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Here are 17 things people really miss the most about living in the '90s

Wouldn't you kill for a Friday night at Blockbuster and a pizza? No texts. No TikTok.

the 1990s, Kurt Cobain, Bill Clinton

Kurt Cobain, Blockbuster Video, Bill Clinton.

The 1990s was a sweet spot in American history. The stifling Cold War with the Soviet Union had just come to the end in 1989 and it would still be 12 years before a new era of fear after the 9/11 attacks.

The 1990s was also a time of prosperity that lifted up Americans across the socioeconomic spectrum and an era that saw unprecedented peace in the world. In fact, things were going so well in America that President Clinton managed to have a budget surplus four years in a row.

The '90s was also the last gasp of the analog era when people couldn't contact you 24/7 and did things for the pure joy of it instead for the likes and shares.

To say that the '90s was the last great American decade may be looking back with rose-colored glasses but it's obvious that as we've entered this new era dominated by technology, we left behind a lot of things that brought us joy. Many of us wouldn't mind having them back.

A recent Reddit thread asked "What do you miss about the '90s?" and the answers will take you back to a time that most of us remember fondly. Will people ever say that about the 2020s? Only time will tell.


1. You made plans without having to text people.

"Before we had mobile phones, my wife and I would plan to meet at a certain street corner at a certain time after work. We sometimes had to wait for the other person to show up, but we knew they would." — i_will_be_dead

2. The world was clearly changing for the better.

"There was a period between the Cold War and the War on Terror when it seemed like there was hope for the world." — igetasticker

3. Friday nights at home with the family.

"Blockbuster/Pizza Hut on Friday nights." — EdwardPackard

4. People left you alone.

"Not being contactable 24/7. Peace of leaving school/work and not having to deal with their nonsense till tomorrow." — Soma_Tweaker

5. Air travel without the stress.

"Did you know that before 9/11, it wasn't a massive pain in the ass to go fucking anywhere?! Loved ones could walk you right to the gate. You could bring snacks, sandwiches, and drinks onto the plane with you. The prices at Hudson News were perfectly reasonable, because if they weren't, you could just walk out of the terminal and grab something." — GavinBelsonsAlexa


6. The mall.

"Malls were awesome, and I hate that the strip mall style has taken over. Especially up in Canada, where it gets to -40 in the winter. Back in the day you could legitimately spend hours wandering the mall, indoors and warm. Now it is depressing. Maybe the big malls like Mall of America or West Edmonton Mall are still okay, but the ones in my city are shit." — Lexi_Banner

7. Following a scene.

"In the '90s I would walk to my local record shop and talk to the guy. He would recognize me and ask about my thoughts on the Offspring album I bought last time I was in, and then recommend something that just came in from some guys called Green Day.

I'd then give a listen on the wall-mounted headphone player and take it home. Then, the whole next week would listen to nothing else... It was kind of great." — Koro

8. A genuine good time.

"I think people are more concerned with posting something and going viral now. I really hate that you can just be minding your business, doing something with family or friends and enjoying yourself, and somebody will randomly record what you're doing so they can call you 'corny' and get likes and views." — Enviornmental-Bank81

9. Magazines.

"Everyone had their favorites for whatever hobby or interest you had. For me it was 'Guitar World,' picking up the issues with bands I loved and plinking along to the tab on my crappy electric guitar! For my wife it was 17, checking out the most recent trends!" — JackFairy80

10. Hanging out.

"Honestly the thing I miss the most, and the thing that is so hard to explain to modern kids, is 'hanging out.' Before cell phones, people used to just go to each other's homes, or to some public space, and just spend time together." — Vambot5

11. Making mix tapes.

"It was so much fun to make them, carefully trying to fit as much as you could in the limited amount of time that you had, but still making each song work with the next. Getting one was just as thrilling, especially if you just put it on without looking at the tracklist (if whoever made it included one) and being surprised by each new song." — Edgar

12. Music mattered more.

"Music felt more special because you kind of had to take some risks when buying a cd. At best you could listen to it at one of the stations in the store, but other times you might have heard a song on the radio or watched a music video on MTV. I bought some albums where only the song I liked was good, but still tried to appreciate it all." — plentyfunk66

