GenX was brought up in a very unique time when they have an analog childhood, and then they get to see the digital revolution transform their day-to-day life. Being born in the mid 1960s to early 1980s, when things worked in a certain way and were considered as normal, Gen X is reminded of things and routines that have not existed in a long time. Most aspects of their upbringing have been substituted by more convenient and expedited approaches, be it in their life of entertainment or how they communicate.
Video Rental Stores
Most families used to visit video rental stores on weekends. A patronage of going down to shelves with VHS tapes, as well as discussing the choice of movies, established a kind of ritual.
Cassette Mixtapes
The creation of mixtapes took time and ingenuity on cassettes. Taping radio music or burning others with albums was making music exchange a considerate act.
Phone Booth Calls
The use of a public phone booth was necessary in being connected outside of the house. It was a normal practice to keep change in their pockets to make some quick calls.
TV Guide Channel Surfing
Prior to on-demand streaming, the audience had to resort to printed programs and channel surfing in order to discover shows. Anticipating a particular show at a certain time was special and brought anticipation.
Physical Encyclopedias
Massy sets of encyclopedias used to be the place of knowledge within the home. Students turned through volumes to read about school projects and gratify curiosity.
Handwritten Letters
Writing letters was the communication method that had a significant role in the territory. The composition, delivery, and waiting of replies had some emotional values.
Arcade Hangouts
Arcades were crowded places of social interaction as teens used it to mingle in and play games and score big points. Youth entertainment was characterized by the flashing lights and coin boxes atmosphere.
Film Cameras
There was also a requirement to be keen in photography because there were few exposures in the film roll. The process of making photos entailed waiting, making capturing of memories exciting.
Saturday Morning Cartoons
The appearance of special Saturday morning cartoon series were anxiously instigated on a weekly basis. These broadcasts were part of the routines that families organized and they shared cultural time together.
Manual Road Maps
The paper maps directed millions of road trips which they frequently scattered across the car dashboard sprees. It meant that one needed space and cooperation between travelers to read them.
