’ll be honest — I still do, from time to time, attempt to log back onto my “Webkinz” account. (Unfortunately I can’t remember my username or password. I hope my pets are still okay.) A primitive form of social media, Webkinz and Club Penguin used animals to appeal to our playfulness and growing independence on the Internet. Your coolness at school was based on how many Webkinz you owned (which ended up getting pretty expensive — sorry, Mom) or whether or not you were a Club Penguin “member” who could get special items to pimp out your multi-level igloo. Next time you’re chatting it up with someone at a party, be sure to ask about all these things in order to assess their coolness. They’ll love it.
3. Gauchos
These were pretty much the polar opposite of yoga pants/leggings, but were used for the exact same purpose. Whether you were headed to a workout or just lounging around the house, gauchos, with their excessive fabric and room for movement, provided maximum comfort. I propose we bring these back immediately.
4. The :-) Smiley Face
Yeah, emojis are cool, but remember the days when you had to create virtual, visual manifestations of your emotions using symbols on the keyboard? It just showed so much more effort and sentiment.
5. Skip-Its
This was my primary form of exercise, and I would love to see these make a comeback on college campuses. Grab your friends, make a circle, and see who can complete the most skips! You can award the winner with whatever prize you found in your sugar cereal that morning.
6. Actual Cameras
In the age of the iPhone, it’s pretty rare to see someone walking around with a digital camera anymore. Maybe we’ve gotten too advanced to bring these back, and yes, selfie-taking is much easier these days, but I do miss bringing my hot pink Casio Exilim with me to social events.
7. Hair Wraps
Hair wraps were all the rage for girls. If you went on vacation, you better come back with a hair wrap with a perfect color combination to show off your exotic side. Maybe you even added a zig-zag part for maximum coolness. They even sold plastic machines that allowed you to do your own hair wraps at home. I still think these are awesome and will seriously consider getting one in the near future.
8. Heelys
Who needs hoverboard Segways when you can wear Heelys? If you were lucky enough to have wheels built into the heels of your shoes as a child, chances are I envied you as you cruised down the sidewalk. (Seriously, my parents wouldn’t let me have them.) If we brought these back today, we would never have to worry about being late to class again. You could cruise to class in half the time it takes to walk — just try to take out as few pedestrians as possible on the way.
9. Lunchables and Kids’ Cuisine
You’re lying if you tell me you’ve never gone to the grocery store and longingly eyed the Lunchables and Kids’ Cuisines from afar. These childhood diet-staples can make a full-on comeback any day now, especially for us poor college students with limited cooking skills. There’s nothing I would rather eat for dinner tonight than build-your-own three-inch pizzas, or dinosaur-shaped chicken nuggets.
10. HitClips
Pause your iTunes, close out of your Spotify — it’s time to bring back HitClips. Sixty seconds of hearing poor-quality versions of your favorite songs through a tiny plastic toy is all you need! HitClips brought the party wherever you went. Instead of using headphones next time you walk to class, dig up your old HitClips and do everyone the favor of blasting your favorite top hits from the '90s and early 2000s.
11. The EasyBake Oven
How I long for the days when I could make a brownie with the help of a mere lightbulb. These wonderful inventions helped us create the perfect snack (or feast, depending on how dedicated you were). Real-life ovens are too dangerous and intimidating for me — I suggest we bring back the EasyBake Oven to provide a safer alternative to cooking.