13. Less pressure to be perfect.

"Nowadays due to social media, especially sites like Instagram, so many young people feel like it's necessary to always be dressed well, always wear a full face of make-up, etc. Sure, we had unrealistic beauty standards and plastic surgery before, but to me it feels like it's gotten much, much worse and also much more uniform than before." — Owezara

14. No 24-hour news cycle.

"Maybe I'm in a minority, but I for one REALLY miss NOT having a 24-hour news cycle. Once that became a thing, it basically prevented journalists from actually doing thorough research before splitting 'information' on TV to satiate their corporate owners." — Minerva_Madin

15. People talked to one another.

"I miss going to coffee shops or bars and being able to meet new random people. I made some of my best friends that way. Now folks just leer up from their phones more often than not." – Shiller_Killer

16. People watched concerts instead of filming them.

"Concerts weren't a sea of phones in the air. People are so concerned with people knowing they were at a concert via social media, that they don't even pay attention or experience the show. It's so dumb." — thebestmike

17. Brick-and-mortar stores.

"I still think this is underrated. Yes now we have a much much wider selection of stuff available instantly, but it used to be extremely fun to go out on a Sunday, go to a record store or video rental store with your friends, discuss options and settle on one." — Humble Shoulder

This article originally appeared on 11.19.21

old letter, 1959, tony trapani, letter, secret letters, love letter, love stories, dads, fatherhood, father and son, parents, parenting
via SHVETS production/Pexels and Suzy Hazelwood/Pexels
Tony Trapani discovers a letter his wife hid from him since 1959.

Writing a letter is truly a lost art form, and many young people will never know the joy of it. You had to choose your words carefully and say everything you wanted to say. Once you sent it off, there was no way to be sure it was delivered. No way to know if it had been opened or read. You couldn't take it back or send it again. You just put it in the mailbox and hoped for the best. It was excruciating and magical all at the same time.

One story of a letter never delivered has captured the hearts of readers everywhere. A heart-warming local news story gone viral for the best reasons.


Tony Trapani and his wife were married for 50 years despite the heartache of being unable to have children. "She wanted children,” Trapani told Fox 17. "She couldn't have any. She tried and tried." Even though they endured the pain of infertility, Tony's love for his wife never wavered and he cherished every moment they spent together.

letter, secret letters, love letter, love stories, dads, fatherhood, father and son, parents, parenting Tony Trapani received the most important letter of his life, but he didn't see it for 50 years Photo by Álvaro Serrano on Unsplash

After his wife passed away when Tony was 81 years old, he undertook the heartbreaking task of sorting out all of her belongings. In particular was a mountain of papers stuffed into filing cabinets. Trapani diligently went through every single one.

That’s when he stumbled upon a carefully concealed letter in a filing cabinet hidden for over half a century.

The letter was addressed to Tony and dated March 1959, but this was the first time he had seen it. His wife must have opened it, read it and hid it from him. The letter came from Shirley Childress, a woman Tony had once been close with before his marriage. She reached out, reminiscing about their past and revealing a secret that would change Tony's world forever.

"Dear Tony, I bet you are surprised to hear from me after so many years. I was just thinking about you tonight like so many other nights. But I thought I would write you and find out how you are," the letter reads. "Tony, please don't be angry or surprised to hear this. I have a little boy. He is five-years- old now - grey eyes and beautiful black hair. What I am trying to say Tony is he is your son."



"Please, Tony if you can find it in your heart to forgive me, please come and see him," Shirley wrote in the letter. "Every day he asks me where is his daddy and believe me Tony I can't even answer him anymore. I would be forever grateful to you if you would just see him. ... I'll close now hoping and praying you will answer. P.S. His name is Samuel Duane."

Now, Tony faced the fact that he had a son that would be around 60 years old and he set out to find him.

For over a year, Trapani’s sister tried to track down the mysterious Samuel Duane Childress, until she finally contacted his wife, Donna.

Tony and Samuel met in January 2015 and he felt like a new dad. After meeting his father, Samuel said his mother told him she sent the letter, but Tony never responded. "Why my wife didn't tell me," said Trapani, "I don't know. She wanted children. She couldn't have any. She tried and tried."

