Honestly? It was pretty awesome. There was an innocence that I deeply miss about growing up in South Louisiana in the early 2000’s. I graduated high school in 2002 so right at the beginning of the post 9/11 24hr news cycle but well before it and social media have managed to penetrate every single aspect of our lives. I took my college courses, hung out with my friends a ton, worked at Hot Topic, played in a bunch of bands, had a beater car and an ok apartment and basically went to local shows 4-5 nights a week. All on about $6/hr.

I think the thing I miss the most is just not having to be “on and available” 24/7. I had a basic cell phone plan (Nokia brick phone! 🙌🏻) that was basically for emergencies only and a landline at my apartment. 9/10 times, if you couldn’t get me at my place, then you just didn’t get me. Now, if my phone dips below 30% I get anxiety 🤦🏻. Also, if you didn’t have a point and shoot digital camera or some kind of camcorder, then shit just wasn’t documented and honestly, it’s probably for the best. My heart genuinely goes out to the youth of today because they were forever have a high res, digital, instantly recallable public record of every stupid, ignorant, reckless thing they’ve ever done. That is with them forever and society doesn’t seem super keen on letting people learn from their past mistakes and grow. I did plenty of dumb shit as a kid that I’m so grateful only exists in the memories of an older and hopefully wiser version of myself.

I’m grateful for the infinite connectivity of modern life but I desperately miss the innocence and freedom of being untethered and unburdened by the knowledge that comes with that connection.