Before TikTok and texting, ’90s teens had a lifestyle all their own, full of rituals and habits that seem bizarre today. From scribbling notes in class to crafting the ultimate mixtape, these forgotten behaviors once defined adolescence. Though they’re mostly extinct now, they offer a vivid snapshot of life before the digital age. If you grew up during this time, you’ll remember these 10 things every teen did, once essential, now rarely even mentioned.
1. Making the Perfect Mixtape
Curating a mixtape was a true art form. Teens spent hours picking the perfect songs, recording them from the radio, and designing custom cover art. Whether it was for a crush or a best friend, these tapes held deep emotional weight. There were no drag-and-drop playlists, just patience, timing, and love. Sharing a mixtape was like sharing a piece of your soul, and the pressure to get it “just right” was real.
2. Memorizing Friend’s Phone Numbers
Speed dial wasn’t a thing for most ’90s teens. If you wanted to call your best friend or crush, you had to remember their number. A lost contact meant flipping through a notebook or trying to recall it from memory. And don’t forget the nerve-wracking call to a landline, hoping their parents wouldn’t pick up first. Knowing someone’s number by heart was a badge of friendship, now lost in the smartphone age.
3. Chatting for Hours on AOL
AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) was where friendships deepened and teen drama played out. Teens would rush home to log on, pick the perfect away message, and wait for their crush to appear online. Conversations were full of cryptic messages, screen names, and flirty status updates. It was the beginning of social media, long before Facebook or Instagram. The slow dial-up tone was annoying, but the connection was everything.
4. Collecting CD Booklets
Buying a CD wasn’t just about the music, it was about the experience. Teens eagerly flipped through liner notes, memorized lyrics, and admired the photos and thank-you sections. These glossy booklets were like mini-magazines that deepened your bond with the band. Swapping CDs at school was common, and owning a full collection was a serious brag. Today’s digital downloads can’t replicate that tactile joy of opening a brand-new album.
5. Obsessing Over Tiger Beat Posters
Tiger Beat and other teen magazines were a cultural obsession. Teens plastered their walls with fold-out posters of heartthrobs like Jonathan Taylor Thomas, the Backstreet Boys, or Britney Spears. Each month brought new cutouts to swap and collect. Reading quizzes and celebrity crush gossip was a sacred ritual. Unlike today’s instantly updated fandoms, these magazines were a lifeline to pop culture, delivered in glossy pages, not on screens.
6. Hanging Out at the Mall All Day
The mall wasn’t just for shopping, it was the social hub. Teens spent hours wandering food courts, trying on clothes, and hoping to bump into someone they liked. You didn’t need a plan, just a ride there and a few bucks for a slice of pizza. Stores like Claire’s and Hot Topic were teen meccas, and even window shopping was exciting. It was the ultimate unsupervised freedom, no smartphones required.
7. Decorating Lockers with Stickers
A ’90s locker was a teen’s personal billboard. Stickers, magnets, mini mirrors, and secret notes made each locker unique. Best friends coordinated themes or shared magazine cutouts. Some even went full DIY with curtains or battery-powered lights. Decorating your locker was a way to express identity, like an early version of curating a social media profile. Sadly, today’s digital world has replaced this hands-on self-expression.
8. Recording Music Off the Radio
Catching your favorite song on the radio and hitting “record” was a thrill. Teens would sit by the stereo, finger on the button, ready to capture that perfect track. You had to time it just right, and hope the DJ didn’t talk over the intro. These bootleg recordings were prized possessions, played on Walkmans or boomboxes. It took patience and luck, but it felt like striking gold when it worked.
9. Wearing Wallet Chains and JNCOs
’90s fashion was loud and unapologetic. Wallet chains, oversized JNCO jeans, chunky shoes, and flame-print shirts were the look. Teens wore their rebellion on their sleeves, literally. Skate culture, punk rock, and nu-metal influenced what you wore, and the bigger and bolder, the better. These trends have faded (or become memes), but at the time, they were all the rage. Dressing like that felt fearless, even if you look back and cringe.
10. Writing Notes Instead of Texts
Before texting, passing notes was the go-to way to communicate in class. Teens folded them into triangles or tiny squares and slipped them across desks when the teacher wasn’t looking. Notes were full of doodles, abbreviations, and intense emotions. Some even had elaborate checkboxes, “Do you like me? Yes / No / Maybe.” These tiny paper messages were a lifeline, building friendships and flirting in the analog era.