It's easy to understand why it may have been hard for Trapani's late wife, Dolly, to pass along that sort of news. Though we'll never know what exactly must have been in her heart and mind when she hid the letter all those years ago.

"I always asked my mom, I said, 'Well what does he look like?'' Samuel said. "She said, 'Well, go look in the mirror."

The two met and caught up on a lifetime of memories with the understanding that they could never change the past. "Just to know him now is so important to me. It's going to fill that void," Samuel said.

But just to be sure, Tony took a paternity test to ensure they were father and son. Stunning everyone involved, the test came back negative. Tony was not the father.


letter, secret letters, love letter, love stories, dads, fatherhood, father and son, parents, parenting Tony and Samuel didn't waste time thinking about what might have been if he'd seen the letter earlier. Photo by Ire Photocreative on Unsplash

The news upset Tony and Samuel, but they still had a unique bond. They shared a relationship with Samuel’s mother and both have been on an incredibly wild ride after Tony found the mysterious letter.

“They're keeping that bond,” Donna said. “That paper doesn't mean anything to him. That bond has been made—and we're going to move on from here.”

Tony Trapani passed away in 2017, leaving him just two short years to connect with the man he once believed to be his son. If he'd seen the letter earlier, maybe they would have had more time. But that's all in the past, and by all accounts the men treasured the time they got together, and the relationship that they did have — not the one they wished for.

This article originally appeared earlier this year. It has been updated.

Education

4 gestures that can make you instantly more likeable, according to a communication coach

Draw people in with these facial expressions and body language tips.

likeability, likeable, how to be more likeable, facial expressions, body language

Communication expert shares facial expressions and body language tips to become more likeable.

Being a likeable person can help you build strong, healthy personal and professional relationships. How you carry yourself and the gestures you make can impact if people perceive you to be likeable.

"Based on various research in neuroscience and communication, the brain processes nonverbal cues up to half a second before it processes words," Tatiana Teppoeva, a certified communication coach specializing in nonverbal communication and founder of One Nonverbal Ecosystem, tells Upworthy. "Facial expressions, tone, and body signals are decoded almost instantly, long before we consciously register verbal meaning."


Your nonverbal communication and body language can speak volumes to others.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

"These rapid cues shape whether someone seems warm, safe, confident, or emotionally attuned," she adds. "When your body language communicates presence and ease, people intuitively perceive you as more likeable and trustworthy."

These are four gestures that make you instantly more likeable:

Gesture #1: The softened eye look

"A slight narrowing of the lower eyelids that signals warm, focused attention," says Teppoeva. "This type of eye expression makes people feel truly seen, which increases warmth and connection."

She offers a few examples of celebrities as great examples. "Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson uses this micro-gesture often when someone shares something meaningful with him. It shows genuine focus without intensity," she shares. "Zendaya uses a softer, empathetic version of the same look in interviews, especially when she is listening closely or responding with care."

zendaya, zendaya gif, zendaya body language, soft eyes, empathy Public Media Actors On Actors GIF by PBS SoCal Giphy

Gesture #2: The sincere, welcoming smile

A slow, natural smile that appears as you take in the moment, not a quick or automatic grin," explains Teppoeva. "The brain interprets these kinds of smiles as sincerity and emotional presence, which boost likeability almost instantly."

Two celebrities who model this well are Tom Cruise and Julia Roberts.

"Tom Cruise is known for his delayed, spontaneous smile that reads as genuine rather than posed," Teppoeva says. "Julia Roberts has a warm, gradually unfolding smile that consistently feels authentic and inviting."

@steven

Behavioural expert Vanessa Van Edwards teaching you how to become more likeable with these simple tips 👀 Full conversation on The Diary Of A CEO #podcast #podcastclips #clip #expert #bodylanguage #vanessavanedwards #tips #advice #didyouknow #trythis #relatable #teamwork #interview

Gesture #3: The encouraging nod

Nodding communicates empathy and understanding.

"A gentle, supportive nod while someone speaks," Teppoeva shares. "This gesture validates the speaker and increases likeability because it shows true engagement."

"Idris Elba nods subtly during conversations, especially when someone shares something personal or uncertain, signaling 'I’m with you'," adds Teppoeva. "Oprah Winfrey uses the same encouraging nod to create psychological safety and help guests feel understood."

