People born between 1996 and 2002 really don't fit into either Millennials or Gen Zers, even though they're either labeled as one of the other. As someone who is one of the oldest ages of a Gen Zer, I was able to witness a little bit of both generations. Because of that, all kids born in those years were raised on the best of both worlds.
1. The switch from VCR to DVD
We used to have to manually rewind a VCR but now suddenly we can go back to the beginning of the movie with just one click? Groundbreaking.
2. Having a "Computer Room"
Inside the computer room was a severely oversized computer, discs of random games, and maybe a file cabinet... But yet it was the most important room in the house.
3. The stress of having a teacher use a projector with a dry erase marker
One swipe and all the notes everyone was rushing to take were gone forever.
4. The beloved last moments of Blockbuster
We may have not enjoyed it for too long, but a trip to Blockbuster was a big deal, and it was an even bigger deal when the franchise shut down completely.
5. Finding film containers but never the film
The little grey tub with a black cap usually held tacks, paperclips, earrings... But we never got to see the thing it was created for.
6. The art of burning CDs
Before iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify, and aux cords, we used to take a blank CD, pick 5-10 songs, and be set for at least six months before new songs became popular.
7. Using the red, white, and yellow cords for the TV (and feeling like a tech genius)
Those three cords meant everything.
8. Flexing at the scholastic book fair with $10
The day the book fair came to school was when you really got to see which of your second-grade friends were the most spoiled.
9. The pressure of using a hand-cranked pencil sharpener at the front of the classroom
The OG spot to show off a new outfit or the worst 20 attention-filled seconds of your young life.
10. Printing off Mapquest directions
The original GPS without sound, movements, instructions, or various routes. AKA: stress.
11. Texting using numbers
For most of us, our first phones were the ones where we had to press a number 1-3 times to get the right letter.
12. Using boomboxes
A boombox was the equivalent to a portable speaker now, except it weighed 20 pounds, only took CDs and cassette tapes, and didn't work half the time.
13. Relying on your parent's address book
If you were lucky, you had a parent who wrote everything down (like mine). If the address book wasn't updated, you were out of luck and had to pull out the 100-pound phone book.
14. Carrying a digital camera AND a phone
If you were going to a party or meeting friends, you had to be prepared to take two separate pieces of expensive electronics.
15. Getting little-kid-high off of Mr. Sketch scented markers
You took the watermelon and your best friend took the lemon and it was smooth sailing the rest of the kindergarten day.
16. The PBS v. Nickelodeon rivalry
You were either raised on Liberty Kids, Zoom, and Reading Rainbow, or Drake & Josh, Rugrats, and Jimmy Neutron.
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