Parenting
My Nostalgic Life (Before the Internet)
by Lara Jennings
Updated: Dec. 26, 2015
Originally Published: March 30, 2015
It’s true—this is exactly what we experienced, and yes, we actually did these things. If we were fixated on our own retro version of a show like Doctor Who (which was, honestly, what?), we had to discuss it face-to-face with our real-life friends. Yet, I hardly recall ever chatting about TV with them. It was just something we did as teenagers, often and without much conversation.
Music was a constant in our lives. We talked about it endlessly, but ultimately, it was crucial to know what kind of music resonated with our friends. That alone was enough. I vividly remember the first music video I ever watched (Billy Idol’s “White Wedding”) at a friend’s gathering, even though I had been eagerly anticipating MTV for a whole year before that. It felt like an eternity.
So, what did we do? We exchanged notes.
During classes, in between periods, and sometimes at home to be delivered the next day, we wrote each other letters. I recall one year where I started writing notes to a boy in my class simply because he resembled someone from my past. We passed notes back and forth every day for an entire year (the girl sitting between us had the task of delivering them), yet we rarely spoke in person. As the year progressed, the notes grew increasingly intimate. I’m almost certain we expressed love for one another in those notes; I thought it was merely a playful sentiment.
Years later, while going through those notes as an adult, it became glaringly obvious that this boy genuinely cared for me, while I had been blissfully unaware. I still remember the dull ache in my stomach when I spotted him the following year in the hallway, hand-in-hand with another girl, but at the time, it didn’t trouble me much. Reading those notes years later filled me with sadness; I ended up tossing them out, unable to face the frivolous version of myself from back then.
We also spent countless hours on the phone. The sensation of hanging up after a long conversation, with my ear feeling hot and buzzing, is still fresh in my memory. I am convinced that this is the reason I struggle to hear from my right ear, my designated phone ear, all these years later. We would discuss everything that transpired at school just hours prior, driven by a need to remain connected.
Of course, we met up in person too, which hardly needs mentioning, but I’ll do so anyway. We watched movies together, spent the night at each other’s homes (sometimes lying about where we were), attended parties, and stood on street corners for hours, debating what to do that evening. We became so engrossed in conversation that we barely noticed the world around us dimming as night fell.
We talked endlessly. We simply couldn’t get enough of each other’s words. We understood one another, just like teenagers have since the dawn of time, perhaps even before that.
This article was originally published on March 30, 2015.
For those interested in exploring more about starting a family, check out this essential guide on fertility insurance, which can provide valuable insights into your journey. Additionally, if you’re curious about home insemination kits, visit this link for more information.
Summary:
In a time before the internet, friendships were built on personal interactions and handwritten notes. The author reminisces about teenage years filled with music, lengthy phone calls, and the thrill of passing notes, capturing the essence of youthful connections in a world devoid of digital distractions.