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Gesture #4: Open-hand visibility

Your hands also play a big part in your likeability.

"Showing your hands briefly when you begin speaking or respond to someone’s point signals openness and cooperation," explains Teppoeva. "Many widely liked actors and presenters naturally incorporate relaxed open-palm gestures because humans instinctively associate visible palms with honesty and sincerity. This makes you appear more approachable and trustworthy within seconds."

Popular

The fascinating reason people looked much older in the past than they do today

Why did teenagers look like they were in their mid-30s?

vsauce, people look older, michael stevens, 30 then vs now, aging,

Norm was only in his 30s?

Ever look at your parents' high school yearbooks and think people looked so much older back then? All of the teenagers look like they’re in their mid-30s and the teachers who are 50 look like they’re 80. When we watch older movies, even those from the 1980s, the teenagers appear to be a lot older as well. Why is it that they looked so much older? Was life harder? Did people act more mature? Did they spend more time outdoors and less time playing video games? Is it their sense of fashion? Were they all smokers?

Educator Michael Stevens, who runs the super-popular Vsauce YouTube channel, explains the phenomenon in a video called, “Did people used to look older?” In it, he explains that people in the past appear a lot older due to retrospective aging.


This is how it works: when we see people in the past, they are wearing outdated styles that we associate with older people; therefore, we think they have aged rapidly. For example, a teenager in the 1950s may have been in fashion while wearing thick Buddy Holly-style glasses.

anti-aging, youth, why do i look older, how to look younger, treatments for looking younger, anti-aging productsBuddy Holly was 20 years old in this photo. upload.wikimedia.org

But as people age, they tend to cling to the fashion of their youth. So many people of that generation continued to wear the Buddy Holly-style glasses into their 50s. So when younger people see those glasses they see them as old people's glasses and not a hip kid from the '50s.

So in the photo from the '50s, the teen appears to look a lot older because our perspective has been tainted by time.

anti-aging, youth, why do i look older, how to look younger, treatments for looking younger, anti-aging products30 going on 60…media3.giphy.com

But it isn’t all just an illusion. Stevens also points out that people did age faster back in the day due to differences in nutrition, lifestyle and medicine. In addition, he also does a deep dive on how a person's name can affect their appearance, referencing the Dorian Gray effect, which theorizes that cultural stereotypes linked to a name come to be written on the faces of their bearers, as well as the name matching effect, in which people whose faces "match" their names tend to be better perceived.

Basically, this 22-minute video is chalked full of fascinating tidbits. Give it a watch below.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

It might be worth noting that, in addition to healthier lifestyle options, younger generations have more access to anti-aging procedures than ever before. "Tweakments," like fillers and botox, are less expensive and more readily available than ever—not to mention every anti-aging cream, serum, and cleanser known to man. And many millennials and Gen Zers take advantage of that, whether prompted by selfie anxiety, a growing obsession with youth, or some other motivation.

Plus, millennial and Gen Z fashion often honors their inner child. Nostalgic cartoon tees, colorful prints, cutesy accessories, etc. Granted, under the retrospective aging theory, even those styles could one day look dated, but they are so youthful that it's hard to imagine that being the case. That said, can't wait to see bunch of geezers sporting those broccoli haircuts.

This article originally appeared three years ago.

weird al yankovic, music fans, 1980s nostalgia, celebrities, emotional meetings
Photo credit: courtesy of 1980s.nostalgia Instagram

A fan's emotional meeting with "Weird Al" has prompted people to share their

"Weird Al" Yankovic: Grammy-winning parody-song master, multi-platinum singer-accordionist, genuinely nice dude. For decades, devoted fans have marveled at his warmth and approachability—rare qualities for an artist and celebrity of his stature. And now hundreds of them have gathered to swap stories in a particularly heartwarming Instagram comment section.

Their meeting spot is a post by Katelyn Sue, who runs the social media account 1980s.nostalgia. Starting in September 2025, the influencer posted a series of photos and videos showing an emotional pre-concert meet-and-greet with one of her lifelong inspirations. The clips are beautiful, showing the pair chatting casually, sharing a tender hug, and Yankovic signing some merch. "'Never meet your heroes' doesn’t apply to this man," she wrote.


