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With everything that’s going on in 2020, the ’90s seem like paradise. With its weird trends and retro tech, the ‘90s bring out a bit of nostalgia in a lot of us who were kids or teens then. Just in case you’ve forgotten about what life was like in that era, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered.

Bored Panda has a nostalgia trip waiting for you. We’ve collected a whole bunch of ‘90s life hacks that seem quirky when we read them from the 2020s. Like what to do if your Tamagotchi goes off to live on a ‘farm’ and what to do if your old school mouse is lagging. Upvote your fave ‘90s tips and tricks, dear Pandas, and share your own old school life hacks in the comments! When you're done enjoying this list, have a look through our post about outdated problems that no one today relates to anymore.

Technology and trends have changed a lot in the last few decades. Ramona Pringle, the Director of the Creative Innovation Studio and Associate Professor at the RTA School of Media at Ryerson University, spoke to Bored Panda about the fast pace of changes in technology, what we can expect to see in the future, and how important entertainment that connects us is. Scroll down for our interview with her.

#1

If You Want To Download A Song, Start Downloading Before Bed. It Should Be At Like 99% By The Time You Wake Up

If You Want To Download A Song, Start Downloading Before Bed. It Should Be At Like 99% By The Time You Wake Up

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#2

If Your Mouse Is Lagging, Take Out The Ball And Clean It. It's Probably Just Dusty

If Your Mouse Is Lagging, Take Out The Ball And Clean It. It's Probably Just Dusty

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#3

Use Sites Like Mapquest To Print Directions For Where You're Heading. Never Get Lost Again

Use Sites Like Mapquest To Print Directions For Where You're Heading. Never Get Lost Again

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pam_falcioni avatar
2WheelTravlr
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I started with paper maps, then AAA Triptik booklets, then Mapquest printouts, then stand-alone GPS units, now I tell Google to take me there and I get turn-by-turn plus traffic delay updates. Innovation is a wonderful thing.

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“We don’t know what the future holds, and anyone who says that they do is selling snake oil,” Pringle told Bored Panda. “But, there are certain things we can count on: we love stories, and we love to be part of something bigger than ourselves. Be it oral storytelling, books, blogs, movies, or video games, we’ve never lost our love of narrative.”

She continued: “Equally true, even when we can’t go into a concert hall or colosseum, we look for ways to be together, connected, and part of a communal experience. The tech might change, but these will continue to be the drivers of our entertainment experiences,” she explained what immovable values lie at the core of entertainment tech change.

According to the Director of the Creative Innovation Studio, there will be big changes happening in entertainment technology in the next decade. “Immersion and interactivity have long been goals for creators and media makers when it comes to how technology can influence entertainment,” she said.

#4

Never Shut Down Your Computer Unless You See The "It's Now Okay To Shut Down Your Computer"

Never Shut Down Your Computer Unless You See The "It's Now Okay To Shut Down Your Computer"

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#5

If The Game Isn't Working, Just Take It Out And Blow On It

If The Game Isn't Working, Just Take It Out And Blow On It

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james_fox1984 avatar
Foxxy (The Original)
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Pretty much every time you go to play the games. I know they say you aren’t supposed to but it always worked.

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#6

If You Have A Quick Message For Someone, And You Are Near A Payphone But Don't Have 25 Cents, Dial 1-800-Collect And When It Asks To Say Your Name, Say The Message Real Fast. ::ring Ring:: "Hello?" "You Have A Collect- Call From [ma-Practiceisovercomepickmeup], Will You Accept The Charges?

If You Have A Quick Message For Someone, And You Are Near A Payphone But Don't Have 25 Cents, Dial 1-800-Collect And When It Asks To Say Your Name, Say The Message Real Fast. ::ring Ring:: "Hello?" "You Have A Collect- Call From [ma-Practiceisovercomepickmeup], Will You Accept The Charges?

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everclearshovel21 avatar
Hello it Smee
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember all the late 90's B list celebrities promoting 1 800 collect call plans.

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“For the last decade, we’ve leaned into virtual reality because of how it enables both of these. We can step inside a world and have influence over it, and the story or experience that unfolds. I think one of the things we can expect moving forward is, in a sense, the opposite of virtual reality. Instead, more of an enhanced reality or fictional reality, wherein the entertainment isn’t in a headset, but instead, all around us,” she said.

“A decade ago, we didn’t talk to robots. Today, many of us do. Siri and Alexa are some of the more common bots, but we already interface with non-human characters regularly. As technology advances, including augmented reality and mixed reality, I think we can expect that entertainment will be something we can engage with off of the screen, but out in the world, with characters and stories we can engage with throughout the day, or throughout our houses.”

