Remember the good old days – when we didn't have to worry about exams or careers or who we are going to be rooming with next year? Those were peaceful times full of laughter, friendship, and Dunkaroos. Let this list transport you back to the early 2000s, the beginning of a millennium.
1. Dunkaroos
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Those of us fortunate enough to have tasted such a delicacy during its short reign remember the joy of finding one of these packed in our lunchbox. Dunkaroos were packaged cookies with frosting for dipping. They were similar to cheese dip crackers but much, much better. Plus, they could be traded for almost anything on the Cafeteria Black Market. Unfortunately, for some unfathomable reason, Betty Crocker ended production of Dunkaroos in America. If you want them you'll have to move to Canada.
2. RoseArt Crayons
We all know the difference between Crayola crayons and RoseArt crayons. Crayola is the superior, high-quality choice for any artist in kindergarten. RoseArt is the ultra waxy, cheap "crayon" handed out at restaurants. I can still recall the smell of the bin of crayons passed around during art class; the majority of the broken ones were RoseArt, of course.
3. Bill Nye
The teacher would roll out the bubble TV, now an ancient artifact, and the chanting would begin. Whatever you learned from elementary school science, you learned from this guy – the science guy. "Bill! Bill! Bill!...." The theme song is ingrained in my head forever.
4. Pokemon
"I'll trade you a slice of pizza for Mudkip and Eevee." Everyone I knew had a Pokemon deck in their pocket. Trading was the main purpose, but bragging rights came to those who had the shiny, holographic cards.
5. Tamagotchi
Before Sims or Tap Tap Fish, there was this: Tamagotchi, the first addicting life simulation game.
6. Flintstones Vitamins
What a terrible memory. I remember being forced to eat this iron-specked chalk. I can still feel it packed between my teeth. Yuck!
7. Littlest Pet Shop
I had an entire zoo of these adorable, magnetic animals! My fourth-grader self-collected – I mean adopted – at least 70 pets. It was a problem.
8. Silly Bands
Silly bands were the best! With hundreds of shapes and colors to choose from marine animals to carnival food, we middle schoolers never took them off our arms. Apparently, that was a problem for administration who outlawed, or should I say banned, them from school.
9. Good TV Shows
The best part of our childhood was definitely the innumerable Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOMs). From The Cheetah Girls to Cadet Kelly to High School Musical, our lives were filled with songs that I am sure you still remember the lyrics to. Let's not forget the actually good cartoons either (such a rarity nowadays) on Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. Spongebob Squarepants, Jimmy Neutron, Danny Phantom, The Fairly Odd Parents, as well as Teen Titans, The Powerpuff Girls, and Totally Spies all filled our childhood with memories.
I hope you enjoyed reliving the 2000s!