"I started listening to Weird Al when I was 8," Katelyn Sue tells Upworthy. "There’s a joke with my generation that we have to go through the obligatory Michael Jackson phase in second grade because so many of us did. In the midst of my Michael Jackson phase, I would watch his videos over and over on my mom and dad’s computer in their room. One day while I was watching Michael Jackson videos, my dad showed me [Yankovic’s] 'Eat It' video…and then 'Fat.' I think being in the wheelchair and also just being a really quirky kid, I was hyper aware that I was different from other kids my age. Not many eight-year-olds then shared the same quirky interests that I did, and I think I felt like kind of a loner. Not only did I think the videos and songs were hilarious, it was comforting as the weird kid to watch his videos and feel like I wasn’t alone in being different and that it was okay. He definitely was one of the first people to make me feel like being weird isn’t bad."

How "Weird Al" helped one diehard fan persevere through a dark time

Katelyn Sue started her public social-media accounts at age 14, frequently posting about her love of the '80s and childhood heroes Yankovic and Paul "Pee-wee Herman" Reubens. But at first, she wound up getting "severely bullied" for it. "I was called 'a freak,' 'mentally ill,' all kinds of things," she says. "I shut that part of myself completely out."

At age 20, her mental health reached a breaking point, and in an attempt to escape her "dark thoughts," she clicked on her YouTube app and randomly found Yankovic’s video for childhood favorite "Like a Surgeon." "Long story short," she says, "that video is the reason I came back to myself. I wanted to meet him in 2022 when he was in my area, but it was too fresh. I decided to buy the tickets this tour and tell him what he had gotten me through."

Katelyn Sue was so "starstruck" during the meet-and-greet that she could barely remember everything she wanted to say. But she did manage to remark "You’re my childhood hero" and "Can I give you a hug?" She also requested that he doodle his own image so she could get it tattooed. "I almost chickened out, but I finally decided to tell him that he’s the reason I was able to start being my authentic self again and how much his music had gotten me through," she adds. "It was truly the most magical thing I’ve ever experienced."

The video of their meeting went viral—Katelyn Sue says it’s been "seen by" John Mayer, David and Patricia Arquette, and Cheri Oteri—and that reaction has been overwhelming in a good way.

"There are an insane number of comments talking about their interactions with him and how it made their day, even if it was a short interaction," she says.

Indeed, you can’t scroll for more than two seconds without spotting another sweet reply—from ordinary fans, celebrities, even former Yankovic collaborators. "He is really this guy," wrote actor Steven Weber. "Genuinely decent. Everything you’d want him to be." Stand-up comedian Matt Braunger chimed in, "I met him backstage when I opened for Aziz Ansari in like 2007(?) and he sends me a bday card every year (amongst other cool things he’s done as a friend). An absolute prince of a performer and person ❤️"

Here are some other wonderful comments:

"I’ve met Al several times and even have his autograph tattooed where he signed my arm. He is exactly what you’d hope he’d be like!"

"Awww 💕 I got to work with @alfredyankovic when he performed in the Nightmare Before Xmas live with Danny Elfman and Paul Reubens and can confirm that he was totally kind, warm and gracious the whole time. He even made a video greeting for the son of my boyfriend (at the time) who was a huge fan. He was gushing about it for ages! He’s a lovely human being ☺️"

"I've met weird Al several times. He is the kindest most giving person I've ever met. When you're talking to him he actually pays attention to you and doesn't just scribble his name and then have you walk away"

"Weird Al was a semi regular for a bit at a coffee shop i worked at. This is genuinely how he is. He always took pictures, always looked people in the eye and took time to actually speak with them."

"He’s a delightful man!"

"Waited 3 hours to *possibly* meet him and he wanted to meet EVERYONE in line. He was so nice."

"My kid got to interview him in 2016 (he was nine at the time.) Then, at the concert he (son, not Weird Al,) had a diabetic episode and got sick. We were leaving and security insisted we meet him before going. He let us go ahead of everybody else waiting to meet, and treated my son with total respect and warmth. 10/10 celebrity meeting. Could have hoped for more."

I actually met him for an interview after we filmed his live performance. So exceptionally sweet. He looked at me with a smile and said: 'Oh yeah, I saw you with the camera!'"