#7

When Burning Your Next Ripped Smashmouth, Nirvana Or Alanis Morisette Cd, Make Sure You Close All Open Programs To Avoid Buffer Underrun

When Burning Your Next Ripped Smashmouth, Nirvana Or Alanis Morisette Cd, Make Sure You Close All Open Programs To Avoid Buffer Underrun

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#8

When You Get A 2-Day Rental From Blockbuster In The Evening, You Actually Have Until The Morning Of The Third Day To Return It Without A Late Fee

When You Get A 2-Day Rental From Blockbuster In The Evening, You Actually Have Until The Morning Of The Third Day To Return It Without A Late Fee

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Iris
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have to admit I miss the times I had to go out of house to catch the newest films on dvd or vhs 😊

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#9

Keep A Disposable Camera In Your Glove Compartment. If You Get Into A Car Accident You Can Use It To Take Photos For Insurance Purposes

Keep A Disposable Camera In Your Glove Compartment. If You Get Into A Car Accident You Can Use It To Take Photos For Insurance Purposes

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everclearshovel21 avatar
Hello it Smee
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember so many weddings having these for guesses to take pictures. So many blurry pictures.

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Pringle added that she believes that the way that people engage one another will have a huge effect on entertainment. “Look at e-sports. Whoever would have thought that people would play money to watch other people play games? Media that engages us and gives us something to gather around, be it together, or virtually, is something that will always appeal to us,” she pointed out.

“I think we can expect to see the ebb and flow of experiences that bring people together offline and then on screen, or online, as well. In the last few years, we’ve seen the rise of interactive and immersive venues like the museum of ice cream or the Dr. Seuss experience,” Pringle told Bored Panda.

#10

If You Get A Prank Call, Just Dial *69 To Call Those Bastards Back And Confront Them

If You Get A Prank Call, Just Dial *69 To Call Those Bastards Back And Confront Them

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Jackie Burnham
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And *67 will make your phone number come up as blocked on caller Id so if they *69'd you they wouldn't get a number

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#11

Can't Afford A Magic Eye Poster? Simply Take A Photo Of Some TV Static, Stick It To Your Wall And Tell Everyone It's A Dolphin

Can't Afford A Magic Eye Poster? Simply Take A Photo Of Some TV Static, Stick It To Your Wall And Tell Everyone It's A Dolphin

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#12

In Simcity, Press Ctrl+shift+c And Enter 'Motherlode' For An Extra 50,000 Simoleans

In Simcity, Press Ctrl+shift+c And Enter 'Motherlode' For An Extra 50,000 Simoleans

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“These are places we can go, with friends and family, and have a shared experience. It feeds back into our online experiences because we can share photos or memories and these environments are designed to foster that. Certainly, as we find ourselves in a time of social distancing, we’re seeing new creative ways of “being together” even when we’re apart. So I think we can expect to see entertainment that helps us connect, be it online or off, and immerses us in an experience, story, or community.”

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#13

Grab The Free Aol Floppies At Comp USA Checkout Stands, Then Place A Piece Of Tape Over The Lock Hole. Reformat The Disk, And Use Them For Personal Files

Grab The Free Aol Floppies At Comp USA Checkout Stands, Then Place A Piece Of Tape Over The Lock Hole. Reformat The Disk, And Use Them For Personal Files

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romeyellen avatar
Stevie
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I had to bring a floppy disk to school (7th grade) to save our projects on it.

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#14

When Leaving Your Car Hide Your Radio

When Leaving Your Car Hide Your Radio

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#15

If You Don't Have Any More Room In Your Packed Bags Before Flying Somewhere, Wear Cargo Pants And Cram A Bunch Of Stuff In The Pockets. To Avoid Getting Gouged On Drinks At The Airport, Stuff A Couple Bottlers Of Soda In Those Pockets, And A Plastic Flask

If You Don't Have Any More Room In Your Packed Bags Before Flying Somewhere, Wear Cargo Pants And Cram A Bunch Of Stuff In The Pockets. To Avoid Getting Gouged On Drinks At The Airport, Stuff A Couple Bottlers Of Soda In Those Pockets, And A Plastic Flask

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khairunisaasyikinnoordin avatar
nanashi
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I could smuggle an entire buffet table into the cinema in one of these

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#16

Waiting For A Phone Call Call And Don't Want Your Parents To Hear It Ring? Call The Movie Theater And Listen To Today's Listings Until Call Waiting Beeps

Waiting For A Phone Call Call And Don't Want Your Parents To Hear It Ring? Call The Movie Theater And Listen To Today's Listings Until Call Waiting Beeps

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#17

Save Yourself A Lot Of Time And Invest In A Vhs Rewinder

Save Yourself A Lot Of Time And Invest In A Vhs Rewinder

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#18

When Playing Simon, Assign Each Color A Number. Count Them Out As They Light Up, It's Easier To Remember A Number Sequence Than Colors

