There’s a certain magic about growing up in the 80s that kids today just won’t get.

Think back to a time before smartphones, internet, and Netflix. A time when kids actually played outside and Saturday morning cartoons were the highlight of the week.

Growing up in the 80s, we experienced life differently. Things were simpler, yet incredibly memorable in ways that today’s generation will never understand.

Here are seven things we experienced in the 80s that kids today will never have the chance to. So let’s take a nostalgic trip down memory lane together.

1) Saturday morning cartoons

Remember waking up early on a Saturday morning, rushing to the TV with a bowl of cereal in hand? This was a sacred ritual for kids growing up in the 80s.

Back then, we didn’t have streaming services that allowed us to watch whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted. Instead, cartoons were an event, something you waited all week for.

Saturday mornings were dedicated to cartoons and they were the highlight of every kid’s week. From “Thundercats” to “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”, these animated shows not only provided entertainment but also taught us about friendship, bravery and the power of imagination.

Sadly, this is something kids today will never experience. With cartoons available 24/7, the magic of Saturday morning cartoons is lost. But for those of us who grew up in the 80s, it’s a memory we will cherish forever.

2) The thrill of the mixtape

Oh, the joy of making a mixtape! I remember sitting by the radio for hours, finger poised over the record button, waiting for my favorite song to come on. And when it did, the rush to press record was pure adrenaline.

Creating a mixtape was an art form. It was a personal expression of who you were, what you loved. It was also a precious gift you could give to someone special. I still remember the excitement of handing over a carefully crafted tape to my best friend or my teenage crush.

Today’s kids will never know the painstaking effort it took to create the perfect mixtape, or the thrill of receiving one. With digital playlists and streaming services, music is now instantly accessible, but somehow, it’s lost a bit of that personal touch. The mixtape was a true 80s experience that I will always hold close to my heart.

3) The birth of video games

While today’s kids are growing up with sophisticated gaming consoles and virtual reality, we 80s kids witnessed the birth of the home video game era.

Believe it or not, classics like “Pac-Man”, “Donkey Kong”, and “Super Mario Bros.” all made their debut in the 80s. These games were simple compared to today’s standards, but they sparked a revolution in entertainment and laid the foundation for the multi-billion dollar gaming industry we have today.

Playing these video games was a unique experience that kids today might never understand. With pixelated graphics and limited controls, it was all about gameplay and creativity. It was a simpler time in gaming that most of us will always remember fondly.

4) Life before the internet

Can you imagine a world without Google, Facebook or Instagram? Well, that was the 80s for you. Information wasn’t at our fingertips like it is today.

If we wanted to learn about something, we went to the library and actually read books. If we wanted to communicate with a friend, we wrote letters or called them on a landline. There were no text messages or emails.

And let’s not forget about the excitement of waiting for your favorite band’s new album to drop or the suspense of not knowing what would happen next in your favorite TV show until the next episode aired.

Life before the internet was a different kind of adventure. It was about patience, anticipation, and a sense of wonder that is hard to find in today’s instant gratification world.

5) The magic of the local video store

I’ll never forget the feeling of walking into the local video store and being surrounded by rows upon rows of VHS tapes. The smell of popcorn, the excitement of picking out a movie for the weekend… it was a whole experience in itself.

One of my favorite things was exploring different genres and discovering new movies. I remember getting lost in the horror section, too scared to watch most of them but fascinated by the cover art. And the joy of finally finding that one movie you’ve been dying to watch – priceless.

Sadly, with streaming services now dominating, video stores have become a thing of the past. But for those of us who grew up in the 80s, these trips to the video store hold a special place in our hearts. It was a part of our childhood that kids today will sadly never get to experience.

6) Tangible music and the Walkman

In the 80s, music wasn’t just something you listened to – it was something you could physically hold. From vinyl records to cassette tapes, music was a tangible experience.

And who could forget the Walkman? When it was introduced, it revolutionized the way we listened to music. No longer were we tied down to a record player or boombox. We could take our music with us wherever we went.

Having your favorite mixtape on your Walkman was a statement, a personal soundtrack to your life. This personal and portable music experience is something today’s digital music streaming just can’t replicate.

7) Unstructured playtime

Perhaps the most distinctive feature of an 80s childhood was the freedom we had during playtime. There were no smartphones, tablets or video games to keep us indoors. Our playground was the great outdoors.

From building forts to playing hide-and-seek, our imaginations were our greatest asset. We learned how to solve problems, be creative, and build social skills all through unstructured play.

Today’s kids, with their over-scheduled lives and screen time, miss out on this kind of free play. It was a vital part of our 80s upbringing that helped shape who we are today.

Final reflection: A unique era of discovery and creativity

Growing up in the 80s was undeniably a unique experience. It was an era that witnessed the birth of many things we take for granted today, from video games to portable music players. But perhaps more importantly, it was a time of discovery, creativity, and unstructured play.

This autonomy and freedom shaped us into resilient problem-solvers, creative thinkers, and independent individuals. The tangible music, the thrill of the mixtape, the community feel of the video store, the anticipation of Saturday morning cartoons – these experiences molded us and left an indelible imprint on our lives.

As we look back, it’s not about glorifying the past or dismissing the present. It’s about acknowledging that every generation has its unique experiences and challenges. The 80s gave us a different perspective on life, one that today’s kids may never fully grasp.

But this understanding helps us appreciate our journey and the profound ways in which these experiences have shaped us. So here’s to the 80s – a decade that will always hold a special place in our hearts.