"I met Al back in 2011 and of the 100’s and 100’s of celebs I met or interacted with living out in California, he was by far one of the most genuine and memorable. Truly a person who seems so grateful to be appreciated by his fans. He made a very personal moment out of our meeting and it solidified why I’ve been a life long fan"

For Katelyn Sue, the story didn’t even end with that emotional meet-and-greet—she was able to meet Yankovic again in October at the GalaxyCon event. "[H]e told me he had seen the post, and that definitely made me extremely emotional," she says. "I had hoped he saw it for no other reason than I wanted him to see the comments talking about how much he has helped people through and how many people he truly inspires to just be their weird selves."

Disability

Clip of two nonverbal autistic friends reuniting has people moved to their core

"She spoke two million and 42 words her own way. He listened to and heard each one."

profound autism, thomas, sofia, shannon lowe, autism awareness, love on the spectrum
Photo Credit: Shannon Lowe, used with permission

Thomas and Sofia, both nonverbal, communicate differently.

Sometimes love, whether it's platonic or romantic, cannot be heard—only experienced. Such is the case for Thomas, a non-verbal 20-year-old young man, and his dear friend Sofia, who is 23.

In a beautiful clip posted by t4autism on behalf of Thomas AKA Cubby, we see these two souls reunite at a bowling alley after having not seen one another for two weeks. Sofia and Thomas sit next to each other—one knee touching. They lean in, still keeping a dash of personal space. Their eyes gaze into one another's in a way that no words could truly capture. They each briefly smile when she looks up at his baseball cap. She gently touches it and then pushes it off. She smiles, and his gaze never wavers.



The camera briefly turns around to Thomas's proud mother, who simply gives the "I know, right?" look. The chyron reads, "After two weeks without seeing each other. Nonverbal. Profound Autism," while the song "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri underscores the moment. Hashtags on the post include: "Happy, love, autism, parents, joy, mom, papa, girl, boy, adulting, T4Autism" and perhaps best of all…"telepathy."

At nearly half a million likes, over 20,000 people took the time to comment on this video alone, many from people who claim to be neurodivergent themselves. One commenter writes, "This is literally the most beautiful thing I witnessed all year. She looks like a Disney princess, he's handsome. Her presence is soothing his overstimulation." Another notes, "They're not nonverbal, we just can't hear them."

This Instagrammer was downright poetic: "She spoke two million and 42 words her own way. He listened to and heard each one."

Upworthy had the honor of speaking with Thomas's mother, Shannon Lowe. She shared that Thomas was diagnosed with profound autism at the age of two. "Our journey has been a roller coaster of highs and lows," she said. "As a family, we've worked hard to find a tribe that truly understands our dynamic."

Of Thomas and Sofia, she notes, they "share a beautiful bond and great affection for one another."

She also opens up about what profound autism is and the impact it can have on families: "I wish the world understood that profound autism is a very different level of autism. It requires one-on-one care and often comes with self-injury behaviors. Unfortunately, we do not have many champions for this particular diagnosis. We lack legislation, resources, and support. Here in Fort Worth, we currently have a 17-year waitlist, and most of these families are led by single mothers—because only 18% of fathers stay, which adds even more trauma to an already stressful situation."

But she doesn't give up. She uses her social media platforms, including her YouTube channel T4Autism, to educate, vent, and exemplify that love knows no bounds. She even wrote a children's book entitled "Profound Love: Profound Autism," which she describes as an "invitation to see beyond diagnosis, beyond silence, and into the extraordinary ways love reveals itself—wordless, boundless, and profoundly real."

Mother talks about constant pivots made for autistic child. www.youtube.com, T4Autism

On the book's Amazon page, the description reads in part: "Though Thomas does not speak, he expresses joy, affection, and connection in ways that transcend language. His leaps of excitement, radiant smiles, and warm presence remind everyone around him of the purest form of love.

As Thomas, his family, and their three beloved dogs navigate daily life, their world expands when they meet Sasha and Sofia—two extraordinary young people also living with profound autism. Through shared walks, laughter, and simple moments, an unexpected and beautiful bond blossoms between Thomas and Sofia. Step by step, hand in hand, they discover a connection deeper than words—a love that speaks through smiles, gestures, and presence."