When Playing Simon, Assign Each Color A Number. Count Them Out As They Light Up, It's Easier To Remember A Number Sequence Than Colors

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#19

Twist A Knotted Slinky Counter To The Knot, Then Twist Back The Opposite Direction To Quickly Fix A Messed Up Slinky

Twist A Knotted Slinky Counter To The Knot, Then Twist Back The Opposite Direction To Quickly Fix A Messed Up Slinky

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#20

When You're Watching Scrambled Porn Around Midnight On The Playboy Or Spice Channels, Make Sure You Have Cartoon Network Or Espn On Your "Last Channel" Button Just In Case Mom Or Dad Check On You

When You're Watching Scrambled Porn Around Midnight On The Playboy Or Spice Channels, Make Sure You Have Cartoon Network Or Espn On Your "Last Channel" Button Just In Case Mom Or Dad Check On You

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lyuboiv avatar
Vorknkx
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh, a classmate of mine did this but it went a bit wrong. Suffice it to say, his parents caught him with his pants down... watching Sumo wrestling!!!

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#21

If A Winged Tamagotchi Appears On Your Screen, It Means That Your Tamagotchi Decided To Go Back To It's Home Planet. But Don't Despair, Simply Press The (A) And (C) Buttons At The Same Time And Your New Egg Is Ready For Hatching

If A Winged Tamagotchi Appears On Your Screen, It Means That Your Tamagotchi Decided To Go Back To It's Home Planet. But Don't Despair, Simply Press The (A) And (C) Buttons At The Same Time And Your New Egg Is Ready For Hatching

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Daria B
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"If A Winged Tamagotchi Appears On Your Screen, It Means That Your Tamagotchi Decided To Go Back To It's Home Planet." Wow, cultural differences! When we were kids we thought normally that it just died, like real pets do. But, unlike real pets (because we were aware of the differences between toys and real life), this one comes with the instructions on how to revive it and start again.

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#22

Computer Frozen? Hold Ctrl+alt+delete To Close The Application Or Restart

Computer Frozen? Hold Ctrl+alt+delete To Close The Application Or Restart

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#23

Your Computer Game Running Too Fast Or Too Slow? Switch The Turbo Button On Your Computer Case On/Off

Your Computer Game Running Too Fast Or Too Slow? Switch The Turbo Button On Your Computer Case On/Off

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#24

Convince Your Friends That You're A Supercool Raver By Sticking Strips Of Coloured Tin Foil To Your Trousers

Convince Your Friends That You're A Supercool Raver By Sticking Strips Of Coloured Tin Foil To Your Trousers

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#25

Frost Your Tips For 100% Success With The Ladies

Frost Your Tips For 100% Success With The Ladies

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#26

Hold Your Slammer Between Two Fingers, And Throw It Down Hard While Spinning It. This Will Cause Most Of The Pogs To Flip! If You're Playing For Keeps, Jackpot!

Hold Your Slammer Between Two Fingers, And Throw It Down Hard While Spinning It. This Will Cause Most Of The Pogs To Flip! If You're Playing For Keeps, Jackpot!

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#27

Pad All Important Files To 1.45mb So They're Too Big To Be Stolen On A Floppy Disk

Pad All Important Files To 1.45mb So They're Too Big To Be Stolen On A Floppy Disk

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eirikjohnsbrten avatar
Eirik Johnsbråten
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You could just multipart zip it across several disks. That was how I copied the original Doom. At a whopping 5mb it was the biggest game I had ever seen.

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#28

Tired Of Paying The Outrageous 3$ For A Pop At The Movies? Wear Cargo Pants And Sneak Snacks In That Way

Tired Of Paying The Outrageous 3$ For A Pop At The Movies? Wear Cargo Pants And Sneak Snacks In That Way

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#29

Don't Want People To Read Your Diary? Simply Hide It Inside An Empty Sliding Doors Vhs Case

Don't Want People To Read Your Diary? Simply Hide It Inside An Empty Sliding Doors Vhs Case

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grubbster55 avatar
Andrew Gibb
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

back then there were no vagina smelling candles or weird inside person stones

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#30

Use A Safety Pin To Securely Attach The Ty Tag To Your Beanie Baby And Ensure It Won't Lose Value

Use A Safety Pin To Securely Attach The Ty Tag To Your Beanie Baby And Ensure It Won't Lose Value

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#31

Fool Friends Into Thinking You're Wearing A Global Hypercolour Shirt By Dipping Your Hands In Bleach And Touching Your Clothes

Fool Friends Into Thinking You're Wearing A Global Hypercolour Shirt By Dipping Your Hands In Bleach And Touching Your Clothes

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