1. Going to a Video Store to See What Was Available
There was no endless scroll or search bar. You physically went to Blockbuster or a local rental shop to see what was on the shelves. New releases were sometimes all checked out, and you just had to pick something else. Browsing took time — and a lot of reading box summaries.
To Gen Z, this seems charming but inefficient. They expect to stream anything, anytime, anywhere. But back then, the randomness of what was available actually made the decision more fun. And nothing beat the feeling of snagging the last copy of a just-released VHS.
2. Giving Out Your Home Address to Random Mail-In Contests
In the ’90s, if you wanted to win a sweepstakes, you had to physically mail your name and home address to a P.O. box. People thought nothing of scribbling personal info on a postcard and dropping it in a mailbox for a shot at a cassette player or a trip to Disney. There was no talk of “data privacy” — it was just part of playing the game. And if your address ended up on some mailing list? That was just how junk mail happened.
Now, Gen Z practically has a panic attack if a website asks for their ZIP code. They’re trained to think about digital footprints and data harvesting, and rightly so. But back then, there wasn’t even an awareness that your info could be stored, sold, or stolen. The idea that people voluntarily gave strangers their exact location for a chance to win a Beanie Baby is mind-blowing to them.
3. Meeting Friends at the Mall With No Way to Contact Them
If you told your friends to meet you by the food court at 3 PM, you better be there — because there was literally no way to find them otherwise. No phones, no texts, no “where u at?” DMs. You just stood awkwardly by Sbarro, hoping they didn’t bail. Sometimes you even had to ask a stranger for the time if you forgot your watch.
Gen Z grew up with constant connectivity, so the idea of blind trust in plans seems risky at best. To them, not being able to text someone you’re running late feels medieval. But in the ’90s, you just figured it out — or you didn’t, and you went home. It was a different kind of freedom, but also a lot more inconvenient.
4. Smoking Literally Everywhere — Including Restaurants
In the ’90s, “smoking or non?” was the hostess’s first question, not whether you had any dietary restrictions. Smoking sections in restaurants were as common as ketchup on the table. The haze of cigarette smoke was just part of the atmosphere, even in places like Denny’s or Applebee’s. It was legal and totally normal to light up right after your mozzarella sticks.
Gen Z, raised in smoke-free zones and health-conscious environments, is floored by this. They’ve never had to dodge ash falling into their fries or come home smelling like a Marlboro ad. Now, you can’t even smoke near the door of most public places. The normalization of indoor smoking feels like something from a dystopian movie to them.
5. Not Knowing a Celebrity’s Age, Birthday, or Relationship Status
Back then, unless you caught it in Tiger Beat or Entertainment Tonight, you probably had no idea how old a celebrity was. There was no Wikipedia to instantly confirm someone’s birth year or relationship timeline. Rumors spread on the playground, and they might stay unconfirmed for years. You just kinda guessed based on vibes and hoped you were right.
Gen Z has grown up with access to celebrity bios, dating histories, and net worth calculators at their fingertips. They’re shocked people ever operated without this kind of instant fact-checking. In the ’90s, part of the fun was the mystery — is she 17 or 27? Who knows! Now, they want receipts, and they want them now.
6. Accepting Collect Calls From Friends Just to Hear a Message
There was an actual lifehack where you’d call your parents collect and say your message as the name — like “MomIt’sMePickMeUpBye.” The call would be declined, no one got charged, and the message got delivered. Totally normal and somehow a genius workaround for long-distance fees. Phone companies probably hated it, but kids everywhere did it.
Gen Z can text, share locations, drop pins, and even send audio messages — all for free. The idea of trying to beat a phone system just to avoid charges seems laughably dramatic. But in the ’90s, long-distance was a legit expense, and collect calls were a lifeline. It was stealth communication before WhatsApp even existed.
7. Buying CDs for One Song and Hoping the Rest Was Good
There was no streaming, so if you liked a single on the radio, you either bought the whole album or hoped the store had the CD single. Full albums could cost $15–$20, and there was no skipping ahead to preview. You were taking a total gamble based on one track and the cover art. Sometimes you found a hidden gem — sometimes it was all filler.
Gen Z lives in a world where they can listen to an artist’s entire discography before committing to a single download. They’re stunned that people used to invest real money without knowing what they were getting. But that gamble was part of the thrill. You really lived with the music — for better or worse.
8. Not Locking Doors During the Day — or Even at Night
In many suburban and small-town areas, people just didn’t lock their front doors. You could leave, go grocery shopping, come back, and never think twice. Kids came home from school to empty houses and didn’t even check if the door was bolted. It sounds reckless now, but it was a different time — or maybe just a different illusion of safety.
Today, Gen Z lives with Ring cameras, doorbell alerts, and apps that track when a package is dropped off. Locking your door is a bare minimum, even during the day. The idea that anyone could just walk into your home is terrifying to them. But in the ’90s, it was more common than you’d think — especially outside big cities.
9. Letting Kids Wander the Neighborhood Unsupervised for Hours
Once school let out, kids dropped their backpacks and roamed the block until dinner. No cell phones, no tracking, just an unspoken curfew of “when the streetlights come on.” Parents trusted that neighbors would keep an eye out, and kids learned how to entertain themselves. It was part freedom, part Lord of the Flies.
To Gen Z, that sounds either amazing or horrifying — sometimes both. Their childhoods were shaped by constant check-ins, scheduled playdates, and GPS tracking. The concept of “go play outside and come back whenever” feels wild in today’s context. But for ’90s kids, that was just another Tuesday.
10. Using a Phone Book to Find Someone’s Number — and Address
Want to call a friend or local business? Better hope they’re listed in the White Pages or Yellow Pages. You flipped through this enormous book of strangers’ names and landline numbers, sometimes finding full addresses printed right there. There was no privacy, but no one really questioned it.
Gen Z is accustomed to private profiles and encrypted messaging. Searching someone’s name and getting their full street address would feel like a breach of security. But in the ’90s, it was not only normal — it was how you got in touch. The idea that you could stalk someone on paper is equal parts absurd and alarming to them.
11. Ordering Pizza Without an App — and Hoping They Got It Right
If you wanted delivery, you called the place directly, read your order aloud, and crossed your fingers. There were no confirmation emails, no real-time tracking, and definitely no contactless drop-offs. You just hoped the teenager taking your order didn’t mess it up. And if they did? Good luck getting a refund.
Gen Z has been spoiled with precision ordering and postmates-style perfection. They’re used to seeing every step, from “we got your order” to “the driver is 3 minutes away.” But in the ’90s, it was more like ordering into the void. And yet, pizza still showed up — mostly right, mostly hot, and always worth the wait.
12. Watching TV on a Strict Schedule — or Missing It Completely
If your favorite show aired at 7:30 PM on Thursday, that was your one shot. No DVR, no streaming, no “I’ll just catch it later.” If you missed it, you had to wait for a rerun — maybe weeks or months away. And if someone spoiled the episode at school the next day, too bad.
Gen Z can’t quite grasp the concept of appointment TV, because they’ve always had full control over when and how they watch. Binge-watching and rewinding are second nature. But in the ’90s, the TV guide ruled your week. Missing a season finale meant truly being out of the loop — sometimes permanently.
This post 12 Things Gen Z Acts Shocked By, Even Though We All Just Did That in the ’90s was first published on American Charm.
